U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, the Pittsburgh area’s progressive congresswoman, is in good shape for her reelection bid after a strong showing in Allegheny County’s mail-in ballots during Tuesday’s primary.
The county tabulated the vast majority of its mail-in ballots shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m., and Lee is leading 55% compared to 45% for her Democratic challenger Bhavini Patel, an Edgewood Councilwoman.
Lee was ahead by about 4,200 votes as of 8 p.m.
The county makes up 90% of Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, which also includes sections of Westmoreland County.
In the past, Lee has done worse among mail-in voters, but has still won after pulling ahead with in-person votes. A lead in mail-in ballots this year puts Lee in a strong position to retain her seat.
The region’s marquee matchup featuring the freshman lawmaker battling to keep her seat has been the most contentious primary in the Pittsburgh region in an otherwise ho-hum election cycle featuring numerous uncontested races.
Lee, 36, first entered the Pittsburgh political scene in 2018, riding a massive blue wave to victory in the Pennsylvania House thanks to a grassroots, progressive reaction to the election of former President Donald Trump.
Four years later, she switched Harrisburg for Washington, D.C. after being elected to the U.S. House, taking over the seat long held by Mike Doyle, the veteran Democratic congressman, who retired.
Lee is the first Black woman from Pennsylvania to hold federal office and is one of the most progressive members of Congress.
Patel, 30, aligned herself more with traditional Democrats in the region, portraying herself as more mainstream while painting Lee as too far left.
Early in the campaign, Patel criticized Lee over her calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Lee took local heat last fall for her stances, but the race shifted as the months went on.
Lee spent most of the campaign’s late stages standing on her record. She touted her work in helping to secure $1.2 billion in federal investments for her district, which she said was due to strong relationships with President Joe Biden’s administration.
In the closing stretch, as public sentiment changed during Israel’s siege of Gaza and Democratic voters became more sympathetic toward Palestinians, Lee gained momentum.
The two are vying to represent Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, which includes Pittsburgh, eastern Allegheny County suburbs, the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County communities such as Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley Township, Jeannette and parts of Hempfield.
The contest spurred heavy ad spending —$2.5 million, according to Virginia-based firm AdImpact.
Expenditures on ads boosting Lee were double the spending to support Patel.
Lee outraised Patel in campaign contributions by more than a 3-to-1 margin and also benefited from support from national progressive groups. The Working Families Party spent $318,000 in ads supporting Lee.
Moderate PAC, a political group largely funded by Jeffrey Yass, Pennsylvania’s richest person and a conservative billionaire, spent $574,000 in pro-Patel ads.
The 12th Congressional District includes Pittsburgh, parts of southern and eastern Allegheny County, the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County communities such as Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley Township, Jeannette and parts of Hempfield.
Ryan Deto is a TribLive reporter covering politics, Pittsburgh and Allegheny County news. A native of California’s Bay Area, he joined the Trib in 2022 after spending more than six years covering Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh City Paper, including serving as managing editor. He can be reached at [email protected].
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
