How To Use This Guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Rank the two or three that matter most to you, such as health care costs, energy bills, data centers or the war in Iran.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House writes federal law and sets the federal budget, including health care programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, and all bills that raise taxes must start there. Decisions on where data centers go are made mostly by state and local governments.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then read the candidates’ own words and who funds each campaign.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

U.S. House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. The 10th District includes all of Dauphin County and parts of Cumberland and York counties, according to FOX43’s election guide. The district uses the same congressional map as in 2022 and 2024, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State. ​

This race is a rematch of 2024, when the Republican incumbent beat the Democratic challenger 50.5% to 49.3%, according to Ballotpedia’s race overview. The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rate the race Lean Democratic, and Inside Elections rates it Toss-up, according to Ballotpedia.

Data centers are a local flash point. Two are planned at the former Highlands Golf Course in Swatara Township. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, township commissioners said they cannot block the projects if the developer meets township rules, according to ABC27.

Candidates In Brief

Republican Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) has represented the district since 2013 and is a former leader of the House Freedom Caucus. Perry served in the Pennsylvania House from 2007 to 2012 and in the National Guard from 1980 to 2019, rising to assistant adjutant general. Perry previously owned a mechanical contracting business, according to Perry’s Ballotpedia profile. Perry was unopposed in the Tuesday, May 19 Republican primary.

Democrat Janelle Stelson is a former WGAL-TV news anchor and reporter. Stelson grew up in the Seattle area and graduated from the University of Puget Sound, according to Stelson’s Ballotpedia profile. Stelson has lived in the Harrisburg area since 1986, according to WHP. Stelson won the May 19 Democratic primary with 67.4% of the vote over Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas.

Where They Stand

Health care. Perry says “Health care costs are out of control,” calls the Affordable Care Act a failure and wants to expand health savings accounts, according to WITF. In a September 2025 op-ed, Perry called extending the act’s premium tax credits a “colossal mistake,” according to City & State Pennsylvania. Stelson wants to extend those credits, reverse the Medicaid cuts in the 2025 tax and spending law and let Medicare negotiate more drug prices.

Cost of living. Perry says “I voted for the largest tax cut in American history,” citing the tax breaks on tips and overtime, according to City & State’s debate report. Perry also says “excessive taxes and over-regulation prevent small businesses from creating jobs and prospering,” according to Perry’s campaign website. Stelson wants to make “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” permanent and to repeal “the tariff taxes driving up everyday” prices, according to Stelson’s Ballotpedia survey.

Data centers. Stelson says state and local authorities should have “the ability to say no” to data centers. Perry says “What I wouldn’t do is offer the richest multinational companies on the planet tax breaks.”

Iran. Stelson says “I think the war in Iran should end almost immediately.” Perry says the war “needs to be ended swiftly, and it needs to be ended so that it is permanent.”

Abortion. Perry describes Perry’s position as pro-life, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, according to WITF. Stelson supports “a woman’s right to choose” and would restore the federal protections of Roe v. Wade, according to Stelson’s campaign website.

Ethics and accountability. Stelson supports term limits, promises to limit Stelson’s own time in office and backs banning members of Congress from trading stocks. Stelson says Perry has not held an in-person town hall since 2019. Perry says “I was told the last time I wanted to have a town-hall meeting by federal police, that it would be negligent to do so,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s debate report.

In Their Own Words

Scott Perry, on artificial intelligence, at the Oct. 14 debate:

“Somebody, some person, is going to have to be accountable for the mishaps of AI.”

Janelle Stelson, at the Oct. 14 debate:

“One of us voted for a bill that is threatening struggling hospitals.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Perry and Stelson met in a single debate, hosted by ABC27 in Harrisburg on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Stelson completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Neither candidate had completed FOX43’s candidate questionnaire as of Sunday, Oct. 11, according to FOX43.

At the debate, Stelson called Perry “an architect of the deadly insurrection on Jan. 6,” and Perry called that “a flat-out lie.” Perry said “Jack Smith weaponized the federal government against its political foes, and I was collateral damage,” according to the Inquirer. The Federal Bureau of Investigation seized Perry’s phone in 2022, and Perry was never charged.

Endorsements

President Donald Trump endorsed Perry on Thursday, March 27, 2025, saying Perry “has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” according to Just the News. AllCiv’s endorsement data also lists the Freedom Caucus Fund, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Turning Point Action among Perry’s backers.

