3 weeks ago
Lee defeats Patel successful Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District primary: AP projects
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Summer Lee has defeated Bhavini Patel successful nan Democratic superior for Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District, nan Associated Press projects. With 98% of ballots counted Wednesday morning, Lee had conscionable complete 60% of nan votes.
It was 1 of nan astir contentious races on Tuesday's ballot, featuring nan incumbent Lee against Patel, an Edgewood councilwoman. The territory includes Pittsburgh, nan Mon Valley, parts of nan South Hills and Westmoreland County.
"We person rejected successful this territory that you can't beryllium a bold progressive successful Western Pennsylvania because Western Pennsylvania, we opportunity it each nan time, is nan blueprint for this nation," Lee said successful her triumph reside connected Tuesday.
During her reside successful beforehand of a fewer 100 people, Lee thanked her team, supporters and family. In nan 15-minute speech, she called retired critics and disapproval of her style and position connected issues, including her telephone for a ceasefire successful Gaza. Lee added that she wants to proceed her extremity of moving for group who person been near behind.
Lee went connected to opportunity that her title is conscionable portion of a bigger image for Democrats and progressives. She said location needs to beryllium support up and down nan ballot successful November if location will beryllium thing done for their agenda.
"We cognize that we're going to person to execute large present successful Allegheny County," Lee said. "So, I for illustration to dream that each parts of our statement are going to travel together. It's not conscionable nan progressive helping that has to travel out. The blimpish wing, nan mean wing, they're going to person to propulsion their weight, too. We each person to travel together now to do this."
In a station connected Tuesday connected nan societal media level X, formerly known arsenic Twitter, Patel thanked her supporters and said she is "grateful" contempt nan loss.
"Everything is connected nan statement this November – and nan activity is conscionable getting started," she posted.
Before nan election, Lee, Pennsylvania's first Black female elected to Congress, told KDKA-TV that she's utilized to reliable predetermination fights.
"I've ne'er not been challenged so, no, I'm not amazed astatine all. And you cognize what, erstwhile I first came into nan authorities House, six years ago, I challenged an incumbent," Lee told KDKA-TV earlier this month.
To spot nan results successful nan Lee-Patel race, prime "District 12" from nan dropdown paper below:
In an question and reply pinch KDKA-TV this month, Patel said Lee has abandoned President Joe Biden successful favour of an ultra-left-wing schedule that doesn't correspond nan region. She added that Lee is caught up successful nan schedule represented by New York's Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and different very progressive congresswomen that she often votes against Democratic bills supported by Biden and astir Democrats.
Lee, who has been successful Congress for 15 months, defended herself, saying that Democrats did not request her ballot to walk nan bills Patel cited and that it was important to nonstop a connection to marginalized communities.
Lee, who had nan support of Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, moves connected to nan wide predetermination successful November to look Republican James Hayes. He ran uncontested connected Tuesday.
- In:
- Pennsylvania
- Westmoreland County
- Allegheny County
- Election
- Summer Lee
- Pennsylvania Primary
- Pittsburgh
