Five erstwhile House Republicans penned a missive connected Monday urging voters successful nan battleground authorities of Pennsylvania not to re-elect Republican Rep. Scott Perry.
Former Republican Reps. Barbara Comstock, of Virginia, Adam Kinzinger, of Illinois, Denver Riggleman, of Virginia, Dave Trott, of Michigan, and Joe Walsh, of Illinois, told chap Republicans that "they cognize really difficult it is to ballot for a personnel of nan different governmental party," but to subordinate them successful supporting Perry’s Democratic challenger, Janelle Stelson. Among different concerns, nan 5 mostly condemned Perry’s "brazen self-interest" and "involvement successful nan crippled to overturn nan results of nan 2020 election."
Pennsylvania’s 10th territory has been represented by Perry, nan erstwhile chair and existent personnel of nan House Freedom Caucus, since 2013. Perry is nan only sitting personnel of Congress whose cellphone was seized by nan FBI successful its investigation into efforts to overturn nan results of nan 2020 statesmanlike election, and that has besides go a taxable successful tv ads. The title betwixt him and Stelson precocious moved from leaning Republican to a flip up, according to nan Fox News Power Rankings.
"After playing a nonstop domiciled successful nan effort to nullify nan will of Pennsylvania’s voters, Perry had his compartment telephone seized by nan FBI and has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars connected ineligible defense fees," nan missive says. "Former White House staffer Cassidy Hutchinson testified nether oath that Perry requested a statesmanlike pardon for his actions successful nan leadup to nan deadly January 6th insurrection."
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Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., speaks during nan Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC 2024, astatine nan National Harbor successful Oxon Hill, Maryland, connected Feb. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
The 5 erstwhile House Republicans spell connected to opportunity Perry’s "lack of remorse for his actions is simply a slap successful nan look to each nationalist servant who has made nan United States nan top state successful nan world. Our federation deserves amended than personification who was truthful easy consenting to break his sworn oath to nan Constitution for governmental expediency."
"At this infinitesimal of awesome consequence successful American history, we request leaders who will show nan truth and beryllium consenting to activity successful a bipartisan manner nary matter what statement to present for Americans," they wrote, according to nan missive obtained by Mediaite. "Janelle Stelson is nan campaigner successful this title who will do conscionable that. Janelle was a Republican for astir of her life and she is moving connected a mainstream level of cutting taxes for nan mediate class, securing nan border, lowering nan costs of living, adhering to nan Constitution, and supporting populist and adjacent elections."
Perry's territory has favored Republicans since it was redrawn successful 2018, and Trump won it by 4 percent points successful 2020, according to The Associated Press.
Janelle Stelson, Democratic campaigner for Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, talks pinch patrons astatine nan Broad Street Market successful Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, connected Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. Stelson is challenging Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., for nan seat. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Now, arsenic Perry runs for a seventh term, he faces a vigorous challenge.
Stelson, a erstwhile TV news anchor and erstwhile Republican, has raised complete $1 cardinal much than Perry, forcing apical House Republicans to travel to his assistance arsenic they effort to clasp their constrictive majority. Democrats person outspent Republicans successful nan title truthful far, according to AdImpact, which tracks run advertisement spending. They person spent much than $7 cardinal arsenic of past week, compared to much than $4 cardinal spent by Republicans.
Rep. Scott Perry, center, speaks during a news convention connected FISA reauthorization astatine nan U.S. Capitol successful Washington, D.C., connected Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (Photographer: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
In shifting nan title betwixt Perry and Stelson much toward nan Democrat earlier this month, nan nonpartisan Cook Political Report surmised that while nan "political situation should still favour Perry, his unsocial vulnerabilities, coupled pinch Democrats’ spending advantage, moves this title from Lean Republican to Toss Up."
The missive from nan erstwhile GOP lawmakers claims Stelson "will activity pinch Republicans and Democrats to find communal ground," while Perry "is consistently rated arsenic 1 of nan slightest bipartisan members of Congress" and "is routinely nan only personnel of nan Pennsylvania delegation – Republican aliases Democrat – to reason communal consciousness measures that would amended nan lives of his constituents, including authorities to protect firefighters and ace down connected quality trafficking." They declare Perry "also turned his backmost connected our brave veterans by being nan only Republican aliases Democrat successful nan Pennsylvania delegation to ballot against authorities to location bum veterans. He besides opposed nan bipartisan PACT Act, nan largest description of VA benefits successful history, which provided healthcare and compensation to servicemembers who suffered from toxic pain pit exposure."
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"These are nan men and women who risked – and successful galore cases, gave – their lives to take sides our freedom," nan 5 erstwhile House Republicans said.
Fox News’ Remy Numa and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Danielle Wallace is simply a breaking news and authorities newsman astatine Fox News Digital. Story tips tin beryllium sent to danielle.wallace@fox.com and connected X: @danimwallace.