Rep. Scott Perry, the 6-term Republican representing the Harrisburg area, narrowly won reelection on Tuesday against Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson.
With 99% of the vote in, Perry leads Democrat Janelle Stelson by a 50.8% to 49.2% margin, a difference of 6,412 votes, when the Associated Press called the race on Thursday.
Stelson, a former local TV news anchor who emerged from a competitive Democratic primary, proved to be a powerhouse fundraiser in her first run for office. She outraised Perry by more than three-to-one in Q3, raking in $2.85 million to Perry’s $855,000.
Perry, a former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, was considered a top target for House Democrats due in part to his alleged activities after the 2020 election. Perry’s name was mentioned more than 50 times in a Senate Judiciary committee report about Donald Trump’s post-election conduct, and his cell phone was briefly seized by the FBI in August 2022.
Democrats believed the changing nature of Pennsylvania’s 10th District would help their chances of taking down Perry. The district, which includes portions of York, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties, has experienced rapid population growth over the last decade and begun to change from a predominantly rural seat to a much more suburban district.
Perry was first elected in 2012 and won his second and third terms without difficulty. The retired Army officer narrowly turned back a challenge from Democrat George Scott by fewer than 8,000 votes in 2018. He won reelection in both 2020 and 2022 with approximately 53% of the vote.
