Nearly all Pa. GOP US House members outraised Democrats in Q3 — Scott Perry’s the exception

For the first time in the 2026 cycle, a Democratic challenger in Pennsylvania has outraised an incumbent in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched U.S. House races in the country.

Democrat Janelle Stelson, a former television anchor in central Pennsylvania, raised $1.24 million from the beginning of July to the end of September, nearly doubling the haul of GOP U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-10th District) over the past three months. She raised more than any other 2026 U.S. House candidate in Pennsylvania during the third quarter and is the only one to raise over $1 million in the latest finance report.

Perry, who is currently serving his seventh term in Congress, raised just under $650,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September.

In 2024, Perry defeated Stelson by 1.2 points, which was his closest race since winning a seat in Congress representing southcentral Pennsylvania.

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Christopher Borick, director of Muhlenberg College’s Institute of Public Opinion, said he believes the close race last year gives Stelson a pitch that with a different national environment, Democrats think they can flip the seat.

“That’s a big quarter for her and a sign of her strength in this race,” Borick told the Capital-Star.

However, Borick added that Perry, whose three-month haul is the third highest among Pennsylvania U.S. House candidates over the last three months, is also strong.

“If it wasn’t juxtaposed against Stelson, you might say, ‘Okay, he’s in a good position,’” Borick said. “But when you lose to a challenger by basically twice the amount, that should be some warning signs for you that you’re probably going to have to do better.”

Stelson, who formally declared for the seat in July, is supported by a number of elected officials, including Gov. Josh Shapiro. Perry, a former chairman of the conservative U.S. House Freedom Caucus who backed Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, has the president’s support.

Although a rematch may be in the cards between Perry and Stelson, there are other candidates in the race on both sides.

Two Democrats, Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas and Army veteran Will Lillich, have entered the picture.

Douglas, who filed paperwork to run for the seat on Sept. 8, raised $55,000 from that point until the end of the month, while spending $5,000. Lillich did not file a campaign finance report for Q3.

Isabelle Harman, an Army veteran and registered Independent, raised $16,000 since entering the race in September, which includes a loan of just under $14,000 she gave to her campaign.

Republican Karen Dalton, an attorney who worked for the state House GOP caucus, registered to primary Perry for the nomination. She has not filed a campaign finance report yet.

Despite the strong quarter from Stelson, Perry entered October with a cash on hand advantage. Perry entered Q4 with $1.35 million on hand, while Stelson had just under $970,000, and Douglas had $50,000 on hand.

The Cook Political Report rates the race in the 10th as a “toss-up.”

Street jumps out to early fundraising lead in race to replace U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans

Multiple Philadelphia lawmakers posted strong numbers in the first fundraising report filed since U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-3rd District) announced he wasn’t seeking reelection in 2026.

State Sen. Sharif Street, former chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, led the way by raising just over $350,000, while state Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) finished with the second highest figure by bringing in just over $255,000 during the same stretch.

Rep. Morgan Cephas, chair of the Philadelphia Caucus in the state House, raised $155,000 from the beginning of September when she launched her candidacy to the end of the month.

As of Oct. 20, nine Democratic Party candidates have filed to run for the Philadelphia-based seat, which is more than any other U.S. House race in Pennsylvania.

Borick, noting it’s a safe Democratic district, said the crowded field for the Democratic nomination is not a surprise, given the winner will likely be determined by the primary election.

Although the three members of the state General Assembly raised the most this quarter, there were other candidates that filed fundraising reports.

Dave Oxman, a physician, raised just under $110,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September. Karl Morris, a professor at Temple University, brought in just under $40,000, which includes a $10,000 loan he gave to his campaign.

Entering October, Street’s campaign also had the most cash on hand with just over $370,000. Oxman has the second highest with slightly more than $330,000 on hand, followed by Rabb’s $180,000, Cephas having just under $120,000, and Morris with just over $10,000.

Several candidates have not submitted a campaign finance report yet, including Robin Toldens, who the Philadelphia Inquirer reports is a former city government employee and real estate agent, Cole Carter, a software engineer, Isaiah T Martin III, and Dr. Ala Stanford, founder of the Black Doctors Consortium. 

PA7: Mackenzie continues to outpace challengers as Crosswell leads Dem

U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-7th District) continues to outraise the crowded Democratic field, although the fundraising gap is starting to narrow in comparison to previous quarters.

Mackenzie, a freshman lawmaker who defeated U.S. Rep. Susan Wild (D-Lehigh) by 1 point in 2024, raised just over $455,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September.

