Overview
- The candidates faced off in a combative WHTM‑ABC27 debate that on Oct. 15 highlighted sharp contrasts on housing, energy, the economy and the U.S. war with Iran.
- Stelson pressed Perry repeatedly on his voting record, including his opposition to the Senate version of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, and argued policy changes could lower housing costs.
- Perry defended his support for continued pressure on Iran by citing state threats and a nuclear risk, while Stelson called for an immediate end to the conflict and tied the war to higher fuel prices for families and farmers.
- Longstanding controversies returned to the stage: Perry’s ties to President Donald Trump and the 2020 election effort drew attacks and reminders that the DOJ seized his phone in 2022, and officials linked a canvasser’s arrest to Stelson’s campaign even though she denies employing him and a watchdog faulted the Department of Homeland Security for its public statement.
- Coverage diverged sharply along partisan lines, with conservative outlets and the RNC praising Perry’s debate performance while local and national outlets emphasized the race’s competitiveness and a recent Franklin & Marshall poll showing Stelson holding a narrow lead.