Shapiro says Scott Perry 'full of s‑‑‑' for trying to contest Biden's 2020 victory but not his own

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) called Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) “full of s‑‑‑" for contesting President Biden’s win in the state during the 2020 election but not his own reelection win.  

“In the U.S. House, I think we not only have an opportunity to protect incumbents like [Reps.] Susan Wild, Matt Cartwright, Chris Deluzio, and I'm spending a lot of energy doing that, but mark my words: I think we got a chance to beat Scott Perry,” Shapiro told reporters Tuesday during the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Perry has been a subject of interest in the Justice Department’s probe looking into former President Trump and his allies’ efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Perry's communications have been turned over to investigators.

Biden won the state of Pennsylvania in 2020 by just more than a percentage point.  

“This is a guy who literally went to the floor of the United States House of Representatives on Jan. 6 after the mob that he encouraged left the floor, and he rose to his feet and lied about Pennsylvania. And said that the ballot that returned him to Congress was lawful, but the ballot that sent Joe Biden to the White House was not,” Shapiro said.  

“He is absolutely, fundamentally full of s‑‑‑” he continued. “The people of Pennsylvania know that, and I'm going to do everything in my power to defeat that guy. He is not a real patriot, and he is not someone who deserves a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He's offended the good people of Pennsylvania, and he's offended me.” 

Matt Beynon, a campaign spokesperson for Perry, hit back at Shapiro, suggesting the Democrat was sore about losing a chance to be Vice President Harris’s running mate. 

“We know Governor Shapiro is still reeling after seeing his lifelong dream of being on a presidential ticket dashed by the radical wing of his party,” Beynon told The Hill in a statement. “Maybe he should mind his own house rather than slandering a decorated veteran and public servant.” 

Shapiro was on the shortlist for Harris’s running mate, but she instead went with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a development that played out amid some progressives' concerns over Shapiro's stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Shapiro has also been floated as a potential 2028 White House challenger.  

Perry is running against Janelle Stelson, a former local news anchor and former Republican. Stelson is a part of the House Democrat’s campaign arm’s “Red to Blue” program as they look to flip the seat back. 

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates Perry’s seat as “lean Republican.”