Summer Lee

Summer Lynn Lee (born November 26, 1987)[1] is an American politician and community organizer serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 34th district from 2019 to 2022.[2] With the support of the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, she defeated incumbent Paul Costa in the 2018 Democratic primary election with over 67% of the vote.[3] Lee was the first black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.[2]

Summer Lee
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 12th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byMike Doyle (redistricting)
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
from the 34th district
In office
January 1, 2019 – December 7, 2022
Preceded byPaul Costa
Succeeded byAbigail Salisbury
Personal details
Born (1987-11-26) November 26, 1987
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationPennsylvania State University (BA)
Howard University (JD)
WebsiteHouse website

Lee was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 election to represent Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. She won the primary by less than 1% of the vote over her closest opponent, Steve Irwin, the chair of the State Advisory Committee for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. She won the general election, and became the first Black woman from Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives.[4][5]

Lee was a member of Democratic Socialists of America,[6] but left DSA before winning office after disagreements with the Pittsburgh DSA chapter.[7]

Early life and education

Of African American heritage, Lee was raised in North Braddock, Pennsylvania, and attended Woodland Hills High School. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2009 and earned a Juris Doctor from the Howard University School of Law in 2015.[1][8][9] She campaigned for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries after graduating.[10]

Pennsylvania House of Representatives
See also: 2018 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election

Lee challenged incumbent Representative Paul Costa in the Democratic primary for the 34th district in 2018. An organizer from Pittsburgh's DSA chapter approached her about running after she led a successful write-in campaign for a school board candidate.[10] She defeated Costa, 67.8% to 32.2%, attributing her victory to grassroots campaigning.[11] She was unopposed in the general election.

Committee assignments

U.S. House of Representatives

Abortion

Lee joined forty other House Democrats in a letter calling on the Biden Administration to use all means possible to preserve FDA approval for Mifepristone and protect access to these treatments nationwide, in response to a ruling by Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.[13]

Gun Control

On March 29, 2023, two Pittsburgh Catholic schools received what investigators deemed were hoax active shooter threats that prompted evacuations, lockdowns and large responses from police.[14] This came two days after a highly-publicized school shooting in Nashville.[15] In response, Lee said that having to endure active shootings and related evacuations, drills and hoaxes is “no way for our kids to live,” and blamed the proliferation of guns in America for causing the widespread panic of the fake active shooting reports.[16]

On April 7, 2023, Lee harshly criticized the Tennessee House's expulsion of Democratic representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones. [17] The lawmakers were expelled after joining a protest against mass shootings on the Tennessee house floor.[18] Her criticism was also aimed at Republican's overall treatment of gun control, saying "people are dying because Republicans want to put politics over the lives of the people they represent. They ask for safety for themselves, but not for school children, and they’ll sacrifice the lives of our loved ones for their lobbyists."[19]

Infrastructure

After a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Pittsburgh on April 8, 2023, Lee called for more accountability from railroads, and protection from so-called “bomb trains” that carry hazardous materials through populated areas.[20] This was two months after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which also involved a Norfolk Southern train.[21] In response to these events, Lee publicly supported multiple bills in Congress that look to enforce strict regulations on the rail industry.[22] She is an original co-sponsor of the DERAIL Act, which would put stricter federal rail safety regulations in place that were rolled back during the Trump administration.[23]

Israel

Lee joined Senator Bernie Sanders, and at least nine House Democrats, in signing a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern over rising violence between Israelis and Palestinians and the new Israeli government’s attempt to weaken the country’s independent judiciary.[24]

Syria

In 2023, Lee was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.[25][26]

TikTok

In light of a potential ban on TikTok in the United States, Lee has thrown her support behind the app, labeling it "an incredible organizing tactic."[27][28]

2022 election
See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Pennsylvania § District 12
Lee announcing her congressional campaign

