Janelle Stelson and Gov. Josh Shapiro walk down Hanover Street in Carlisle Oct. 31, 2024 (Photo by Ben Wasserstein for the Capital-Star)
With the election less than a week away, former news anchor Janelle Stelson is trying to make her case to unseat six-term incumbent Rep. Scott Perry (R-10th district.)
Stelson and Gov. Josh Shapiro toured small businesses in Carlisle on Thursday to learn how she could help them if elected.
One issue that came up was health benefits and the Affordable Care Act. On Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told supporters in Bethlehem that Republicans would seek a “massive reform” of it should Donald Trump win.
Stelson criticized her GOP opponent’s votes against health benefits.
“We’re not only talking about the ACA, which has given millions of Americans, including here in Pennsylvania, including here in PA-10, insurance, some of them, for the first time, Scott Perry has repeatedly voted to repeal that, which would be devastating for this business, as we just heard,” she said.
She also pointed out Perry’s votes against capping the price of insulin and other prescription drugs.
Perry, along with five other Pennsylvania congressmen, filed a lawsuit challenging the eligibility of military members voting overseas. A federal judge dismissed that case on Oct. 29.
Federal judge cites ‘phantom fears of foreign malfeasance’ in dismissing Pa. GOP lawmakers’ suit
Stelson said she wants to expand voting rights, while also pointing to the hypocrisy of Perry’s lawsuit.
“The fact that he wants to contract our voting rights when he’s voted several times that way himself is not that surprising if you know who you’re dealing with, but I think it’s really disturbing,” she said.
Perry spent decades in the army reaching the rank of brigadier general. He voted absentee at least twice while serving overseas. According to former White House Cassidy Hutchinson, he also had a key role in Jan. 6.
Shapiro reminded reporters of his actions that day.
“In the moments after the floor was literally cleared of the debris from the mob, Scott Perry rose to his feet on the floor of the House of Representatives and lied about the good people of Pennsylvania,” he said.
Stelson also mentioned Perry tried to install Trump ally Jeff Clark as attorney general. Clark had been supporting the former president’s false claims of voter fraud.
“Talk about violating your oath to protect the Constitution, both as a congressman and a military person,” she said.
Shapiro said his administration is expecting an onslaught of misinformation and disinformation coming from both Trump and Perry this election.
“Why do I expect that?” he said. “Because they did it last time and because they’re the ones who are out spreading the mis- and disinformation.”
Shapiro reaffirmed the 2020 election was free, fair, safe and secure and that next week’s will be as well.
Matt Beynon, spokesman for Perry’s campaign, criticized the campaign stop, mentioning that she does not live in the 10th Congressional District. Stelson has said she plans to move there if elected.
“It’s good that carpetbagger Janelle Stelson is spending time with actual residents and business owners,” he said in a statement.
Stelson significantly outraised Perry in the most recent quarter, campaign finance records show, raising $2.85 million from the beginning of July to the end of September, while Perry raised just under $855,000 during that same time period.
And earlier this month, the nonpartisan national ratings outlet Cook Political Report moved the PA-10 race from its “leans Republican” category to “toss up.”
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