Scott Perry, Janelle Stelson race for 10th District still too close to call

• Jordan Wilkie/WITF
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 Courtesy of Stelson and Perry campaigns

Candidates for the Pennsylvania 10th Congressional District. Janelle Stelson, left, and Scott Perry, right.

This story has been updated with additional information from Nov. 6. 

The 10th District U.S. House of Representatives race between incumbent Republican Scott Perry and Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson remains too close to call, as of 7 P.M., Nov. 6.

The three counties within the district — Dauphin, in whole, and Cumberland and York, in part — spent the day reviewing provisional ballots. Those that are approved by the board are then counted. 

There are also 987 total federal votes, cast by U.S. citizens living overseas, left to be counted. Accepting those votes was delayed by a series of challenges of people connected to the election denier movement. 

York dismissed the challenges on Monday and is waiting for the 2-day appeal period to end at midnight. The Dauphin challenger, Aimee Lighty, withdrew her challenges Wednesday morning, allowing the county to process the ballots. Cumberland is still scheduled to hold a hearing on the challenges Thursday. 

The race is not currently within the margin for a state-required recount, which under Pennsylvania law is 0.5% or less.

Stelson is one of the few Democratic candidates who seemed to be over-performing going into the early hours.

The 30-year broadcast television host has significant name recognition across the district. 

Addressing the crowd at her watch party, Stelson credited her campaign staff and volunteers for making the race closer than Democratic challengers of past elections.

“Some of you have given your treasure,” Stelson said. “Some of you have given your time. Some of you have worn out your shoes knockin doors for me.”

Perry’s campaign has not released a statement. 

His campaign took the lead early Wednesday morning, with votes from Democratic-leaning Harrisburg left to be counted. 

Stelson, a former Republican who ran to the right of her new party on issues like immigration, says the campaign is one of the hardest things she’s done. 

“Turns out it requires a lot of focus to unseat a six term congressman.”

In the coming hours, or days if the results remain exceptionally close, voters will learn if Stelson’s efforts were enough.

Well over a thousand provisional, military and overseas votes remain to be counted in the district. 

Perry, a retired U.S. Army National Guard brigadier general, served in the Pennsylvania legislature for six years before running for Congress. His campaign has focused on his personal history, and he describes his voting history as fiscally responsible. 

Stelson calls herself a political newcomer. Her campaign sought to use Perry’s history in Congress against him, including his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results and his support for a national abortion ban. 

Republicans are defending a narrow majority in the U.S. House, controlling 220 seats to Democrats’ 212; there are three vacancies in districts that split 2-1 in favor of Democrats, putting the potential party breakdown at 221-214, or just 7 seats, with 22 races rated by the Cook Political Report as toss-ups. 

Stelson raised $5.3 million to Perry’s $3.8 million in the state’s fourth most expensive race for a U.S. House seat, though money does not alone determine election outcomes. 

A Franklin & Marshall College poll released in June showed Perry leading Stelson among registered voters, 45% to 44%, with 11% undecided.

Stelson, a former news anchor at WGAL, lived in Manheim Township as she campaigned for a district that started across the county line. Stelson has promised to move to the district if she wins election.

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