Scott Perry led a conservative takeover of the House of Representatives. Now he finds himself in a tough race against a moderate Democrat

YORK, Pa. — In the intense race for control of the House of Representatives, candidates in the most competitive districts have largely followed a similar playbook, boosting their moderate credentials while playing to a middle ground of voters. Then there’s arch-conservative Rep. Scott Perry.

The Pennsylvania Republican chaired the right-wing House Freedom Caucus as it took control of the Republican House majority in 2022, often bringing the chamber to a standstill to force Republican leaders to listen to their demands. Perry also played a prominent role in then-President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, to the point where the FBI seized his cell phone as part of an investigation.

Yet Perry is not retreating from his history as a disruptor, even as the Freedom Caucus was at the center of a chaotic and historically unproductive two years in the House of Representatives. He is being challenged by Democrat Janelle Stelson, a former TV news anchor who is well-known in a fast-growing district that includes Harrisburg and surrounding communities.

“Should I just go along with Washington DC like most of my other colleagues did just to moderate myself?” Perry said. “No, I’m going to do the right thing every time I get the chance.”

That determination has created an intense race in Pennsylvania that shows how Republicans — from Trump to House Speaker Mike Johnson — are doubling down on their tough promises in the final days of the campaign, even in a state that could be decisive in both presidential and presidential elections. elections and the battle for control of the House of Representatives.

Perry’s district has been modestly Republican-leaning since it was re-elected in 2018, and Trump won it by 4 percentage points in 2020. But now that Perry is running for a seventh term, he faces a major challenge.

Once a registered Republican himself, Stelson is on the hunt for Republicans and right-wing voters who might be willing to break away from Perry. Like Democrats across the country, she has targeted voters concerned that Republicans could implement federal restrictions on abortion and reproductive care. Perry has sponsored legislation to ban abortions in the past.

“Abortion really crosses party lines,” she said. “I’ve heard older Republican women say, ‘No government and no Scott Perry is going to tell me what to do with my body.'”

Stelson is also leaning on her background as a local news anchor and positioning herself as someone voters can trust.

“Because she was on the news for so many years, she feels like she was part of your household,” said Vickie Washington, a 71-year-old retiree in York who said she plans to vote for Stelson.

Stelson has raised more than $1 million more than Perry, prompting Republicans in the House of Representatives to come to his aid in their bid to maintain their narrow majority.

Democrats have outspent Republicans in the race so far, according to AdImpact, which tracks campaign ad spending. They spent more than $7 million on Tuesday, compared to the more than $4 million Republicans spent.

Perry has leaned more heavily on political action committees during the campaign, the records show, although both parties have received significant support from outside groups. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super political action committee that works with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is on track to spend $2.3 million on the race.

“This is a person who comes to work every day, rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done,” Johnson said of Perry during a visit to the district in early October, adding that he nominated Perry for a coveted spot in the House had appointed. Intelligence Committee.

But the move sparked grumbling among some Republicans in the House of Representatives. Perry was chosen over several other mainstream Republicans for the committee, which handles sensitive classified information and oversees U.S. spy agencies. The choice of a close Trump ally like Perry, who was ordered by a federal judge last year to turn over more than 1,600 text messages and emails to FBI agents investigating efforts to keep Trump in power, was widely criticized.

Perry has not been charged with any crime and has said he is not under investigation. He also said last week that he would vote to certify this year’s election results “as long as everything appears to be done fairly, correctly and in a reliable manner.”

However, Perry has signed a lawsuit from Pennsylvania Republicans asking a court to set aside the ballots of overseas voters, including members of the military, to confirm their identities before they are counted. Perry previously voted from abroad himself while serving overseas in the National Guard, the York Dispatch reported.

Perry has also gone on the attack against Stelson, pointing out that she currently lives outside the district boundaries. She has said she will move if she wins the election.

As the candidates exchange views in the final days of the race, Stelson is not focusing her attacks solely on Trump and Perry’s attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election four years ago, which culminated in a mob of Trump supporters Stormed the Capitol. While Stelson argues that Perry’s actions should be “disqualifying,” she sees them as part of a broader pattern that shows Perry is more focused on the internal struggles in Washington than on the needs of Pennsylvania voters.

Her supporters say this is a smart move at a time when issues like the cost of living are at the top of voters’ agendas.

“Whatever they’re thinking about (Jan. 6), they’re kind of tired of hearing about it,” said Craig Snyder, who organizes a group called Republicans Against Perry, which is funded by Welcome PAC, a political action committee that promotes moderate Democrats.

As Stelson spoke last week to a room of supporters at a winery in a rural part of the district dominated by Trump signs, she highlighted how Perry has voted against legislation that she said would benefit military veterans, Capitol -police officers and firefighters.

“Every time there’s someone who voted against you instead of for you,” she said.

Still, Perry insists that his mission in Washington is to reduce government spending, which would in turn reduce inflation.

‘I represent you. I’m looking at your living expenses. I pay the same,” Perry recently told the crowd at a campaign event.

That message is resonating in one of the state’s fastest-growing regions, where home prices are rising.

Russaline Nolden, who runs a bakery and smoothie shop in York, says she is bothered by the high prices for her business. She has generally supported Democrats, but is leaning toward Trump and other Republicans.

“The system is unfair,” she said, complaining that government aid is being misused. “Put the money where it is appreciated.”

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Associated Press writer Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.