Wake's lone GOP legislator to run for congress

Republican state Rep. Erin Paré will announce Wednesday her plans to run for congress in North Carolina's 13th District, her campaign tells Axios.

Why it matters: Paré is the lone Republican representing Wake County in the state legislature, and has risen in prominence since her re-election last fall.

• She sponsored one of the most consequential bills of this year's legislative session — a bill that banned trans women and girls from playing on sports teams that align with their gender identity — which placed her front and center of fiery debates in the legislature.

What's happening: Paré launched her campaign by taking swings at the "far left" and touting that she fought to protect the unborn, women's sports and parental rights.

• "I won't stand by while radical liberals ruin our economy, allow crime to run rampant on our streets, and indoctrinate our children," Pare said in a press release.
• "In Raleigh, I've been a conservative leader willing to stand up to the woke mob on behalf of conservatives in this region. I'll do the same in Washington."

Between the lines: The tone of Paré's announcement seems to signal she'll center her campaign on culture war-related issues.

Context: The district Paré plans to run in includes part of Wake County and is currently represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel, who beat Republican Bo Hines in a highly contested race last year.

• But the district's competitiveness could change before next year's election, as the Republican-led legislature plans to redraw political maps this fall.