Candidate Forum Lays Bare Political, Policy Divides Between PA-10 Democrats Stelson And Douglas

By Jordan Wilkie, Pennsylvania Capital-Star

April 27, 2026

The Democratic primary in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District is starting to turn heads. Janelle Stelson is refusing to debate her opponent, Justin Douglas, a Dauphin County commissioner. In turn, Douglas is refusing to endorse Stelson should she win the primary unless she liberalizes more of her positions, including on immigration.

“Anyone who runs for office has to earn your vote,” Douglas said at a Sunday afternoon forum for candidates running for office in central Pennsylvania. “You have to earn my endorsement. It’s not just gonna come because I ran in a race with you.”

Stelson’s campaign is relying on her name recognition from 30 years in local TV news and a 2024 run for Congress, which she lost by 1% to incumbent Republican Scott Perry. Her messaging is relentlessly focused on criticizing Perry and ignoring Douglas.

In response to a question about the difference between her and Douglas and whether she would endorse him if he won, Stelson said yes, they’re both Democrats.

“You know, a lot of people have made a big deal about, ‘Oh, Janelle, you didn’t show up at this forum,’ or, ‘Why didn’t you go to this?’ Part of it is I think people are sick of the paralyzing partisan politics. I’m not gonna rip apart another Democrat,” Stelson said.

At Sunday’s forum, hosted by Democratic-affiliated groups Indivisible, PA 10th District Network and Cumberland Valley Rising, Stelson showed up five minutes after the scheduled start time despite being the first speaker. She left immediately after she finished speaking to attend another event.

The forum, attended by approximately 200 people, skewing heavily toward a 60+ age demographic, also featured six other local candidates running for state office. Other primary candidates, like Rich Forsman and Nate Wood running for the 34th Pennsylvania Senate district, and 104th state House district candidates Dave Madsen and Shane Steele, sat at the same table and traded answers to moderator and audience questions. A series of candidates without primary challengers also spoke: Sara Agerton in the 88th House district; Jessica St. Clair in the 87th House district; and TaWanda Stallworth in the 199th House district.

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