PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Editor's note: The above video is from October 4.
Republican Scott Perry has earned a fifth term in Washington D.C. after defeating challenger Eugene DePasquale in the race for Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.
Perry is the projected winner of the seat despite a second consecutive general election where he faced a tough campaign from a Democrat challenger, this time in DePasquale, the two-term Pennsylvania Auditor General.
Perry issued the following statement on the race results:
“From my heart, I thank the voters of the 10th congressional 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. 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 conceded the election Thursday night, releasing the following statement:
“From the start, this campaign has been about sending representation to Congress that will fight for us, and while this isn’t the result we had hoped for, I am proud of our campaign and the premise it was built on: that this seat does not belong to one party or corporate special interests, but to the working people of this community. This was a hard-fought campaign with contrasting ideas and visions, but it is now more important than ever that we move forward united.
The challenges we face as a country won’t be solved with partisan rhetoric or division, they will require the courage, ingenuity, and resolve that runs through the heart of our community. I can’t express how grateful I am to my team, the volunteers who contributed their time and effort to make this campaign possible, and to the voters of PA-10 who stopped at nothing to have their voices heard during this unprecedented election season. It was an honor to meet you and hear your stories. And I promise you, our work is far from finished.
I congratulate Congressman Perry on his hard-earned victory. Clearly our country is divided and it is more important than ever that we all do what we can to bridge that divide, 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."
Before the election, Perry told FOX43, "People know my record, and they know I'll fight for them."
Perry believes the COVID-19 response and restarting the commonwealth's economy are the two biggest issues facing voters in the 10th District. Yet, he also is making public safety a campaign priority.
"We're used to disagreements. This is America. This is the normal course of things," Perry said. "But when it turns violent and you have to put a sign in your yard saying you support the police, that's a very different look and feel for a lot of people."
Earlier this year, Perry drew criticism for comments on systemic racism at a Rotary Club meeting in York County.
Perry asked, "What is systemic? That means there's a 'system of.' Well, if there's a system, somebody had to create that system. I don't know who in our country is doing that."
Perry's comment is in response to nationwide protests sparked by recent police-involved shootings, which many people believe, demonstrates systemic racism.
"To say that the United States falls into that category of 'systemic,' that belies the fact that we had a war among the United States over that issue, to cleanse our country of that issue," Perry said.
Perry's victory could tip the scales in Pennsylvania's Congressional majority to give his party a 9-7 edge in the House of Representatives.
That is only relevant in rare cases where the Presidential election ends in a 269-269 Electoral College tie. Under those circumstances, which has only happened three times -- 1801, 1825, and 1837 -- the House of Representatives, under the 12th Amendment, decides the President.
When this occurs, each state gets a single vote, which in all likelihood would be cast based on the majority party in that state. Currently, Republicans hold majorities in 26 states. Democrats hold majorities in 22 states. Two states, Pennsylvania and Michigan, are tied.