Perkins served as chairwoman of the Linn County, Oregon Republican Party. She previously worked as a financial advisor. Perkins 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. Perkins has experienced financial and legal issues. A 2010 article in the Albany Democrat-Herald stated that Perkins had filed for personal bankruptcy twice, and she was fired in 2008 from her sales position at an investment company for violating its policy. A 2013 article in The Oregonian noted that Perkins was arrested in December 2005 on charges of harassment and hindering prosecution. She was allegedly covering up for her son who had evaded law enforcement after they stopped him for speeding. Perkins later pleaded no contest to the charges.
Political campaigns
Perkins ran unsuccessful campaigns for Albany mayor in 2010 and for city council. She ran unsuccessful campaigns for Senate in 2014 and House in 2016 and 2018, respectively. Perkins won the Republican senatorial primary in May 2020.
2014 U.S. Senate election
Perkins was the first Republican challenger to enter the 2014 Oregon Republican primary, joining on August 16 in her first federal election attempt. Perkins said she joined in large part out of concern regarding erosion of states' rights. Perkins' campaign expressed dissatisfaction after she was not invited to a January debate between the two front-runners at the Dorchester Conference. As of February 2014, she had raised just under $4,600 in campaign funding for the year, the least out of the four eventual Republican candidates. Perkins lost, coming in fourth place with 3% of the vote.
Perkins was a candidate in 2018, running again in Oregon's 4th congressional district, but she lost to Robinson in the Republican primary.
2020 U.S. Senate election
Perkins entered the Oregon Republican Senate primary on January 17, 2020, saying she was inspired by what she described as incumbent Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley's focus on "sham impeachment trials." Between entering the race and March 2020, Perkins raised over $25,000 in publicly declared campaign funds, with many donations on WinRed, the official Republican National Convention fundraising platform. Perkins won the primary on May 19, 2020, and will oppose the Democratic incumbent Senator Jeff Merkley in November for the general election. She finished with nearly fifty percent of the vote, well ahead of her three challengers. Perkins is a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory. During Perkin's victory speech, she repeatedly invoked a catchphrase associated with the QAnon conspiracy theory and expressed appreciation for the QAnon supporters whom she met during her campaign. In a victory video that 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." In an interview with Oregon Public Broadcasting a few days after the video was taken down, Perkins said she had removed the video under advice from a campaign consultant, that she regretted the removal, and that she continues to view the QAnon forums as one source of information among many that she values. Perkins has participated in the QAnon conspiracy theory since at least 2018. Larry McDonald, Perkins’ campaign manager, stated in May that Perkins only believed in facets of QAnon. In June, she took a 'digital soldier oath' inspired by QAnon promoter Michael Flynn. Perkins is running an underdog campaign to unseat Merkley, though her effort is supported by party leaders.
