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Democratic primary to determine GOP Congressman Scott Perry’s opponent remains too close to call

Harrisburg city councilmember Shamaine Daniels narrowly leads Carlise-area school board member Rick Coplen by about 4,000 votes.

  • Robby Brod
From left, Harrisburg City Council member Shamaine Daniels and Carlisle Area School District board member Rick Coplen.

 via Rick Coplen for Congress & Daniels for Congress

From left, Harrisburg City Council member Shamaine Daniels and Carlisle Area School District board member Rick Coplen.

It’s still unclear who will be the Democrat to challenge embattled Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry to represent Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District on Capitol Hill.

Perry has been subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 House Select Committee for his involvement in helping to plan the insurrection. He has refused to appear before the committee in the past but did not say whether he would respond to the subpoena.

The committee submitted texts sent by Perry to Trump officials during the 2020 Election, showing he also pressured the Department of Justice to investigate debunked claims of election fraud.

The race is still too close to call, as Harrisburg city councilmember Shamaine Daniels leads Carlise-area school board member Rick Coplen by about 4,000 votes with about 4,000 left to count.

Shamaine Daniels has been a Harrisburg City Councilmember since 2013. She emigrated from Venezuela to the U.S. as a teenager and has a background as an immigration attorney.

Daniels presents herself as an optimistic alternative to Perry’s campaigns, which are based on conspiracy theories and debunked disinformation about election security.

“My candidacy and my campaign speaks more to the aspirations of the residents of the 10th District. Whereas Scott Perry speaks more to the, not necessarily valid, fears of people in the district,” she said. “And that’s a fundamental difference between the two of us.”

Daniels wants to increase access to childcare, improve the country’s immigration policy and increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

Coplen is a retired U.S. Army officer and believes Perry betrayed his oath of office when he voted to object to Pennsylvania’s presidential results, which were certified to be secure and accurate.

He said Perry’s stance also betrays his military service in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Coplen also taught at both the U.S. Army War College and West Point. He was elected to the Carlisle Area School Board last year.

“Mr. Scott Perry, as you know, has, on multiple occasions, betrayed his oath of office; he’s betrayed the Constitution of the United States; he’s betrayed our democracy,” he said. “I believe, most importantly, he’s betrayed the trust of each and every one of us. He is not fit for office.”

His campaign focuses on increasing healthcare accessibility, education spending and upping the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

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