Stelson leans on journalism roots in second bid against Perry in Pennsylvania’s 10th | Candidate profile

SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, Pa. —

Janelle Stelson is a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District in the 2026 election. She is seeking a rematch with Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, who defeated her in the 2024 general election by roughly 5,100 votes.

Stelson was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and grew up in Seattle.She earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and government from the University of Puget Sound and also studied at the Austro-American Institute in Vienna.Stelson is a former television journalist.She spent nearly four decades in broadcast journalism, including 26 years as a news anchor at WGAL. Stelson won the Democratic nomination in 2026 after previously serving as the party’s nominee in 2024.

Her campaign describes her journalism career as focused on reporting on Central Pennsylvania communities, investigating problems and seeking answers from public officials. She left television news to run for Congress.

You can read more about Stelson’s opponent, Rep. Scott Perry, here.

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