Justin Martino, The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — Dr. Johnny Roy, Republican candidate for the 5th Congressional District, wants to be a change candidate by bringing real-life experience into the political world.

Roy, currently the chief of urology at Edmond Medical Center, said he plans to take real-life experience to Washington, D.C., in order to help solve the problems currently facing our country.

“I feel I am uniquely qualified to run because of the pressing issues we are facing,” he said.

Roy said his five main issues he wants to see change are health care, education, immigration, foreign affairs and income tax.

Roy has been in the private practice of medicine for the past nine years. Previously, he was a professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

Roy, an immigrant from Iraq, also has served as president of the National Kidney Foundation of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma County Medical Society and has most recently been chairman of the board at the Oklahoma Center for Advancement of Science and Technology.

Roy said his practical experience in both health care and teaching will help him when making decisions relating to these topics.

“Only an actively practicing physician presence at the decision table can articulate solutions to this extremely complex issue (of health care),” he said.

His experience teaching will be a similar help and sets him apart from other candidates, Roy said.

“None of them have been in a classroom and taught,” he said. “I have been a professor for 22 years.”

In additional to his professional experience, Roy is able to turn to personal experience on the issue of immigration and foreign affairs.

“I am an immigrant and have a good insight on this emotionally charged issue, perhaps better than most,” he said.

Roy points to his experience as a world traveler, and that his love of foreign affairs and his love for this area exceeds his love of his vocation.

“My background, raised overseas, and my world travels can lend a very credible rationale when confronted by international entanglements and issues,” he said.

And everyone has had the experience of paying their yearly income taxes, which Roy said he would try to replace with a consumption tax.

“I think most Americans are just mad and angry about our tax system,” he said.

Roy said he does not plan to become a career politician, but would only serve two to three terms before leaving office.

“Serving in Congress should be a calling and no