NOTUS: “The former chair of the House Freedom Caucus is one of the Democrats biggest targets in a purple Pennsylvania district”
In case you missed it, recent reporting highlighted the fact that Congressman Scott Perry is facing the toughest race of his political career.
NOTUS reports that “Democrats are bullish about their chances to unseat Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry in a contest that could ultimately decide the balance of power in the House” and plan to “hammer Perry on a number of affordability issues.”
Read key highlights for yourself:
Democrats are bullish about their chances to unseat Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry in a contest that could ultimately decide the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Democratic strategists say that 2026 could provide the perfect opportunity to oust Perry, who’s held the seat since 2013. The former chair of the House Freedom Caucus is running in a redrawn, more competitive district. Democrats plan to nominate Janelle Stelson, a former local news anchor who ran against Perry in 2024. Stelson lost the race by about 1 percentage point, according to the Associated Press.
Eli Cousin, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told NOTUS that Perry’s race is one that the committee feels optimistic about.
“We will flip this seat because we have a battle-tested candidate and independent voice in Janelle Stelson, while Republicans are stuck with an extreme and deeply unpopular incumbent in Scott Perry,” Cousin said.
J.J. Balaban, Stelson’s admaker […] said that Stelson’s team is planning to hammer Perry on a number of affordability issues, including his vote in November against extending Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years.
“He’s not just to the right of every Democrat in Pennsylvania, but he’s to the right of every Republican in Pennsylvania,” Balaban said. “From a national perspective, that is what makes the race kind of distinctive. This is a Freedom Caucus member who is really voting in the hard-right line and running for reelection.”
Stelson told NOTUS that she’s heard concerns about Perry’s voting record on cost-of-living issues repeatedly on the campaign trail.
“He supports the tariff taxes that are driving up costs on everything from groceries to housing, he said that lowering costs by extending the ACA healthcare credits would be a ‘colossal mistake,’” Stelson said in a statement. “Every day voters are telling me they are sick of this career politician who is making their lives impossible to afford.”
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