Latest news with #Stelson
Axios
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Exclusive: Democratic challenger to GOP Rep. Scott Perry raises $500k in 2 days
Janelle Stelson, a Pennsylvania Democrat who narrowly lost to Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) in 2024, raised more than $500,000 in the first 48 hours since announcing for 2026, Axios has learned. Why it matters: For a candidate essentially asking donors for a second chance, those are encouraging numbers. Bombshell fundraising announcements can also make other potential Democratic hopefuls think twice about jumping into the primary. "We are building the coalition needed to win this seat and it's clear that momentum is on our side," Stelson said in a statement to Axios. What we're watching: Stelson, like other 2024 retreads, still needs to get through a 2026 primary process, which could get messy. The Democratic party is still processing Zohran Mamdani's shock win in New York City, with even established incumbents wondering if they'll be victims of a progressive insurgency. Zoom in: Repeat candidates bring certain advantages to a rematch, including name ID and a donor list that can be resuscitated. But they also enter the race having been rejected the previous cycle. Still, Democratic party strategists are convinced that the midterm electorate will be more forgiving to their candidates with President Trump off the ballot. They are betting that tough losses in a presidential year can turn into tight wins in the off-year. Zoom out: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tends to encourage repeat candidates more than their GOP counterparts, with 10 Democratic challengers running for a second time in competitive seats in 2024. Two of them – Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) and Josh Riley (D-N.Y.) – ended up prevailing in their rematches. Rep. Tom Souzi, who left his seat to run for governor in 2022, recaptured it in a special election in 2024 and then won a full term in November. Republicans mocked the tactic, likening it to microwaving "crusty lasagna". Between the lines: This year, both parties already have a handful of retread candidates looking for redemption. Former Iowa state Rep. Christina Bohannan is challenging Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) for a third time after losing by 799 votes in 2024. In Wisconsin, Rebecca Cooke wants to take another shot at Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.). In California, Joe Kerr, a retired firefighter, plans to run against Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) again. Former Rep. Yadiro Caraveo is laying the groundwork to take back her Colorado seat from Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.). And former state Rep. Amish Shah and Marlene Galán-Woods are both running in the Democratic primary to face Rep. David Schweikert in Arizona. Shah lost in 2024 in the general election. The other side: In Ohio, Kevin Coughlin is looking for a rematch against Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio). And Derek Merrin is making a second run at Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). Former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln wants to again challenge Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) in the Central Valley. Two Nevada Republicans — Marty O'Donnell and David Flippo — who didn't advance past the primary last cycle are also running again in NV-03 and NV-04. The bottom line: Second-time candidates — and even third-time candidates — know how to dial for dollars, but they'll still face well-financed incumbents in November.
The Hill
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
GOP Rep. Scott Perry to be challenged by Democrat he defeated in 2024
Democrat and former broadcast journalist Janelle Stelson launched her second challenge against Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) in Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district on Monday. Stelson narrowly lost to Perry by just over one percent in 2024. The highly competitive 10th congressional district has been rated as a toss-up, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. FBI agents seized Perry's cell phone in 2022 in connection with investigations into President Trump. A court later issued a ruling shielding much of the communications on the phone between Perry and other lawmakers from special counsel Jack Smith. Controversies hanging over the 2020 presidential election and the investigation hung over the 2024 race, when Perry won reelection and Trump won Pennsylvania after losing the state in 2020 to former President Biden. A poll conducted earlier this month by the left-leaning Data for Progress on behalf of the Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC shows Stelson leading Perry 46 percent to 43 percent. In a statement announcing her campaign, Stelson blasted Perry for voting for President Trump's legislative agenda. 'Scott Perry has spent more than a decade in DC taking votes that hurt us instead of delivering results – and he just sold us out again by casting the deciding vote for the largest Medicaid cuts in history, all to fund more tax cuts for billionaires,' Stelson said in a statement. 'People around here are sick and tired of career politicians like Scott Perry betraying them at every turn. I'm running to give Central Pennsylvanians the voice they deserve and to fight to lower costs, protect Social Security and Medicare, ensure a woman's right to choose and secure the border,' she continued. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) responded to Stelson's entrance into the race in a statement on Monday. 'Welcome back to certified loser Janelle Stelson! If there's one thing we know for sure, it's that Janelle Stelson, who won't even bother to live in the district she wants to represent, doesn't stand a chance against Scott Perry. Pennsylvanians have rejected her before, and they'll gladly do so again in 2026,' NRCC spokeswoman Maureen O'Toole said. Stellson is expected to have the support of the Democratic establishment going into the general election. According to her campaign, Stelson has already secured endorsements from Lt. Gov. Austin Davis (D), state Sen. Patty Kim (D), state Reps. Carol Hill-Evans (D), Dave Madsen (D), and Nate Davidson (D).
