Janelle Stelson
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Janelle Stelson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959 or 1960 (age 65–66) Fairbanks, Alaska, U.S. |
| Education | University of Puget Sound (BA) |
| Occupation | Former WGAL news anchor |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Employer(s) | WGAL (Lancaster, PA) |
Political party |
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Janelle Stelson is an American former Emmy Award-winning television news anchor who worked at WGAL for 26 years. Before that, she worked at WHTM, WPLG, WHP, and WITF.[1] Stelson is running in 2026 to represent Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, after losing the race to do so in 2024.
After graduating from University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and government, she began her broadcast journalism career at WHTM in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania as a general assignment reporter, weather and climate anchor for three years.[2] She then left for Miami, Florida, and joined WPLG in 1989.[3]
Returning to Pennsylvania, she joined WHP in Harrisburg, anchoring the 6 pm and 11 pm newscasts.[4] In addition, she also worked with WITF radio, hosted a statewide public TV broadcast, and anchored "Computer Chronicles" on PBS.[5]
Stelson then joined WGAL in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1997,[6] where she worked as the co-anchor of the "News 8 at 4, 5:30, 10, and 11 pm" newscasts.[7] In 2023, Stelson won a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award with WGAL as a co-anchor for a smaller market evening newscast,[8][9] also having won the award in 2016.[10]
On September 14, 2023, Stelson announced near the end of "News 8 at 5:30" that she would be leaving WGAL to pursue other interests after nearly 40 years as a journalist, with 26 of those years at WGAL, and that September 15 would be her last newscast.[11]
Political campaigns
Earlier history
Stelson conceded having been a registered Republican throughout her life prior to changing her party registration in February 2023, in part due to the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision in 2022, stating "I did as many people did way back… I registered in the party that my parents were when I started out."[12] She additionally expressed in an interview with the Pennsylvania Capital-Star that working in media, a job that required her not to participate in politics, had not given her much to think about the party affiliation she was registered with.[12]
Elections
- 2024
In 2024, Stelson ran for Congress as a Democrat in Pennsylvania's 10th district on a centrist platform, beating out five other primary challengers. Stelson had fended off questions throughout the campaign about her previous party registration and her permanent residency living outside the district. She attested she would move into the district should she win the primary election in the March primary debate, then shifted her stance to only after winning the general election.[13] Stelson was additionally scrutinized for comments made on-air about a business in Belgium where patrons could dine and drink in the company of cats. After her co-anchor had commented the idea was popularized in Asian countries, she replied: "Of course, because they’re making tacos out of them."[14] In a statement provided to PennLive after her comments were brought up in the primary debate, Stelson responded:
"My comment was wrong and I apologized for it at the time. I was on live TV for thousands of hours over 38 years and one inappropriate joke from a decade ago is the worst thing they can find?" - Janelle Stelson, April 10, 2024[15]
She lost to multi-term incumbent Republican Scott Perry by about 6,000 votes.[16] After the defeat, Stelson had alluded to her residency being one of various factors why voters did not show up to support her, but respected "the will of the people".[17]
- 2026
In July 2025, Stelson announced her candidacy for the 10th congressional district seat in the 2026 election.[18][19] She is currently seeking the Democratic Party nomination in a primary race with Dauphin County Commissioner Justin Douglas.[20]
By August 2025, Stelson had established residency and voter registration at a rented Cumberland County home in the 10th district, while continuing to own her home in Lancaster County.[21][22]
Douglas has criticized Stelson for not joining him in a political debate, while Stelson has been more focused on Perry. She believes immigration laws need to be updated and that ICE should be held accountable for the deaths of U.S. citizens. Stelson is opposed to the 2026 Iran War, believing tax dollars would be better spent on domestic issues to help the middle class. She is also against tariffs enacted by President Trump, which Perry has supported.[23]