Jo Rae Perkins

Jo Rae Perkins (born May 9, 1956) is an American perennial candidate who was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for both the 2020 U.S. Senate election and 2022 U.S. Senate election in Oregon. Perkins lives in Albany, Oregon, and has received national attention for her belief in QAnon.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Jo Rae Perkins
Perkins in 2014
Personal details
Born (1956-05-09) May 9, 1956
Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
George Perkins
​
(m. 1978)​
Children2
EducationLinn-Benton Community College (AS)
Oregon State University (BA)

Relationship with QAnon
Perkins Senate
Perkins interviewed on the QAnon YouTube channel of Dustin Nemos in January 2020[7]

Perkins supports the QAnon conspiracy theory[3][4] and has participated in it since at least 2018.[5][6][1] During Perkins's victory speech for the Oregon Republican Senate primary, she repeatedly invoked a catchphrase associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory and expressed appreciation for the QAnon supporters whom she met during her campaign.[8][9] In this victory video, which was subsequently deleted, Perkins said, "I stand with President Trump. I stand with Q and the team. Thank you Anons, and thank you patriots. And together, we can save our republic."[10] Perkins said she had removed the video under advice from a campaign consultant, that she regretted the removal, and that she continued to view the QAnon forums as one source of information among many that she valued during an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting a few days after the video was taken down.[11] Larry McDonald, Perkins's campaign manager, stated in May 2020 that Perkins only believed in certain facets of QAnon.[12] In June 2020, she took a 'digital soldier oath' inspired by QAnon promoter Michael Flynn.[13][14]

Personal life

Perkins was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. She graduated with an Associate of Science in business management from Linn–Benton Community College in 1998 and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Oregon State University in 2013.[15][16] Perkins attended accounting and financial planning classes at Golden West College and the University of Portland.[16] She has resided in Albany, Oregon since 1975.[17]

Perkins and her husband, George, a carpet installation contractor, have been married since 1978, and they have two children.[18]

Perkins attended the protest at which the 2021 United States Capitol attack occurred, saying she attended because she did not believe the election vote tally was accurate.[19] Perkins says she did not enter the Capitol building.[20] Perkins also made unsubstantiated claims that Antifa stormed the Capitol.[20] She posted videos of herself at the event on her Facebook page.[21]

Career

Perkins previously worked as a financial advisor.[22] She also volunteered at the Northwest Art and Air Festival for many years, where she helped run air ballooning, relying on a class she took at Linn–Benton Community College.[17]

Perkins served as chairwoman of the Linn County Republican Party from 2009 until 2012.[23][24] She also served in a variety of roles with the Linn County Republican Women, and as an elected precinct committeeperson in Albany.[18]

Perkins has experienced financial and legal issues. Perkins filed for personal bankruptcy twice and was fired in 2008 from her sales position at an investment company for violating its policy, according to a 2010 Albany Democrat-Herald article.[25] She first filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy along with her husband in 1997, although the records about that filing were destroyed in a fire. Perkins again filed for bankruptcy in 2009 to settle $335,000 in debt, for which she was stripped of her Certified Financial Planner title in 2010 by that organization's board.[26]

Perkins was arrested in December 2005 on charges of harassment and hindering prosecution, according to a 2013 article in The Oregonian. She was allegedly covering up for her son, who had evaded law enforcement after being stopped for speeding. Perkins later pleaded no contest to the charges.[23]

Political campaigns

Perkins ran unsuccessful campaigns for Albany city council in 1994 and Albany mayor in 2010.[27][28]

2014
Main article: 2014 United States Senate election in Oregon

Perkins was the first Republican challenger to enter the 2014 Oregon Republican U.S. Senate primary, entering the race on August 16 in her first federal election attempt.[29] Perkins said she decided to run in large part out of concern regarding erosion of states' rights.[15] Her campaign expressed dissatisfaction after she was not invited to a January debate between the two front-runners at the Dorchester Conference.[30] As of February 2014, she had raised just under $4,600 (~$5,686 in 2022) in campaign funding for the year, the least out of the four eventual Republican candidates.[31] Perkins lost the Republican primary, coming in fourth place with 3% of the vote.[32]

2016
Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon § District 4

In 2016, Perkins ran for Oregon's 4th congressional district and finished in second place with 32% of the vote in the Republican primary behind Art Robinson.[33]

2018
Main article: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Oregon § District 4

Perkins was again a candidate in 2018 in Oregon's 4th congressional district, placing third behind Robinson and Court Boice in the Republican primary.[22]

2020
Main article: 2020 United States Senate election in Oregon
Senate campaign logo

In 2019, Perkins filed again to run for the Republican nomination in Oregon Congressional District 4.[34] However, she dropped out of the 4th District race when she filed instead to run for the U.S. Republican Senate primary, saying she was inspired by what she described as incumbent Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley's focus on "sham impeachment trials."[22][35] Between entering the race and March 2020, Perkins raised over $25,000 (~$26,038 in 2021) in publicly declared campaign funds, with many donations on WinRed, the official Republican National Convention fundraising platform.[35] Perkins later received an endorsement and $5000 in donations from former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee's political action committee.[36][37] Perkins won the primary on May 19, 2020, and opposed the Democratic incumbent Senator Jeff Merkley in November for the general election. She finished with nearly fifty percent of the vote in the primary, well ahead of her three challengers.[3][4]

