Joshua Vaughn (Narrator/Reporter)

Justin was blown away by the coalition that Lamont was putting together.

Justin was blown away by the coalition that Lamont was putting together.

In his own campaign, Justin was going to have to figure out a way to appeal to the community like Lamont. He needed to convince voters that a guy they'd never heard of should run the county, a guy whose main focus was on Dauphin County Prison. Imagine you're living out in the suburbs of Harrisburg. You've got a nice ranch house, three kids, comfortable job, 401k.

In his own campaign, Justin was going to have to figure out a way to appeal to the community like Lamont. He needed to convince voters that a guy they'd never heard of should run the county, a guy whose main focus was on Dauphin County Prison. Imagine you're living out in the suburbs of Harrisburg. You've got a nice ranch house, three kids, comfortable job, 401k.

You're not that interested in politics. You want a safe and peaceful life. You want your kids to go to good schools and get good jobs. You hear a knock at the door and you open it a crack. There's this big husky guy standing there with a beard and tattoos. At first glance, he's kind of intimidating. Your first instinct is to get him away from the door as fast as you can.

You're not that interested in politics. You want a safe and peaceful life. You want your kids to go to good schools and get good jobs. You hear a knock at the door and you open it a crack. There's this big husky guy standing there with a beard and tattoos. At first glance, he's kind of intimidating. Your first instinct is to get him away from the door as fast as you can.

But before you can do that, He starts to speak.

But before you can do that, He starts to speak.

Justin pulls out a flyer. He hands it to you. And if you give him a second, he starts talking.

Justin pulls out a flyer. He hands it to you. And if you give him a second, he starts talking.

Justin was hoping that line, 18 deaths in the last four years, would shock the potential voters standing in front of him. And if you're that suburban voter, maybe you keep listening to what Justin has to say.

Justin was hoping that line, 18 deaths in the last four years, would shock the potential voters standing in front of him. And if you're that suburban voter, maybe you keep listening to what Justin has to say.

Justin knew he'd have to stand out to have a chance. The Dolphin County commissioners had long been a group of insiders. They had deep roots in the area. They were often strongly committed to the status quo, which put a tattooed preacher from out of town who advocated for the rights of the queer community, the homeless, and the incarcerated at a sizable disadvantage.

Justin knew he'd have to stand out to have a chance. The Dolphin County commissioners had long been a group of insiders. They had deep roots in the area. They were often strongly committed to the status quo, which put a tattooed preacher from out of town who advocated for the rights of the queer community, the homeless, and the incarcerated at a sizable disadvantage.

Two of the three incumbent commissioners were basically shoe-ins. But the third seat was held by someone who had never been elected. He had been appointed when the former chairman, a guy named Jeff Haste, had retired. Justin, like everyone in Dauphin County, was aware of Jeff Haste.

Two of the three incumbent commissioners were basically shoe-ins. But the third seat was held by someone who had never been elected. He had been appointed when the former chairman, a guy named Jeff Haste, had retired. Justin, like everyone in Dauphin County, was aware of Jeff Haste.

Haste had hand-selected a nominee to take his old seat, who'd been voted in unanimously by a panel of county judges. To Republicans, that seat seemed safe from the opposition, especially if the opposition was a bleeding-heart liberal like Justin Douglas. And they weren't the only ones writing him off.

Haste had hand-selected a nominee to take his old seat, who'd been voted in unanimously by a panel of county judges. To Republicans, that seat seemed safe from the opposition, especially if the opposition was a bleeding-heart liberal like Justin Douglas. And they weren't the only ones writing him off.

Justin had well-meaning campaign advisors who were saying that his strategy of focusing on the jail was a terrible idea.

Justin had well-meaning campaign advisors who were saying that his strategy of focusing on the jail was a terrible idea.