Former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) is facing Democratic fire over his stance on abortion as he races to secure a seventh term in the lower chamber.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is pouring nearly $300,000 into an ad buy targeting Perry for supporting the Life At Conception Act, according to a report from Axios.
Perry, who represents Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, is battling to defeat Janelle Stelson as Democrats look to flip his seat blue on Election Day.
The 30-second video backed by the DCCC shows Stelson holding a copy of the anti-abortion legislation as she tells viewers “This is HR 431, the bill to ban all abortions in Pennsylvania and nationwide. And right on page one is Congressman Scott Perry."
Perry would “ban abortion with no exceptions, even for victims of rape, putting politicians in the middle of your most personal decisions," she continues. "That is just too far."
A former longtime anchor at WGAL-TV in south-central Pennsylvania, Stelson won her Democratic primary in April, securing her the chance to face off against Perry, who has been in Congress since 2013.
Perry “has made clear his entire career that he is pro-life, and makes exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother," according to his campaign’s comments to the outlet. A campaign spokesman also said that the congressman is a "staunch advocate" for in vitro fertilization treatments.
Perry, a retired U.S. Army National Guard brigadier general, cosponsored the Life At Conception Act last year, though he has repeatedly said he supports exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother. The bill would “implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person,” which effectively gives unborn babies constitutional rights in accordance with the 14th Amendment.
The Pennsylvania Republican led the conservative House Freedom Caucus for more than two years before stepping down as chairman in December 2023. A staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, Perry has toed the GOP leader's more centrist stance on the issue leading into the November elections. In late April, Perry said he agreed with Trump that abortion policy should be left up to states during an interview with FOX43.
“I think it's the appropriate one,” Perry commented as he reflected on the former president’s position that the Supreme Court’s 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade gives the power to decide abortion policy back to the states. “Let's honor the court's decision and then have the states figure that out so that we have those decisions being made locally where they should be.”
Perry's comments came after declaring earlier this spring that he did not support a national ban on abortion.
This is not the first time Perry has faced off against a female challenger on abortion. The issue was also raised during his 2022 reelection battle against Democratic opponent Shamaine Daniels. Perry’s rhetoric at the time echoed his comments this election cycle, with the Republican saying states should decide abortion laws and that he supported exceptions for rape, incest, and when the mother’s life is in danger.
Perry won the election against Daniels by over 7 percentage points two years ago.
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The Cook Political Report rated the race this year as "Lean Republican" after pegging it as "Likely Republican" late last year.
Polls indicate Perry’s race against Stelson is a nail-biter reminiscent of Trump’s bid against Vice President Kamala Harris in the battleground state.
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