Scott Perry vs. Shamaine Daniels: Some barbs, but little fireworks in 10th District debate

If viewers were expecting fireworks, the discussion – it wasn’t really much of a debate – between Republican U.S. Rep. Scott Perry and his Democratic opponent, Harrisburg City Councilwoman Shamaine Daniels, on WHTM-27 Wednesday afternoon was a dud.

The candidates, Daniels seated to the left and Perry to the right of host Dennis Owens, had a chance to repeat their campaign talking points and point out their differences, sometimes throwing in little barbs at each other.

The contrast between the two was apparent. But at times, it seemed the time constraints – it was a half-hour edition of WHTM’s This Week in Pennsylvania, minus commercials, of course – led to a fairly superficial discussion of the issues.

It appears that the TV appearance will be the only debate between the candidates seeking to represent Pennsylvania's 10th District. The York Daily Record, along with several community and business organizations, offered to host a debate for the 10th District candidates. Daniels accepted the invitation, but Perry's campaign did not return several messages requesting his participation.

The candidates addressed the economy, abortion, immigration, crime and the political divide that plagues the nation. But when it came to Perry’s role in former President Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the results of the 2020 election, it seemed to be glossed over.

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Jan. 6

Owens asked Perry about the FBI seizing his phone in its investigation of the Jan. 6 insurrection and Perry’s role in trying to convince Trump to replace his attorney general with a man more sympathetic to his cause. Perry described it as “excesses” by the Department of Justice and “an abuse of power” by the Biden administration. He did note that the DOJ had also seized the phone of “the pillow guy,” a reference to Mike Lindell, CEO of My Pillow and a Trump adviser who has pushed conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.

Perry said his effort regarding the election was prompted by the “thousands and thousands” of his constituents who raised questions about the integrity of the election. (There is no evidence to suggest that the results of 2020 election in Pennsylvania – won by President Joe Biden – were the result of fraud.)

In her response, Daniels pledged to support the John Lewis voting rights act intended to protect voting rights.

Police funding

On crime, Perry criticized his opponent for voting on Harrisburg City Council against a $65,000 allocation to equip police with riot gear.

Daniels responded that she had always supported pay increases for police and voted against the riot gear because, in her lifetime, there haven’t been any riots in Harrisburg “except one that Congressman Perry and (Ohio Republican U.S. Rep.) Jim Jordan tried to incite” in January 2021.

Perry said that was “an absurd accusation.”

Asked about how she would heal the nation’s “deep partisan divide,” Daniels said the country needs leaders who “solve problems,” rather than “ineffective leaders who foment hate and division.”

Perry responded that he has worked with lawmakers across the aisle on issues of treating veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and on the issue of China’s persecution of the Muslim minorities known as the Uyghurs.

Abortion

On abortion, Daniels said she was pro-choice, and that federal legislation was needed to codify Roe vs. Wade, which was overturned by the Supreme Court earlier this year. Perry said he believed in the “sanctity of life” and that it was up to states to regulate abortion access.

In closing, Daniels said that during Perry’s stint in Congress, conditions for working families in the 10^th District have declined.

Perry, for his part, said that Congress doesn’t need another “Biden and (Democratic House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi rubber stamp in D.C.”

Columnist/reporter MIke Argento has been a York Daily Record staffer since 1982. Reach him at mike@ydr.com.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Barbs, but no fireworks, in Scott Perry/Shamaine Daniels debate