Stelson’s major endorsements came before the primary:

  • Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) endorsed Stelson on Thursday, July 17, 2025, saying “This community deserves a congresswoman who’s on your side and Janelle Stelson is,” according to ABC27’s report on the endorsement.
  • The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee named Stelson to its Red to Blue program for top challengers in February, according to WHP.
  • The Human Rights Campaign PAC endorsed Stelson on Wednesday, June 24, according to the group’s announcement.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures come from Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports for the 2026 cycle through Wednesday, Oct. 14, as compiled by Ballotpedia:

  • Stelson reported raising $9,234,260 and spending $7,180,191, with $2,069,306 on hand.
  • Perry reported raising $6,791,519 and spending $5,849,869, with $1,023,569 on hand. Perry also reported $194,000 in debt, according to AllCiv’s Pennsylvania 10th District race page.

AllCiv’s race page shows $4.1 million in outside spending in the race. FEC filings list by name every donor who gives more than $200 in a cycle. Smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total.

The Incumbent’s Record

Perry serves on the Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees, and on the House Intelligence Committee. Perry also chairs the Transportation Committee’s Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management Subcommittee. This Congress, Perry has voted in 632 of 645 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans 12 times out of 595, according to AllCiv’s vote data. Perry has cosponsored 177 bills, and the 53 bills Perry sponsored drew 180 cosponsors.

Perry voted for the 2025 tax and spending law, which passed the House 218 to 214 on Thursday, July 3, 2025, according to the House clerk’s roll call. Stelson says that law cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and will cost nearly 20,000 Central Pennsylvanians their coverage, figures WITF did not independently verify. In March 2022, Perry voted against the House version of the PACT Act, which expanded health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances, according to the House clerk’s PACT Act roll call.

Ads and debate claims have drawn scrutiny. A Perry ad released Monday, Oct. 19, says Stelson was exposed outdoors in view of a neighbor’s grandchild. The Inquirer called the claim unsubstantiated, according to the Inquirer’s report on the ad. It reported that the photo the neighbor says she took has not been shown and that the township denied the Perry campaign’s records request. Stelson’s campaign called the ad “a pathetic, desperate attempt” and said Stelson is considering a defamation lawsuit. At the debate, Perry said Shapiro shut down about five gigawatts of power plants, which the Inquirer reported is not accurate.

Challengers’ Records

Stelson has not held public office. Stelson spent more than 30 years as a broadcast journalist in central Pennsylvania.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Three groups grade Perry:

Each group picks different votes, so their ratings measure different things.

Also On Your Ballot

Pennsylvania has no statewide ballot questions this year. Voters will choose a governor from Shapiro, Republican state Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Libertarian Ken Krawchuk, according to AllCiv’s governor race page, along with state legislative seats.

Upper Allen Township (Cumberland County) open space tax. A Yes vote adds an earned income tax of one-twentieth of 1% and raises the property tax by up to 0.20 mills, or 20 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The money would buy open space, conservation easements, recreation land and development rights. A No vote rejects both taxes, according to Ballotpedia’s page on the measure).

Conewago Township (York County) supervisors. A Yes vote increases the township Board of Supervisors from three members to five, and a No vote keeps three. The ballot asks, “Shall the Board of Supervisors of Conewago Township be increased from three members to five members?” according to Ballotpedia’s page on the Conewago measure).

Before You Go

Still Ahead

  • Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and anyone in line at 8 p.m. may vote, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State’s election page. Find your polling place with the state’s polling place lookup.
  • Mail ballots must reach your county election office by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3, and a postmark does not count. If you requested a mail ballot but want to vote in person, bring the ballot and its outer envelope to your polling place so it can be voided.
  • ID: You only need ID if you are voting at your polling place for the first time. A photo ID such as a driver license, passport or student ID will work. So will a non-photo ID with your name and address, such as a voter registration card or utility bill, according to the state’s guide for new voters.
  • Help in the booth: You may bring anyone to help you vote except your employer or union representative. If your name is missing from the poll book but you believe you are registered there, you can ask for a provisional ballot, according to the Department of State’s voter rights guidance.
  • Questions: Call the Pennsylvania Department of State voter hotline at 1-877-868-3772, or call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Deadlines That Have Passed

  • Registration closed Monday, Oct. 19.
  • Mail ballot applications were due Tuesday, Oct. 27. Pennsylvania has no separate early voting period.

Sources

AllCiv Profiles and Race Pages

Official Records

Candidate Statements and Questionnaires

News

Ballot Measures

Endorsements

Scorecards

Voting Information

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