Rep. Summer Lee, a member of the far-left “Squad” of House lawmakers, recently defeated her centrist opponent in Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary election. After winning by a 19-point margin, Lee expressed her belief that opposing genocide is not only good politics but also good policy. This victory served as an early test for lawmakers who have criticized Israel’s actions and how they may fare against pro-Israel candidates in upcoming primaries, especially given the recent conflict in the region.
Lee’s opponent, Bhavini Patel, criticized her extreme anti-Israel sentiments as not being suitable for their Pittsburgh-area district, which includes a historically Jewish neighborhood affected by anti-Semitic violence. Patel warned that Lee’s far-left politics could harm President Biden’s chances of re-election by alienating voters in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Lee has been vocal in her criticism of organizations like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and was among the lawmakers to vote against a resolution condemning Iran’s attack on Israel.
Despite facing criticism, Lee and her supporters highlighted the $500,000 in donations given to Patel’s campaign by Moderate PAC, which is backed by a Republican megadonor. Lee will now face Republican James Hayes in the November general election. Other progressive lawmakers, such as Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, and Ilhan Omar, are also expected to face challenges in their upcoming races that focus on their views on Israel and other policy issues.
In other primary races in Pennsylvania, incumbent House members Brian Fitzpatrick and Dwight Evans won their respective races by significant margins. Both senators in the state, Bob Casey and David McCormick, also emerged victorious in their primaries and will compete against each other in November. McCormick, who was backed by former President Donald Trump, previously lost the GOP primary for the Senate to Dr. Mehmet Oz during the 2022 midterm elections.
The Pennsylvania Senate race will play a crucial role in determining which party controls the upper chamber next year. In 2022, Democrats were able to flip a Senate seat previously occupied by a Republican after Sen. John Fetterman defeated Oz. With Pennsylvania being a battleground state, these primary results offer a preview of how key issues, including foreign policy stances on Israel, may influence voters in the upcoming general election and impact the balance of power in Congress.
