Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District Rep. Scott Perry could face a real threat from up-and-coming Democratic candidate Shamaine Daniels, as a new poll gave her 44-41 lead on Monday, Aug. 15 among voters across the political spectrum.

Daniels, a Venezuelan-born immigration attorney, is considered this race’s underdog with much lower name recognition than incumbent Perry. Her start in politics was in 2013, when she became a Harrisburg’s City Councilmember on a liberal platform, a stark contrast to Perry’s MAGA tendencies. 

The poll, which surveyed over 700 people with a high likelihood of voting in Pennsylvania, observed that 63% of voters were unsure about their opinion on Daniels, while Perry commanded the arena with a wide 11% margin. 

Public Policy Polling, the North Carolina-based organization that collected and published the results, found that 42% of voters said they’re more likely to support Daniels given her stance on abortion, whereas just 29% of voters said they are less likely to do so. 

Why it matters

Perry, who is no stranger to controversy, is experiencing a tarnishing of his reputation for his participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where according to documents obtained by the House Select Jan. 6 committee, he attempted to overturn the election.

Perry regularly collaborated with Rudy Giuliani and former President Donald Trump to undermine the 2020 presidential election efforts. 

Most recently, the Republican lawmaker took another blow after his phone was seized by the FBI as part of a probe into the events leading up to Jan. 6. He also sought a presidential pardon from Trump prior to him leaving office. 

What’s on voters' minds?

After learning of Perry’s involvement following the DOJ’s investigation into the 2020 election, 47% of voters said they are less likely to vote for Perry while 12% said they would continue to support him.

Moreover, voters aren’t thrilled with Perry’s vote on the landmark climate bill, which will bring billions to Pennsylvania to address infrastructure. Only 23% favor his vote, whereas 45% said they would not cast their ballots for him in November. 

Daniel hammers Perry’s coffin nail

“My team and I are encouraged by the results of our recent poll. While many will find this result surprising, they shouldn’t,” Daniels said in a statement, addressing Perry’s frequent involvement with Trump. “He is more concerned with Donald Trump’s needs than those of the people he was elected to represent, and they have had enough.”

The PPP’s memo certainly highlights voter temperature, but Daniels has a long road to reaching PA’s conservative constituency, of whom 29% don’t share her views. 

“I’ve learned that we aren’t all going to agree on everything. Our elected leaders

need to work to bring our communities together on the difficult issues we face and get results,” she said.