Of the five Democrats running for their party’s nomination, Ryan Crosswell, a former federal prosecutor, is leading the fundraising race. His campaign raised roughly $380,000 over the last three months. It’s the second quarter in a row in which Crosswell has raised more than his Democratic competitors.

Bob Brooks, a firefighters union leader, brought in the second most among Democrats in the race with just under $310,000 from his campaign launch in late August to the end of September.

Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure took in just under $230,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September, which includes a $200,000 loan he gave to his campaign. Carol Obando-Derstine, who worked as an aide to former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, raised just under $125,000 over the last three months, while Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley picked up just over $70,000 from his campaign launch in late July to the end of September.

Of the four seats that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is targeting to flip in Pennsylvania next year, Mackenzie has drawn the most Democratic challengers.

Noting how the 7th District race was one of the closest in the nation in 2024, coupled with the moderate history of the Lehigh Valley, Borick believes that’s the reason Democrats have a lot of interest in this seat.

“They have lots of excitement that this is exactly the type of seat that they may be able to flip in a cycle like this,” Borick said.

Mackenzie entered Q4 with a cash on hand advantage over the rest of his challengers, with $1.43 million.

Crosswell entered October with just under $435,000, which is more than any other Democratic candidate in the race.

McClure started Q4 with just under $290,000, with Brooks close behind with  just under $245,000 on hand. Obando-Derstine entered Q4 with a little under $130,000 and Pinsley began October about $55,000.

Like the 10th Congressional District, this race is also a “toss-up,” according to The Cook Political Report.

Fundraising race for PA8 under way: Bresnahan brings in $600K, Cognetti $500K

U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan (R-8th District) raised just under $600,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September, while spending nearly $390,000.

His haul for the quarter leads the candidates running for the northeast Pennsylvania district, although a Democratic challenger has entered the field and submitted her first campaign finance report.

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, raised $500,000 since she launched her campaign in early September to the end of the month and spent just over $55,000.

Bresnahan is serving his first term in Congress after defeating incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Lackawanna) by roughly 1.5 points in 2024.

Borick believes Democrats are excited about Cognetti’s candidacy and raising a half million dollars in one month shows that funders and contributors are starting to show support for her bid.

“She’s the mayor of the biggest city in the district, has a pretty big regional profile and name recognition that she’s starting with,” Borick said.

Although Democrats are optimistic about Cognetti’s candidacy, Borick notes that it’s a region that has trended toward the Republican Party over the past several cycles.

Bresnahan also entered October with $1.07 million on hand, while Cognetti’s campaign has just under $445,000.

Eric Stone has also filed to run as a Democrat in the 8th Congressional District, but has not filed a fundraising report.

The race for the 8th District is described by The Cook Political Report as “leans Republican.”

Fitzpatrick raises more than any other incumbent in Q3

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-1st District) continues to add to his steady fundraising advantage in his bid for a 6th term in the purple district in the suburbs north of Philadelphia.

He raised just over $885,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September and spent more than $425,000. With the exception of Stelson, Fitzpatrick raised more than any other congressional candidate in Pennsylvania for the past three months.

Prior to this most recent filing, he raised over $1 million back-to-back quarters in the first half of 2025.

Fitzpatrick’s campaign entered October with $6.93 million on hand, which is the most of any candidate running for Congress in Pennsylvania and is $2 million more than the next closest candidate in any race.

Borick doesn’t view Fitzpatrick’s fundraising advantage as a surprise, given Democrats often target his seat.

“He’s proven very adept at surviving difficult cycles and…  in a district that is certainly very middle of the road,” Borick said. “Once again, I think, positioned himself with the resources that will be necessary to mount a really aggressive campaign to hold his seat.”

Leading the Democratic Party’s fundraising race is Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie. He raised just under $220,000 from the beginning of July to the end of September and spent just over $180,000.

Since announcing his bid for Congress in early April, Harvie has brought in just under $560,000. He entered October with a little more than $230,000 on hand.

Tracy Hunt, an attorney and former Republican, is also seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for the seat. He raised just under $37,000 since he launched his candidacy in early August to the end of September, which includes a $6,000 loan he gave to his campaign. He entered October with just over $30,000 on hand.

Rob Strickler, who manages an eyewear business, has also filed to run as a Democrat in the race. According to Levittown Now, he will not be seeking donations in the race, but instead is putting his attention to building grassroots support through direct voter engagement.

National ratings outlets describe Fitzpatrick as the favorite in the race, with the Cook Political Report rating it as “likely Republican.”