Scott Perry

YORK — Are you ready for Perry-Stelson II?

Midstate Democrats said, resoundingly, that they are as voters propelled longtime television anchorwoman Janelle Stelson to the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District.

Early and unofficial vote totals showed Stelson holding a commanding lead over her primary opponent, Dauphin County Democrat Justin Douglas.

With all but about 60 precincts reporting full results at 11:00 p.m., Stelson was pulling 69.2 percent of the vote, to Douglas’s 30.8 percent.

The Associated Press called the race shortly before 9 p.m.

About 30 minutes later, Stelson delivered an early victory speech to supporters gathered at Collusion Tap Works in York.

“In 2024, we came closer than ever because of a coalition built on shared values and hope,” Stelson told a crowd of supporters and volunteers. “Tonight our coalition is bigger and it is just getting started...

“Together we can take this district. Let’s go!”

Stelson did not give any interviews to the gathered press after her remarks, and PennLive’s attempts to reach Douglas for comment were not successful.

Shortly before leaving her celebration Tuesday, however, Stelson did note that Douglas did reach out to her with a brief congratulatory call.

Next up?

She faces a general election rematch against U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, the archconservative Republican incumbent from Carroll Township in York County.

Perry, a seven-term incumbent who narrowly outpolled Stelson in the 2024 general election, was unopposed in the Republican primary.

He came out swinging Tuesday night in a statement released by his Patriots for Perry campaign committee.

“The more things change, the more liberals remain the same,” Perry said.

“The difference between me and Janelle Stelson couldn’t be clearer. I’ve lowered the tax burden on hardworking central Pennsylvanians, while my opponent has promised to make you pay more. I’ve been invested in the 10th District’s future for decades, while my opponent refuses to commit to even buying a property here to call our district home. And while I’ve always been up front about where I stand, my opponent has bobbed, weaved, and refused to discuss the issues even with members of her own party.

“Over the next five-plus months, I look forward to a vigorous general election campaign. I hope my opponent will join me in debating the issues that will impact the future of south central Pennsylvania and our nation. I’m ready; I sure hope she is. Game on.”

In exit interviews Tuesday, Democratic primary voter after voter spoke warmly about their familiarity with Stelson from her 27-year career as a news anchor at WGAL News 8, the regional NBC affiliate.

“I voted for Stelson just because I’m familiar with her from being on TV, and then I’ve followed her political career,” one Carlisle voter who declined to give her name told PennLive.

“I think she’s knowledgeable about politics... and I just always felt that she was an honest person who gave us the facts.”

A whole other segment of Democrats said Tuesday’s vote for them was strictly based on what they saw as her electability in a Republican-leaning district.

“I guess the main thing I was thinking about is: ‘Who will be the best candidate in November?’” said Paul Richards, a retired swimming coach at Dickinson College.

“And Janelle Stelson has the name recognition. Maybe the second time will be the charm for her, and we (Democrats) will get that seat, which we need.”

Midstate Democrats — and, truthfully, national Democrats too — have been pining for nearly a decade to beat Perry, a staunch conservative who became deeply engaged in President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results.

The 2026 race is rated by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report as a toss-up — one of just 18 in the nation - based largely on the fact that Perry v. Stelson was so close two years ago.

That, in turn, makes it a race that can draw a lot of outside fundraising interest as both parties strive for majority control of the closely split U.S. House.

For Douglas, something of a Democratic folk hero just three years ago when he helped the party take the majority position in Dauphin County for the first time in at least a century, the primary was a bruising reality check about the power of name recognition and of running against the establishment in a race on which the establishment is tremendously focused.

The defeat was complete.

Even in his home base of Dauphin County, Douglas was pulling only 42.1 percent of the vote with full counts in from 34 of 158 precincts.

Stelson’s biggest margin was in York County, where with 74 of 75 10th District precincts in, Stelson was pulling just less than 80 percent of the vote.

Stelson also benefitted from the fact that she is now in the third year of what has essentially been a continuous campaign for Congress.

York residents Fred and Beth Mills, recent transplants from Maryland, said they first met Stelson at a block party at their Union Lutheran Church during her 2024 campaign.

The Mills made clear Tuesday that they’ve liked what they’ve seen of Stelson the candidate, but they also think she has the best chance to win.

“I think because she’s a centrist, she’s probably a good fit for this district,” Fred Mills said.

Douglas, in this race, didn’t have the resources to really build his name recognition across the district, and Stelson effectively sealed off other channels by locking up the support of the national party apparatus, regional elected officials and labor unions long before Douglas even entered the race.

Then Stelson frustrated Douglas by avoiding any joint appearances with Douglas.

Voters, however, were ready to forgive her that because of what they considered the bigger prize ahead.

“She did a good job last time and came very close,” said a woman from Lower Allen Township in Cumberland County who did not want to be identified by name because she works for the state.

“So part of it is I think that she’ll do better in the general election (than Douglas). I feel like he’s much better known in his little corner of Dauphin County, but we need to reach everyone in the Pa. 10th, not just one little corner.”

The 10th District comprises all of Dauphin County; Cumberland County, from the West Shore communities west to the Carlisle area; and roughly the northern half of York County.