A priority in Pennsylvania. 

Americans for Prosperity Action pledged support for Rep. Scott Perry’s (R-York) reelection effort in the 10th Congressional District.

First reported by the York Dispatch, the “free market activist” group backed by the Koch brothers lauded Perry as a “proven policy champion” and said that their canvassing and advertising effort can make a positive impact in securing the York County Republican another term in the House. 

“This year, we’re committed to utilizing our permanent grassroots infrastructure to mobilize a substantial effort showcasing Scott Perry’s excellent record in Congress and his commitment to Pennsylvania’s families,” said Ashley Klingesmith, Senior Advisor for Americans for Prosperity Action, who also serves as the State Director of Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania. “That means leveraging the full support of our activists on the phones, at the doors, and through texts to share Perry’s record of making sure hardworking Pennsylvanians keep more of what they earn and removing unnecessary red tape that makes it harder for businesses to prosper and create jobs.”

As of now Perry is the lone candidate the group committed to thus far in the state, although they are evaluating other races. Nationwide, the group is engaging in nearly 200 federal and state races. 

Perry is one of two Pennsylvania elected officials serving at the federal level to receive a 95% or higher lifetime grade from the group on their scorecard. The other member is Sen. Pat Toomey (R), who was the lone candidate supported by the group in the state in 2016. During the 2018 midterms, the only race AFP Action actively participated in Pennsylvania was former state Sen. Scott Wagner’s (R-York) unsuccessful gubernatorial bid against Gov. Tom Wolf. 

Despite the group’s at least $100,000 investment in the race, the two Democrats attempting to unseat Perry provided different responses to AFP Action’s entrance into the race. 

“Our campaign has been on the ground for months talking to voters in Pennsylvania’s 10th congressional district about important issues like lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs. As our community is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, we will continue to engage voters in safe and smart ways,” said Eugene DePasquale’s campaign manager Rachele Fortier. “With Eugene’s record of holding powerful people accountable and taking on tough fights to improve the lives of Pennsylvanian’s we are confident we will be successful against Rep. Scott Perry in the fall.” 

While DePasquale’s campaign decided to not directly address AFP Action’s entrance into the race, Tom Brier’s campaign slammed the group over healthcare policy. 

“If they were truly Americans for Prosperity, they would be donating their funds to healthcare workers who need personal protective equipment instead of Scott Perry, whose only real legacy is voting to take away Americans’ healthcare,” Brier said in a statement.

The race in the 10th Congressional District is shaping up to be one of the closest watched races in the state for 2020. 

The Cook Political Report moved Perry’s race in early August from Leans Republican to Toss Up, which it still remains today. In late November, Politico introduced their first House ratings and placed Perry’s race as a Toss Up. Roll Call currently has Perry’s race as Tilt Republican.