Daniel Barry, a North Carolina insurance executive, has entered the Republican race for the 8th district seat held by Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell.

Barry filed his Federal Election Commission paperwork declaring his candidacy Tuesday, he told Roll Call.

“I’m running for Congress to save this country for our children,” he said in a short interview Friday. “There is a legacy of debt that we have to address and that starts with the spending side. We have to get that under control in order to deliver to our children the same vibrant country that we received from our parents.”

Barry, who told Roll Call last week that he could be a partial self-funder, will face former Iredell County Commissioner Scott Keadle in the primary. Other potential Republican contenders include state Reps. Justin Burr and Jerry Dockham, and businessman Pat Molamphy.

The newly drawn 8th grew significantly more Republican as a result of redistricting. Kissell won his second term in 2010 with 53 percent of the vote.