PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Summer Lee defeated Bhavini Patel in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, according to Associated Press projects. With 98% of the ballots counted as of Wednesday morning, Lee received just over 60% of the vote.
It was one of the most contentious races on Tuesday’s ballot, featuring incumbent Lee against Patel, an Edgewood city councilwoman. The district includes Pittsburgh, the Mon Valley, part of the South Hills and Westmoreland County.
“We have rejected in this district the idea that you can’t be a bold progressive in Western Pennsylvania because Western Pennsylvania, we say all the time, is the model of this nation.” , Lee said in his victory speech Tuesday.
During his speech in front of a few hundred people, Lee thanked his team, his supporters and his family. In her 15-minute speech, she criticized his style and views on certain issues, including his call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Lee added that she wanted to continue her goal of working for those left behind.
Lee went on to say that his race is just one part of a bigger picture for Democrats and progressives. She said support was needed throughout the November vote if anything was to be done about their agenda.
“We know we’re going to have to do big here in Allegheny County,” Lee said. “So, I like to hope that all the components of our party will come together. It’s not just the progressive wing that must come forward. The conservative wing, the moderate wing, will have to do their part, too. .We all need to come together now to do this.
In a post Tuesday on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Patel thanked her supporters and said she was “grateful” despite the loss.
“Everything is on the line in November and the work has only just begun,” she posted.
Before the election, Lee, Pennsylvania’s first black woman elected to Congress, told KDKA-TV that she was used to tough electoral struggles.
“I’ve never been challenged, so no, I’m not surprised at all. And you know what, when I got to the House of Representatives six years ago, I challenged an incumbent president,” Lee told KDKA-TV earlier. this month.
To see the results of the Lee-Patel race, select “District 12” from the drop-down menu below:
In an interview with KDKA-TV this month, Patel said Lee abandoned President Joe Biden in favor of an ultra-left agenda that doesn’t represent the region. She added that Lee is caught up in the agenda represented by New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other very progressive lawmakers and often votes against Democratic bills supported by Biden and most Democrats.
Lee, who has been in Congress for 15 months, defended herself, saying Democrats did not need her vote to pass the bills cited by Patel and that it was important to send a message to marginalized communities .
Lee, who had the support of Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, will head to the November general election to face Republican James Hayes. He ran uncontested Tuesday.
Grub5
