2026 Primaries
The 2026 Pennsylvania congressional primaries to watch
Contested congressional primaries have drawn lots of attention, and money, to the Keystone State.
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Pennsylvania has no shortage of high-stakes elections to follow in the 2026 midterm election cycle. This year’s contests will decide who controls the governor’s office, the General Assembly – and who represents the commonwealth in Washington, D.C. The Keystone State’s congressional primaries have been particularly competitive, with contested races in the 3rd Congressional District, 7th Congressional District and 10th Congressional District drawing plenty of attention – and money – in the months leading up to Pennsylvania’s May 19 primary election. Here are our competitive congressional primaries to watch.
3rd Congressional District
TLDR: Sharif Street has the name recognition and establishment backing on his side, but Chris Rabb’s progressive streak combined with Ala Stanford’s potential spoiler role makes this anyone’s game.
Incumbent: None – U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans is retiring
Candidates: Shaun Griffith, Chris Rabb, Ala Stanford, Sharif Street
What you need to know: Dwight Evans’ retirement creates an opening in the most partisan congressional district in the nation for the first time in a decade.
Given the district makeup, the Democratic primary field initially rose to as many as a dozen. The field narrowed throughout the last few months, with three front-runners leading the way as the May primary election approaches: Dr. Ala Stanford, state Sen. Sharif Street and state Rep. Chris Rabb. The fourth remaining candidate is a political newcomer in Shaun Griffith, a tax attorney who previously worked for the state government before opening his own firm in Roxborough.
Street had the name recognition and party connections to fuel a successful campaign from the jump, but has faced stiff competition for the deep blue seat. Rabb sought the progressive crowd and pitched himself as an anti-establishment candidate, while Stanford – who entered the race with a medical background, no legislative experience and the endorsement of Evans – balanced her message as being both a new kind of representative and an experienced public health professional with support from the incumbent.
Both Street and Rabb have told voters to look at their voting records, saying their legislative résumés speak for themselves and the ideals they’d bring to Congress. And Stanford, having spent time in federal administration, has utilized her experiences within the Biden administration to argue she’s seen where the gaps reside between local, state and federal governments. Meanwhile, Griffith, considered the longshot, believes his “people over profit” message is louder than the ones coming from seasoned politicians.
Further reading:
Candidate questionnaires for Griffith, Rabb, Stanford and Street
Sans Stanford, Dems Rabb and Street meet for PA-3 debate on WHYY
PA-3 Dems battle each other in off-the-rails primary forum
Campaign tracker: Labor unions continue to back Sharif Street
7th Congressional District
TLDR: Lamont McClure, a Northampton County politician, has deep local relationships and elected-office record; firefighters’ union chief Bob Brooks has the governor’s backing and the money to blitz airwaves, so the tight Lehigh Valley race likely comes down to these two – though it’s worth noting that former federal prosecutor Ryan Crosswell has led fundraising for the past two quarters.
Incumbent: U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie
Candidates: Bob Brooks, Lamont McClure Jr., Ryan Crosswell, Carol Obando-Derstine
What you need to know: Barring a late surprise from ace fundraiser Crosswell, it's essentially a race between Gov. Josh Shapiro’s handpicked candidate, Bob Brooks, the president of the Pennsylvania Professional Fire Fighters Association, and former Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure Jr., a well-known native son who likes to remind voters he’s the only primary candidate who’s held elected office.
This race stands out for how different each of the four candidates – including Obando-Derstine, a nonprofit executive who has advised former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, and Crosswell, who’s running on an anti-corruption message – are from each other, and their pitches reflect that.
Further reading:
PA-7 Dem rivals take aim at Brooks in wake of his bombshell claim about 2024 state treasurer race
PA-7 Dem candidates meet for televised debate in Jim Thorpe
In PA-7 Dem primary, Bob Brooks is going from pole to poll
Ryan Crosswell makes anti-corruption argument for PA-7 race
10th Congressional District
TLDR: Two Democrats – former news anchor Janelle Stelson and Dauphin County Commissioners Chair Justin Douglas – are vying for the Democratic nomination in Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District, with Stelson viewed as the frontrunner after coming within roughly 5,000 votes of beating incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in 2024.
Incumbent: U.S. Rep. Scott Perry
Candidates: Janelle Stelson, Justin Douglas
What you need to know: In the 2024 election cycle, U.S. Rep. Scott Perry held onto his 10th Congressional District seat by a margin of 5,133 votes, eking out a win over Janelle Stelson in what was the closest a Democrat has come to beating Perry since he was first elected in 2012. Two years later, Stelson is hoping to accomplish what she couldn’t in 2024, with the winds of a favorable midterm election cycle at her back.
However, prior to getting a rematch against Perry in November’s general election, Stelson will first face Dauphin County Commissioners Chair Justin Douglas in the PA-10 Democratic primary.
Stelson entered the 2026 election cycle with support from a range of high-profile Democrats, including Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. She also picked up endorsements from a number of Central Pennsylvania state legislators, the Dauphin County Democratic Committee, and labor unions throughout the state – and holds a significant fundraising edge over Douglas. Douglas has earned the endorsements of several political organizations representing immigrants and communities of color, and has underscored the fact that he is the only candidate on the Democratic side of the aisle with experience as an elected official.
Further reading:
Janelle Stelson works toward a November rematch with Scott Perry
Justin Douglas leans on his experience in PA-10 Democratic primary race
Janelle Stelson calls out DC Republicans for spiking gas prices
Justin Douglas picks up 3 endorsements in PA-10 Democratic primary race