Janelle Stelson
A Democrat who narrowly lost a race for a Harrisburg-area congressional seat last year will make another bid for the office.
Janelle Stelson announced today that she plans to run again to represent the 10th congressional district. Last year, Stelson won the Democratic nomination in a crowded field but lost in the general election to the long-time Republican incumbent, Rep. Scott Perry.
“It is time we had a representative in Congress who actually listens to us and fights for us,” Stelson said, in a statement.
Her campaign announcement criticized Perry for his vote in favor of the recent budget bill that will slash federal Medicaid spending.
“I’m running to give central Pennsylvanians the voice they deserve and to fight to lower costs, protect Social Security and Medicare, ensure a woman’s right to choose and secure the border,” she said.
The district comprises all of Dauphin and parts of Cumberland and York counties. The district leans Republican, but Stelson, a first-time political candidate, lost in a tight race, by a 50.5% to 49.3% margin, in 2024.
Stelson may have competition in next year’s Democratic primary. Recently, first-term Dauphin County Commission chair Justin Douglas announced that he was forming an exploratory committee for a possible run for the seat.
Stelson, a former, long-time TV news anchor in central PA, won the Democratic primary handily in 2024, besting a six-candidate field before her narrow general election loss.
This time, Stelson seems to have the support of much of the area’s Democratic political establishment. She plans to kick off her campaign on Wednesday in an event expected to be attended by Gov. Josh Shapiro and many elected officials from the Harrisburg area, according to Stelson’s campaign.
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