Rep. Scott Perry (R-10), former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, said in a radio interview that Democratic congressional representatives “hate the military” and that “their votes say they don’t support America.”
Speaking on Chris Stigall show, A central Pennsylvania representative accused Democratic Party veterans of serving in the armed forces merely to gain credentials, saying they “hate the military.”
“It’s just a credential they get when they want to run for office. They join the military, they serve a little bit, they get their ID, and then they run for office, they wear the uniform and they say, ‘Look at me – I support America.’ But let’s face it, all of their voices say they don’t support America.”
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Perry, who served as a brigadier general in the U.S. Army, continued by saying they “don’t care about the Constitution or the defense of the nation.”
Janelle StelsonThe Democrat, who lost to Perry by 1.26%, or 5,000 votes, in 2024 and faces another challenge this election series, was quick to criticize the seven-term congressman.
“It is shameful that Congressman Scott Perry would question the patriotism of the men and women who serve our country,” Stelson said in a statement. “Representative Perry owes an immediate apology to the military veterans in our district and to his veteran colleagues in Congress.”
In a losing effort, Stelson performed better than the previous one Vice President Kamala Harris in the 10th Congressional District, which covers Dauphin, Cumberland and York counties. She raised a staggering $1.2 million in the third quarter of 2025 and led Perry 46%-43% in Public Policy Polling’s July survey.
Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), a Pennsylvania Democrat who served in the Navy and in Iraq with the U.S. Army Civil Affairs Division, he tweeted “I will not be lectured on my military service or love of country by anyone who was part of a plan to overturn the 2020 election and tear our Constitution to shreds. Some veterans of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party will be furious when they hear Scott Perry trash talk them like ‘they don’t care about the Constitution or the defense of the nation’ and that “they hate the military.”
Spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee I mean, cousin superimposed.
“It is contemptible that Congressman Scott Perry would insult the sacrifice and service of American soldiers and veterans simply because he disagrees with their political views,” he said. “There is no low to which Perry will not stoop – even when it comes to disparaging our brave men and women in uniform. Perry owes an apology to veterans, soldiers and military families for belittling their sacrifices and insulting their patriotism.”
There has been no comment since Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), an Air Force veteran who grew up in a military family. According to her biography, her parents met when her father and grandfather flew P3s in the same Navy squadron. She earned an engineering degree from Stanford University on an ROTC scholarship that led to her service in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves, and later earned a master’s degree in technology and policy from MIT.
This is a developing story and will be updated