Perkins spoke at the "Cruise for Trump Campaign Kickoff Rally" alongside Kim Thatcher, a Republican challenger for Secretary of State. Perkins denounced the use of masks, garnering applause.[38] Perkins ran an underdog campaign to unseat Merkley, and her efforts were supported by party leaders.[39][40] In late 2020, Perkins sued to remove the Libertarian candidate Gary Dye from the ballot. Her legal argument asserted that a 2011 ruling by the secretary of state allowed improper voting behaviors supporting one libertarian faction, and that she would be the main candidate who would otherwise have received the votes that would go to Dye. A judge dismissed the lawsuit in mid-September.[41][42]

Perkins lost against Merkley, garnering 39% of the vote to Merkley's 57%. She won 24 less populous counties out of the 36 in the state, her wins largely in the rural Southern and Eastern parts of the state. Though Perkins received less institutional support from the GOP and donors, she received votes comparable to other Republican candidates in the election.[43]

2022
Main article: 2022 United States Senate election in Oregon

Perkins again ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, vying to unseat longtime Democratic incumbent Ron Wyden.[44] She announced her campaign at a November 8, 2020 Stop the Steal rally in Salem, Oregon, five days after her loss to Merkley.[45] She won the Republican primary, held on May 17 2022, with 33.3% of the vote.[46] Perkin had raised $38,800 by June,[47] and $92,000 by the conclusion of the campaign. She lost the general election to Wyden, garnering 41% of the vote.[48]

Political positions

Perkins identifies as pro-life. She supports accepting permanent residency for undocumented immigrants as long as further measures are taken to secure the Mexico–United States border.[49] Perkins advocates for the DREAM Act.[50] Perkins supports repealing the Affordable Care Act and abolishing the Federal Reserve. She supports replacing federal income taxes with federal consumption taxes. She supports privatizing Medicare and Social Security.[49] Perkins advocates for zero-based budgeting in federal executive departments. She supports federal term limits at 12 years each in the House and Senate.[50]

In August 2020, Perkins declared her opposition to the use of masks against COVID-19, saying she had done much research on the issue and distrusted experts and official death statistics. She also opposed the George Floyd protests in Portland, Oregon.[51]

In 2014, Perkins signed the Tea Party movement-affiliated Contract from America.[24]