14-07-2025
- Politics
The challenger who narrowly lost to GOP Rep. Scott Perry wants another chance to beat him in 2026
HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Democrat Janelle Stelson, who lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry by barely a percentage point in 2024, will run again in the right-leaning congressional district in Pennsylvania. Stelson, a one-time local TV anchor and personality, mounted a challenge to Perry, the former leader of the hardline House Freedom Caucus. It was designed to sway moderate Republicans, portraying him as an extremist on abortion rights and slamming Perry's votes against Democratic-penned bills that carried benefits for firefighters and veterans. "The story about Scott Perry just keeps getting worse," Stelson said in an interview. Stelson called Perry the 'deciding vote' in the House's 218-214 vote on Republicans' tax break and spending cut package that she said would strip Medicaid benefits from thousands of his constituents, possibly shut down rural hospitals and further stretch health care facilities, such as nursing homes. 'This has disastrous, possibly deadly consequences, and Scott Perry did that,' Stelson said. For his part, Perry is already touting the bill's provisions to curb billions of dollars in spending across clean energy, cut spending on the safety-net health care program Medicaid and reduce subsidies to states that offer Medicaid coverage to cover immigrants who may not be here legally. It will, he said in a statement, 'end damaging 'Green New Scam' subsidies, lock in critical and additional reductions in spending" and ramp up efforts to make sure Medicaid benefits are reserved for 'vulnerable Americans and not illegal aliens.' Perry's campaign, meanwhile, has said that Perry's fundraising is its strongest since he's been in Congress, and that the issues that propelled President Donald Trump and Perry to victories in 2024 will still be relevant in 2026. With Washington, D.C., completely controlled by Republicans, recruiting strong House challengers is of the utmost importance for Democrats. They need to flip just three seats nationwide to retake the House majority they lost in 2022 and block Trump's agenda. Stelson lost in a damaging 2024 election for the Democratic Party, despite outspending Perry in a race that cost over $24 million, according to FEC filings. It wasn't one of the most expensive House races in the nation, but Perry's victory of slightly over 1% point made it one of the closest. Democrats took heart that Perry ran well behind Trump — by 4 points — in a district that is becoming more moderate with Harrisburg's fast-developing suburbs. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro won the district in 2022's gubernatorial race, when he blew out his Republican opponent. Shapiro will lead Pennsylvania's ticket again in 2026, and is supporting Stelson by headlining a fundraiser for her in the coming days. Shapiro's support could ward off a potential primary challenger to Stelson.
