Scott Perry’s competitive 2024 challenger Janelle Stelson to run again
Democrat Janelle stelson, who narrowly lost to Republican Rep. Scott Perry in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District in 2024 by less then one point, plans to run against him again in 2026. Stelson, a former news anchor, exceeded expectations in the area’s slight Republican-leaning district and is expected to be a strong contender in one of the more competitive races of the midterms. Her campaign will focus on Perry’s role in passing the One Big Gorgeous Bill Act, which maintains Trump-era tax cuts but reduces Medicaid and SNAP benefits-a move Stelson criticizes for potentially harmful effects on local hospitals and vulnerable populations. Perry defends the bill as fiscally responsible and focused on protecting benefits for Americans. Perry’s campaign remains well-funded, with about $550,000 cash on hand, and both candidates face an intensely competitive race, underscored by heavy spending in 2024 and significant Democratic efforts to flip the seat. A recent poll shows Stelson slightly ahead of Perry, with the district rated as a Republican toss-up heading into 2026.
Scott Perry’s competitive 2024 challenger Janelle Stelson to run again in 2026
Democrat Janelle Stelson will run against Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) again in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District. She lost to the Republican in 2024 by less than 1 point.
Stelson, a former news anchor, outperformed the area’s R+3 lean in 2024 and is expected to mount one of the more competitive races of 2026.
In her campaign against him, she will focus on Perry’s association with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The public’s perception of the bill, which keeps President Donald Trump’s tax cuts in place but cuts Medicaid and SNAP, will likely determine whether the GOP keeps the House after the 2026 midterm elections.
Stelson aims to make Perry, a former Freedom Caucus chairman, look like an extremist.
“The story about Scott Perry just keeps getting worse,” Stelson told the Associated Press.
She said he was the “deciding vote” on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and echoed concerns about the bill, such as its effect on local hospitals and Medicaid.
“This has disastrous, possibly deadly consequences, and Scott Perry did that,” Stelson said.
Perry said the bill will “end damaging ‘Green New Scam’ subsidies, lock in critical and additional reductions in spending,” and speed up efforts to make sure Medicaid benefits are reserved for “vulnerable Americans and not illegal aliens.”
Perry’s campaign account had about $550,000 in cash on hand as of the end of March, according to the Federal Election Commission. His campaign said his fundraising has been the strongest since he entered Congress and that the issues he ran on in 2024 remain relevant.
Perry and Stelson’s 2024 race was one of the most expensive in the country, with more than $24 million spent. The Pennsylvania seat will be a top priority for Democrats to flip in 2026 as they look to regain control of the chamber.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) will hold a fundraiser for Stelson to help her clear the field in the Democratic primary.
A poll commissioned by the Democratic House Majority PAC shows Stelson ahead of Perry, 46% to 43%. Perry also has a 49% disapproval rating, with 36% approval.
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Trump won Perry’s district 51.82% to then-Vice President Kamala Harris’s 46.62% in 2024.
The Cook Political Report rates Perry’s district as a “Republican toss-up” for 2026.
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