In October 2021, Lee announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district after the incumbent representative, Mike Doyle, announced his retirement.[29] After Pennsylvania's new congressional districts were chosen in February 2022, most of the old 18th district, including Pittsburgh as well as parts of the Mon Valley and Westmoreland County, became the 12th district, and Lee announced she would run there.[30]

Lee won the Democratic primary election on May 17, 2022, defeating rival Steve Irwin. Though Irwin had an early lead on election night with early and mail-in ballots, Lee emerged with a victory of around 740 votes once in-person Election Day votes were counted. She won the Allegheny County portion of the district by almost 4,500 votes. Most networks had declared Lee the winner by May 20, and Irwin conceded that day.[31]

In the November 8 general election, Lee defeated Republican Mike Doyle (no relation to the Democratic incumbent).[32]

Lee simultaneously ran for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; she was reelected to a third term with little opposition, but was required to resign the seat to assume her new role in the U.S. House, which she did on December 7, 2022.[33][34] With elections in the 32nd district, where incumbent Tony DeLuca died in October 2022 but was reelected posthumously to a 21st term,[35] and the 35th district, where incumbent Austin Davis was simultaneously reelected to a third full term and elected lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, an unusual situation arose in which the Democratic Party gained control of the chamber, having won 102 seats to the Republican Party's 101 in the 2022 elections, but would begin the new legislative term with just 99 members, due to these three vacancies in solidly Democratic districts in Allegheny County.[36]

Caucus memberships

Committee assignments

Electoral history

2018
2018 Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Representative District 34[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee 6,914 67.77
Democratic Paul Costa (incumbent) 3,288 32.23
Total votes 10,202 100
2018 General election Pennsylvania State Representative District 34[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee Unopposed
Total votes 21,240 100.0%
Democratic hold

2020
2020 Democratic primary for Pennsylvania State Representative District 34[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee 11,863 76.36
Democratic Christopher Roland 3,672 23.64
Total votes 15,535 100
2020 General election Pennsylvania State Representative District 34[42]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee Unopposed
Total votes 27,129 100.0%
Democratic hold

2022
2022 Democratic primary for U.S. Representative[43]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee 48,002 41.9
Democratic Steve Irwin 47,014 41.0
Democratic Jerry Dickinson 12,440 10.9
Democratic Jeff Woodard 5,454 4.8
Democratic William Parker 1,670 1.5
Total votes 114,580 100
2022 Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Summer Lee 184,674 56.2
Republican Mike Doyle[lower-alpha 1] 143,946 43.8
Total votes 328,620 100
Democratic hold

Personal life

Lee lives in Swissvale, Pennsylvania.[10]

