Pennsylvania’s upcoming primary elections will feature a battle between Rep. Summer Lee, a democratic socialist and member of the so-called “Squad” of progressive legislators, and a pro-Israel primary challenger whose made Lee’s inflammatory rhetoric central to her bid.
The well-funded primary challenge against progressive Rep. Summer Lee has emerged as the marquee race on the April 23 ballot in Western Pennsylvania. Lee’s anti-Israel rhetoric has been rebuked by Pittsburgh-area rabbis and her ties to out-and-out antisemites have raised Pennsylvania’s 12th District Democratic primary to national attention.
Lee, a first-term member of Congress, is being challenged by Bhavini Patel, an Edgewood borough councilor who sought the seat in 2022. Patel has made Lee’s support for the anti-Biden “uncommitted” movement and her decision to accept donations from prominent activists who’ve made antisemitic remarks since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks central to her challenge.
Patel’s campaign demanded that Lee “immediately return this money and apologize for her decision to associate with these dangerous individuals” and pointed out that even the Biden White House has rebuked Lee’s donors for comments celebrating Hamas’ brutal attacks.
Lee has also earned the ire of the center-left Moderate PAC, which launched a $150,000 ad buy this week. The ads attack Lee for giving Biden “the cold shoulder at the State of the Union” and call on Democrats to back a candidate who will work with the president.
Lee’s ties to antisemites and strident anti-Israel rhetoric have even become an issue in the state’s Senate race, where presumptive Republican nominee Dave McCormick has called for incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey Jr. to demand Lee’s resignation. Interestingly, Casey’s endorsement of Lee has disappeared from her campaign site in recent weeks.
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump’s respective primary races are largely uncontested, as are the primaries for Senate. Lee is the only member of Congress from Pennsylvania to face a serious primary threat. Moderate Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick is being challenged by pro-life activist Mark Houck, but Houck has not raised significant funds to support his campaign.
The general election will feature several more competitive races as Republicans attempt to claw back the seats they lost in the 2018 midterms. Republicans have fielded construction company CEO Rob Bresnahan Jr. to challenge Scranton-area Rep. Matt Cartwright and state Rep. Rob Mercuri to run against Pittsburgh-area Rep. Chris Deluzio.
The GOP is also targeting Lehigh Valley Rep. Susan Wild after several near-misses. Any of the trio of candidates – businessman Kevin Dellicker, local politico Maria Montero and state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie – could end up giving Wild a serious challenge.
Aside from the federal races for president, Senate, and Congress, Pennsylvanians will also select their nominees for attorney general, treasurer, and auditor general. Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Timothy DeFoor, the Republican incumbents, are both seeking a second term. Democrats are fielding state Rep. Ryan Bizzarro against Garrity and 2022 Senate candidate Malcolm Kenyatta against DeFoor.
There’s a wide field in the open-seat race for AG, including five Democrats (state Rep. Jared Solomon, Delaware Cty. DA Jack Stollsteimer, ex-Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former Philadelphia chief public defender Keir Bradford-Grey, and ex-Bucks Cty. solicitor Joe Khan) and two Republicans (York Cty. DA David Sunday and state Rep. Craig Williams). The plum AG post is an influential position that has produced two of Pennsylvania’s last three governors.
