Democrat Janelle Stelson defeats Justin Douglas in Pennsylvania primary

Democrat Janelle Stelson, a longtime former anchor for Lancaster’s NBC affiliate, defeated Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas in the primary to take on Republican Rep. Scott Perry.

Perry, of Dillsburg, chairs the Freedom Caucus and backed Elon Musk’s DOGE effort. He held his seat in 2024 by a few thousand votes against Stelson.

Stelson was criticized for keeping her residency in Lancaster, which lies in Rep. Lloyd Smucker’s district, while running in Perry’s district. As of 2025 she moved to a rental property in East Pennsboro Township, across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg, the York Daily Record reported.

Douglas also faulted Stelson for the lack of primary debates. Local reports said Stelson was a longtime registered Republican before switching parties during the Trump years.

Stelson has the support of Gov. Josh Shapiro. In an ABC-Harrisburg interview she said she opposed President Joe Biden’s handling of the border and called President Donald Trump’s response excessive. She added that she would support repealing Trump’s tariffs and that she is pro-choice.

Perry has kept his seat through cycles of easy and tight races as moderate and progressive voters have moved into Harrisburg’s southern suburbs such as Camp Hill and Lower Allen.

In November, voters in Cumberland County and the Susquehanna Valley will decide whether one of Congress’s most conservative members keeps his seat.