U.S. House District 10 comprises Dauphin, Cumberland and the northern half of York county. It is a Republican leaning district currently held by incumbent Scott Perry. This race is expected to feature a tight margin, and Democrats hope to select a competitive candidate to flip the seat for Democrats this November. Six Democrats are campaigning for the April 23 primary, and the winner will take on Perry in the fall.
Returning Democratic challenger Shamaine Daniels ran an unsuccessful campaign two years ago, losing to Perry by just 20,000 votes. According to Daniels, her unsuccessful 2022 campaign lacked enough state party support to be successful. Daniels and her family emigrated to the United States from Venezuela when she was only 13. She went on to receive a Bachelor’s degree in sociology from West Chester University, a graduate degree in women’s studies and a law degree from the University of Cincinnati. Daniels is currently an at-large member of the Harrisburg City Council. She received national attention last year for her controversial use of AI generated robocalls to serve as virtual phone bank volunteers to contact constituents and log issues that are important to them. Traditionally, these volunteers are some of the most important members of a campaign, as they keep candidates in touch with the voters.
John Broadhurst, a local business owner, originally hails from Delaware County and worked in the trucking industry after graduating from Villanova University in the early 1990s. During the 1990s and 2000s, Broadhurst worked as a business consultant in China and Europe. Broadhurst has promised to bring a constituent-focused grass roots attitude to the office and has argued that he will pursue problem-solving Congressional progress in Washington D.C. and help renew America’s “can do” spirit.
Returning candidate Rick Coplen is a retired member of the U.S. Army who has promised to reach across the political aisle and effectively cooperate to achieve progress on issues in which both Republicans and Democrats care about. Since his retirement from military service, Coplen has taught at various institutions including the U.S. Army War College, West Point and even our very own Elizabethtown College. Coplen currently serves on the Carlisle Area School District School Board. In his last run for District 10, Coplen lost narrowly to Daniels in the 2022 Democratic Primary. Daniels drew most of her support from Dauphin County urban voters, while Carlisle resident Rick Coplen performed best in Cumberland County. As a centrist Democrat, Coplen stands the best chance of attracting independent voters in the general election.
Blake Lynch is a native of Steelton and grew up in a single parent household. He graduated from Messiah College and has worked as the Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Harrisburg, and has previously held the positions of Director of Community Relations & Engagement for the City of Harrisburg, Director of Communications for Harrisburg city Police and former executive of WITF, a public radio station in the Harrisburg region. Lynch has promised to tackle working class issues such as mitigating inflation and adequate funding forpublic schools. Lynch and Daniels are the only candidates of color in the race.
Mike O’Brien is a former Top Gun fighter pilot for the U.S. Marines and has a master’s in engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Similar to Coplen, O’Brien has promised to engage in bipartisanship and to move America away from partisan gridlock.
Finally, Janelle Stelson, a well known TV personality and former broadcaster for WGAL, has entered the race promising to prioritize women’s rights first and foremost. Stelson sparked controversy when she acknowledged that she was a registered Republican prior to February 2023. Stelson explained that her parents were registered Republicans and she felt family pressure to register the way her parents had even though she has voted straight Democratic since at least 2008. Stelson’s recognition in the district will be hard to overcome for potential challengers and give her a potential advantage in the fall general election against Perry. In terms of positions on the issues, all the candidates support the restoration of abortion rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade, an issue which is again expected to be an important factor in the 2024 elections.
According to Ballotpedia, Daniels, Stelson and Coplen support a $15-dollar federal minimum wage, O’Brien supports a wage tied to inflation, while Lynch and Broadhurst argue that the minimum wage should be increased to a livable wage. O’Brien and Lynch are the only two candidates who do not support a federal assault weapons ban, though both want to see more restrictions placed on assault weapons.
