U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District (C-Span screen capture)
(*This story was updated on Tuesday, 11/16/21 at 1:21 p.m. to note that U.S. Rep. Scott Perry has been elected the new chairman of the House Freedom Caucus)
Another prominent Pennsylvania Republican lawmaker has tested positive for COVID-19.
In a statement, the office of U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District, said the central Pennsylvania legislator had tested positive for the virus and “will continue working while quarantining at home.”
Perry’s “symptoms are quite mild, and he’s looking forward to a full recovery,” the statement reads.
“Like so many of our friends and neighbors, Congressman Perry has tested positive for COVID-19,” the statement reads, in part. ” … This is a personal health matter and our office will not have further comment.”
The statement is silent on whether Perry, a firebrand conservative who has been critical of pandemic mitigation policies, has been vaccinated against the virus. Perry was among the Pennsylvania lawmakers who did not respond to the Capital-Star’s questions about his vaccination status.
In a Sept. 30 Facebook post, Perry came out against the vaccine mandates imposed by the Biden administration.
“Folks, if you want the vaccine, by all means, get the vaccine,” Perry wrote. “You shouldn’t have to worry about being forced or fired. Not nurses, not docs, not First Responders, nor our Troops. Consent, never coercion.”
*On Monday, Perry was elected the next chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, according to Axios. He’s also come under scrutiny for efforts to help former President Donald Trump undermine the results of the 2020 election.
Last week, Pennsylvania Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, announced he’d tested positive for the virus, derailing a planned public announcement of his GOP gubernatorial candidacy. Corman formally declared on Tuesday in a statement.
Other members of Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Reps. Matt Cartwright, D-8th District, and Mike Kelly, R-16th District, also have either tested positive for the virus, or have quarantined after coming into contact with someone who had it. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., also tested positive for coronavirus antibodies, indicating that he likely had the virus, according to a published report.
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