References
  1. Baker, Mike (May 20, 2020). "G.O.P. Voters Back QAnon Conspiracy Promoter for U.S. Senate". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  2. Sidner, Sara (August 22, 2020). "The US Senate candidate who took a QAnon pledge | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  3. Ross, Jamie (May 20, 2020). "Oregon Republican Senate Primary Winner Jo Rae Perkins Thanks QAnon for Victory". The Daily Beast. Retrieved May 20, 2020. Jo Rae Perkins won the Republican Senate primary in Oregon late Tuesday—and one of her first acts following her victory was to thank QAnon conspiracy theorists. "Hi, my name is Jo Rae Perkins, candidate for the U.S. Senate in Oregon," Perkins said in a celebratory video. "Where we go one, we go all. I stand with President Trump, I stand with Q and the team. Thank you Anons, and thank you patriots. Together, we can save our republic."
  4. "Jo Rae Perkins wins Republican Senate primary in Oregon". The Associated Press. May 19, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  5. Rambo, K. (May 28, 2020). "Republican backers largely stand with Senate nominee Jo Rae Perkins, despite 'QAnon' controversy". The Oregonian. MSN. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  6. Goforth, Claire (May 21, 2020). "QAnon-supporting Republican claims the media is lying about her support of QAnon". The Daily Dot. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  7. Zuylen-Wood, Simon van (September 28, 2020). "QAnon Goes to Washington". Intelligencer. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  8. Burns, Katelyn (May 20, 2020). "A QAnon supporter just won a Republican primary for US Senate". Vox. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  9. Baker, Mike (May 20, 2020). "G.O.P. Voters Back QAnon Conspiracy Promoter for U.S. Senate". The New York Times. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  10. Greve, Joan E. (May 21, 2020). "Republican QAnon conspiracy promoter picked to run for US Senate". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  11. Mapes, Jeff (May 22, 2020). "Jo Rae Perkins, Oregon Republican Nominee For US Senate, Defends Her Interest in QAnon". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  12. Rambo, K. (May 27, 2020). "Republican backers largely stand with Senate nominee Jo Rae Perkins, despite 'QAnon' controversy". The Oregonian. Oregonlive.com. Retrieved June 9, 2020. "She certainly does not believe in the child sex trafficking ring or whatever that nonsense is," McDonald said. "That's just crazy. As far as the deep state, well, it exists."
  13. Sommer, Will (July 1, 2020). "Michael Flynn Finally Embraces His Q Cult Following". The Daily Beast. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  14. Chapman, Matthew (June 27, 2020). "GOP Senate candidate films herself taking QAnon 'digital soldier oath'". The Raw Story. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  15. Reynolds, Scott; Evoniuk, Joanna (January 8, 2014). "U.S. Senate Candidate Profile: Jo Rae Perkins". Archived from the original on April 28, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  16. "Jo Rae Perkins' Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  17. "An early riser — once a year". Albany Democrat-Herald. August 25, 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  18. "Meet Jo Rae". Perkins for U.S. Senate. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  19. McCormick, Keely (January 15, 2021). "Former candidate for Oregon Senate speaks on involvement in insurrection at the Capitol". KVAL.
  20. Peterson, Danny (January 7, 2021). "Ex-Senate candidate Jo Rae Perkins among Trump supporters in DC". KOIN.
  21. Acker, Lizzy (January 7, 2021). "Young Republicans of Oregon leader arrested during U.S. Capitol insurrection". OregonLive. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  22. Bailey, Kyle (January 22, 2020). "Joe Rae Perkins enters race for U.S. Senate". KQEN News Radio. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  23. Mapes, Jeff (November 7, 2013). "Jo Rae Perkins, U.S. Senate candidate from Albany, faced charges after dispute with police". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  24. McInally, Mike (August 16, 2013). "Jo Rae Perkins of Albany announces bid for U.S. Senate". Albany Democrat-Herald. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  25. Hering, Hasso (October 21, 2010). "Candidate explains "rough times"". Albany Democrat-Herald. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  26. Lambert, Hannah Ray (July 15, 2020). "Jo Rae Perkins touts financial chops in senate bid. What we found". KOIN. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  27. Mapes, Jeff (May 3, 2014). "Jason Conger and Monica Wehby: On the issues". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  28. "Candidate Information". Oregon Secretary of State. September 18, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  29. Gaston, Christian (August 16, 2013). "Former Linn County GOP chairwoman announces bid against Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  30. Mapes, Jeff (February 26, 2014). "Jason Conger and Monica Wehby invited to two-candidate GOP Senate debate at Dorchester; Conger accepts, Wehby unsure". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  31. Mapes, Jeff (February 11, 2014). "How Jeff Merkley, Monica Wehby and Jason Conger stack up in fundraising for Oregon's Senate race". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  32. "May 20, 2014 Primary Election Abstract of Votes: United States Senator". Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  33. "Perkins, Jo Rae". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  34. PERKINS RUNNING FOR CONGRESS, KQEN, November 19, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
  35. Goforth, Claire (May 20, 2020). "QAnon conspiracy believer wins Republican primary for Senate". The Daily Dot. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  36. Gedye, Grace; Walker, James (November 18, 2020). "The QAnon Super PAC Was a Flop". Washington Monthly - Politics. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  37. Hananoki, Eric (October 29, 2020). "Mike Huckabee's PAC has been giving money to QAnon candidates". Media Matters for America. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  38. McDonald, Abbey (August 28, 2020). "Candidates fire up crowd during Cruise For Trump Campaign Kickoff Rally". The News-Review.
  39. Lerer, Lisa (June 18, 2020). "The QAnon Caucus". The New York Times. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  40. Phillips, Amber (June 13, 2020). "Why QAnon supporters are winning congressional primaries". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  41. Allen, Blake (October 1, 2020). "Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate faces lawsuit to be removed from ballot". KTVZ. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  42. Mapes, Jeff (September 16, 2020). "Judge rejects attempt to remove Oregon Libertarian candidate for US Senate from November ballot". OPB.
  43. Riski, Tess (November 11, 2020). "Jo Rae Perkins, Who Subscribes to the QAnon Conspiracy Theory, Won 24 of Oregon's 36 Counties on Election Night". Willamette Week.
  44. "OREGON. QAnon conspiracy theorist Jo Rae Perkins (R) - fresh off her fourth consecutive failing run for federal office - announced she will run vs US Sen Ron Wyden (D) in 2022". Twitter.
  45. Gruver, Tim (November 8, 2020). "Election results spur conspiracies and unrest in Oregon's capitol". The Center Square. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  46. "Perkins wins Oregon's Republican U.S. Senate primary". AP News. May 27, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  47. Duvernay, Adam (October 2, 2022). "U.S. Senate race: Republican, minor party candidates hoping to unseat incumbent Wyden". The Register-Guard.
  48. Jaquiss, Nigel (November 16, 2022). "Jo Rae Perkins' Seemingly Inexplicable Performance Is Actually Par for the Course". Willamette Week.
  49. Mapes, Jeff (January 26, 2014). "Oregon Republican Senate candidates show differences on abortion and environment". The Oregonian. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  50. Hutchman, Gerald (April 10, 2020). "Jo Rae Perkins US Senate Candidate Gerald Hutchman One Source Web". KGAL. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  51. Sidner, Sara (August 22, 2020). "The US Senate candidate who took a QAnon pledge". CNN.
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