See also

Notes
  1. No relationship to the Democratic incumbent

References
  1. "Representative Summer Lee". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
  2. Deto, Ryan (May 23, 2018). "Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee say their victories can open doors for non-traditional and minority candidates in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  3. "Pennsylvania Primary Election Results: State Legislature". WTAE-TV. May 16, 2018. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  4. Daniels, Cheyanne M. (November 9, 2022). "Summer Lee becomes first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania". The Hill. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  5. Koscinski, Kiley (November 9, 2022). "Summer Lee wins 12th Congressional District, will become Pa.'s first Black congresswoman". Retrieved May 16, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Democratic Socialist Summer Lee's Victory in Penn. Gives Progressives a Boost in House". Democracy Now!. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022.
  7. Barkan, Ross. "Purge at DSA: Why are Activists Trying to Expel Representative Bowman?". The Nation. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021.
  8. Taylor Jr., Rob. "Summer Lee strives to brighten her community, as she runs for state House seat". New Pittsburgh Courier. Archived from the original on March 23, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  9. Griswold, Eliza (May 12, 2018). "The Hard-Left Candidate Taking On the Democratic Establishment in Southwestern Pennsylvania". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  10. Lancianese, Adelina; Davis, Kathleen (May 15, 2018). "Progressive Summer Lee Defeats Incumbent Paul Costa In 34th State House District". WESA. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  11. Collier, Sean (October 17, 2018). "Q & A: Summer Lee – Why She Won and What's Next". Pittsburgh Magazine. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  12. "Representative Summer Lee". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  13. "Congresswoman Summer Lee Statement on TX Court Ruling on Medicated Abortion". www.summerlee.house.gov. April 10, 2023.
  14. "Active shooter calls send panic across Western Pa. before deemed a hoax by investigators". www.triblive.com. March 29, 2023.
  15. "Fact check: Report of active shooter at Pennsylvania high school is a hoax". www.usatoday.com. March 30, 2023.
  16. "Congresswoman Summer Lee speaks out on House floor about hoax shooting reports". www.triblive.com. March 30, 2023.
  17. "Congresswoman Summer Lee Slams TN Republicans' Expulsion of Black lawmakers for Standing In Solidarity With Gun Reform Supporters". www.summerlee.house.gov. April 7, 2023.
  18. "GOP lawmakers in Tennessee expel two Democrats over mass shooting protest". www.cbsnews.com. April 7, 2023.
  19. "'Fascism, Full Stop': Progressives in Congress Condemn Expulsion of Tennessee Democrats". www.summerlee.house.gov. April 7, 2023.
  20. "After latest Norfolk Southern derailment, W. Pa lawmakers call for rail accountability". www.penncapital-star.com. April 11, 2023.
  21. "Norfolk Southern train derails in Pittsburgh 2 months after East Palestine derailment". www.abc7chicago.com. April 8, 2023.
  22. "Public call to support Congressional legislation for railroad regulation laws". www.wtae.com. April 12, 2023.
  23. "Congresswoman Summer Lee pushing for federal rail safety regulations after train derailments". www.wpxi.com. April 11, 2023.
  24. "Rep. Summer Lee signs onto a letter urging Biden administration to re-evaluate policy toward Israel". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. April 4, 2023.
  25. "H.Con.Res. 21: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of … -- House Vote #136 -- Mar 8, 2023".
  26. "House Votes Down Bill Directing Removal of Troops From Syria". Associated Press. March 8, 2023.
  27. "Rep. Summer Lee puts support behind TikTok as calls to ban the app intensify". CBS. March 29, 2023.
  28. "Pennsylvania progressive defends TikTok as 'incredible organizing tactic'". wwwthehill.com. March 28, 2023.
  29. Gregory Krieg (October 19, 2021). "Progressive champion Summer Lee enters Pennsylvania primary to replace retiring Rep. Mike Doyle". CNN. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
  30. Koscinski, Kiley (February 23, 2022). "In new Pennsylvania congressional map, some U.S. House candidates find themselves in new districts". Archived from the original on March 3, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2022.
  31. Solender, Andrew (May 20, 2022). "Summer Lee wins PA House primary in triumph for the Squad". Axios. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  32. Guza, Megan (November 13, 2022). "How Summer Lee's historic win in Pa.'s 12th congressional district reverberates beyond politics". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  33. Wiggan, Jamie (December 1, 2022). "Four Democratic hopefuls look to succeed Summer Lee in Pa. House". Pittsburgh City Paper. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  34. Wereschagin, Mike (December 7, 2022). "Power struggle in Harrisburg intensifies as Reps. Austin Davis and Summer Lee resign". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  35. Potter, Chris (December 6, 2022). "8 Democrats vie for DeLuca's 32nd House district seat, party will use ranked-choice voting". WESA. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  36. Caruso, Stephen (November 24, 2022). "Pennsylvania House Democrats will lose their majority for at least a few weeks. Here's why". Spotlight PA. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  37. staff, St Louis American. "Rep. Cori Bush leading new push for ERA passage". St. Louis American.
  38. "Updates Under Way". Congressional Progressive Caucus. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  39. "Allegheny Primary Results 2018". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  40. "Allegheny General Results 2018". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  41. "Allegheny Primary Results 2020". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  42. "Allegheny General Results 2020". Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
  43. "House District 12: Pennsylvania Primary Results (D)". CNN. June 8, 2022. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
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