State Sen. Sally Doty, one of five Republican candidates vying for Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District seat, visited The Meridian Star on Saturday to discuss her platform.

Doty, 51, of Brookhaven, is a two-term state senator who is chair of the Energy Committee and vice chair of the Judiciary A Committee. Doty is also one of five members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, appointed by Lt. Governor Tate Reeves.

She was the first woman to enter the 2018 race after Congressman Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) announced he was not seeking re-election.

According to a recent Associated Press report, Doty “wants to balance the federal budget and help President Trump with his agenda by working to reduce government regulations.”

“I would listen to the different parts of my district and what it is that they need,” Doty told The Star. “I would spend a lot of time deciding what Meridian needs, what it is southwest Mississippi needs and what it is that Hinds and Rankin County needs. A lot of it would be the same, but there’s a lot of differences in those counties, and I would make those items my focus.”

Doty operates a private law practice in Brookhaven, representing Lincoln, Lawrence, and portions of Copiah and Walthall counties.

“Through my experiences at the State Capitol, I have become more aware of how the federal government affects my constituents in the smaller communities — and larger communities — that I represent, and I want to have the opportunity to use that knowledge… at a higher level, Doty said.”

Doty was the fourth Republican to file qualifying papers to run for Harper’s seat. The first was Michael Guest of Brandon.

Other candidates include Whit Hughes of Madison, Morgan Dunn of Magee and Perry Parker of Seminary.

No Democrats had filed as of Friday.

Candidates’ filing deadline is March 1 and party primaries are June 5.