GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Perry wins re-election, as Dem DePasquale concedes

U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, R-10th District, has won reelection for his fifth term in Congress.

Perry beat Democrat Eugene DePasquale, Pennsylvania’s term-limited auditor general in the closely watched race for the central Pennsylvania-based congressional district, which includes Harrisburg, Carlisle and York with their accompanying suburbs, as well as rural areas.

Unofficial and incomplete tallies from the Pennsylvania Department of State show Perry holding a 26,000 vote lead over DePasquale with 53.4 percent of the vote to DePasquale’s 47.6 percent.

Perry claimed victory in a statement just after 7 p.m. DePasquale conceded about 20 minutes later.

In his statement, Perry thanked the voters of the district “for again putting their trust in me to be their voice in Congress.” 

“This has been a hard-fought campaign and I‘m humbled by the support our positive message received at the ballot box, Perry continued. “Serving the people of south-central Pennsylvania in Congress has been the greatest honor of my life, it is a charge I have never taken for granted, and my vow to the district is that I will continue to fight each and every day for us all in Washington.”

DePasquale, meanwhile, cut a conciliatory tone in his concession.

“Clearly our country is divided and it is more important than ever that we all do what we can to bridge that divide,” DePasquale said, “and in that respect I wish Congressman Perry the best. I promise that he will have my support, and I will do my part.”

“The challenges we face are serious and will require unity, not division, to overcome. I have no doubt that our community and our country will step up to meet them,” he added.

At most, 34,000 ballots remain to be counted in those counties, according to Department of State data. The data does not break down by congressional district.

Perry, an arch-conservative member of the House Freedom Caucus and Army veteran, was drawn into the district in 2018 by a state Supreme Court-mandated redistricting. He first ran for Congress in 2012.