Hamilton Spectator
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
The challenger who narrowly lost to GOP Rep. Scott Perry wants another chance to beat him in 2026
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Janelle Stelson, who lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry by barely a percentage point in 2024, will run again in the right-leaning congressional district in Pennsylvania. Stelson, a one-time local TV anchor and personality, mounted a challenge to Perry, the former leader of the hardline House Freedom Caucus . It was designed to sway moderate Republicans , portraying him as an extremist on abortion rights and slamming Perry's votes against Democratic-penned bills that carried benefits for firefighters and veterans. 'The story about Scott Perry just keeps getting worse,' Stelson said in an interview. Stelson called Perry the 'deciding vote' in the House's 218-214 vote on Republicans' tax break and spending cut package that she said would strip Medicaid benefits from thousands of his constituents, possibly shut down rural hospitals and further stretch health care facilities, such as nursing homes. 'This has disastrous, possibly deadly consequences, and Scott Perry did that,' Stelson said. For his part, Perry is already touting the bill's provisions to curb billions of dollars in spending across clean energy , cut spending on the safety-net health care program Medicaid and reduce subsidies to states that offer Medicaid coverage to cover immigrants who may not be here legally. It will, he said in a statement, 'end damaging 'Green New Scam' subsidies, lock in critical and additional reductions in spending' and ramp up efforts to make sure Medicaid benefits are reserved for 'vulnerable Americans and not illegal aliens.' Perry's campaign, meanwhile, has said that Perry's fundraising is its strongest since he's been in Congress, and that the issues that propelled President Donald Trump and Perry to victories in 2024 will still be relevant in 2026. With Washington, D.C., completely controlled by Republicans, recruiting strong House challengers is of the utmost importance for Democrats. They need to flip just three seats nationwide to retake the House majority they lost in 2022 and block Trump's agenda. Stelson lost in a damaging 2024 election for the Democratic Party, despite outspending Perry in a race that cost over $24 million, according to FEC filings. It wasn't one of the most expensive House races in the nation, but Perry's victory of slightly over 1% point made it one of the closest. Democrats took heart that Perry ran well behind Trump — by 4 points — in a district that is becoming more moderate with Harrisburg's fast-developing suburbs. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro won the district in 2022's gubernatorial race, when he blew out his Republican opponent. Shapiro will lead Pennsylvania's ticket again in 2026, and is supporting Stelson by headlining a fundraiser for her in the coming days. Shapiro's support could ward off a potential primary challenger to Stelson. ___ Follow Marc Levy on X at: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
14-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
The challenger who narrowly lost to GOP Rep. Scott Perry wants another chance to beat him in 2026
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democrat Janelle Stelson, who lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry by barely a percentage point in 2024, will run again in the right-leaning congressional district in Pennsylvania. Stelson, a one-time local TV anchor and personality, mounted a challenge to Perry, the former leader of the hardline House Freedom Caucus. It was designed to sway moderate Republicans, portraying him as an extremist on abortion rights and slamming Perry's votes against Democratic-penned bills that carried benefits for firefighters and veterans. "The story about Scott Perry just keeps getting worse," Stelson said in an interview. Stelson called Perry the 'deciding vote' in the House's 218-214 vote on Republicans' tax break and spending cut package that she said would strip Medicaid benefits from thousands of his constituents, possibly shut down rural hospitals and further stretch health care facilities, such as nursing homes. 'This has disastrous, possibly deadly consequences, and Scott Perry did that,' Stelson said. For his part, Perry is already touting the bill's provisions to curb billions of dollars in spending across clean energy, cut spending on the safety-net health care program Medicaid and reduce subsidies to states that offer Medicaid coverage to cover immigrants who may not be here legally. It will, he said in a statement, 'end damaging 'Green New Scam' subsidies, lock in critical and additional reductions in spending" and ramp up efforts to make sure Medicaid benefits are reserved for 'vulnerable Americans and not illegal aliens.' Perry's campaign, meanwhile, has said that Perry's fundraising is its strongest since he's been in Congress, and that the issues that propelled President Donald Trump and Perry to victories in 2024 will still be relevant in 2026. With Washington, D.C., completely controlled by Republicans, recruiting strong House challengers is of the utmost importance for Democrats. They need to flip just three seats nationwide to retake the House majority they lost in 2022 and block Trump's agenda. Stelson lost in a damaging 2024 election for the Democratic Party, despite outspending Perry in a race that cost over $24 million, according to FEC filings. It wasn't one of the most expensive House races in the nation, but Perry's victory of slightly over 1% point made it one of the closest. Democrats took heart that Perry ran well behind Trump — by 4 points — in a district that is becoming more moderate with Harrisburg's fast-developing suburbs. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro won the district in 2022's gubernatorial race, when he blew out his Republican opponent. Shapiro will lead Pennsylvania's ticket again in 2026, and is supporting Stelson by headlining a fundraiser for her in the coming days.
