Former WGAL anchor Janelle Stelson. (Photo via Stelson campaign)
Democratic Janelle Stelson raised more money than any other congressional candidate in Pennsylvania over the last three months, tripling the haul of the candidate she’s attempting to unseat, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-10th District).
Stelson, a former longtime anchor at WGAL-TV in south-central Pennsylvania, raised $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.
With the latest haul, Stelson has now outraised Perry in the election cycle-to-date. Since announcing her candidacy in Oct. 2023, she has raised $4.77 million, while Perry has raised $3.55 million from the beginning of 2023 to the end of Sept 2024.
Stelson also significantly outspent Perry over the last months, spending $2.59 million as the incumbent spent $925,000, campaign finance records show.
Stelson enters the home stretch with a cash on hand advantage, which is a difference in comparison to previous reelection bids for Perry. She entered October $1.37 million on hand, while Perry’s campaign began the month with just over $715,000.
Perry, a six term incumbent who previously served as the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, had $1.15 million on hand at this point in the previous cycle, while his Democratic challenger, Shamaine Daniels, had just over $155,000. He defeated Daniels by 7 points in the 2022 race for the 10th Congressional District.
Perry and Stelson face off for sole debate in PA-10
At this point in the 2020 cycle, Perry’s campaign had $1.04 million on hand as Democratic challenger Eugene DePasquale, the state’s former auditor general, had just under $570,000 on hand. Perry won that race by 6 points.
Perry’s closest race since being elected to Congress was in 2018 against Democrat George Scott, under the district’s previous boundaries. At this point in that cycle, Perry had just over $540,000 on hand, while Scott had just over $520,000 entering October 2018.
Like previous cycles, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) named Perry to its list of seats it is hoping to flip.
A poll by Susquehanna Polling and Research before Stelson and Perry debated on Oct. 8 showed Stelson leading by 9 points, outside the poll’s margin of error.
However, a trio of national ratings outlets still give the edge to Perry in this race.
The Cook Political Report and Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball rate the race as “leans Republican,” while Inside Elections describes the race as “tilt Republican.”
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