Former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) survived a challenge to his reelection bid, narrowly defeating Democratic challenger Janelle Stelson in one of the toughest races the Republican incumbent has seen in years.
Perry defeated Stelson with 50.8% of the vote, with 99% of ballots counted. The Associated Press called the race at 1:47 p.m. EST on Thursday, two days after Election Day.
Perry became a target of House Democrats early in the cycle as he began to cement a reputation for himself as willing to buck leadership. Perry never backed down from that reputation, even while campaigning in a district that could determine whether Republicans get to hold on to their majority next year.
Perry also came under fire after playing a prominent role in former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results before they were certified by Congress, prompting the FBI to seize the congressman’s phone as part of its investigation.
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Meanwhile, Stelson sought to lean on her experience as a former Republican and well-known TV anchor to win over centrist Republicans and undecided voters to flip the seat into Democratic control for the first time since 2011.
Democrats vastly outspent Republicans as part of their efforts to win the district, and Stelson consistently outraised the GOP incumbent in the months leading up to the election.
This story is breaking and will be updated.