Summer Lee, Pennsylvania’s first Black congresswoman, has expanded her base. Her primary is a test case in a year progressive candidates face a challenge from pro-Israel funds.
by Joan E. Greve, The Guardian
The US representative Summer Lee greeted a cheering crowd of a couple of hundred supporters at the Pittsburgh teachers’ union headquarters on Sunday, with two days left until her Democratic primary.
Lee, who made history in 2022 when she became the first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania, predicted that voters would send a resounding message on Tuesday about the resilience of the progressive movement. To underscore that point, Lee was joined at the rally by Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, another member of the progressive “Squad” in the House.

“Everybody in the country is waiting to see whether or not we can have a reflective democracy,” Lee said. “So we are going to fight in western Pennsylvania, and on Tuesday, we’re going send a message to every dark-money billionaire, whoever they are: that your influence is no longer welcome in our democracy.”
The boisterous rally marked an impressive show of support for a politician who eked out the narrowest of primary victories two years ago, after facing an onslaught of negative advertising from pro-Israel groups. This time around, many progressives expected the same groups to target Lee again, given her consistent and vocal support for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Recent Posts
“Arrest Now, Ask Questions Later”: Why Did L.A. ICE Agents Arrest and Jail U.S. Citizen Andrea Velez?
July 3, 2025
Take Action Now “They didn’t have vests that said ICE or anything. Their cars didn’t have license plates. … Just because of the color of our…
Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill Is Naked Class War
July 3, 2025
Take Action Now Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” trades tax cuts on millionaires for the dissolution of society.By Hamilton Nolan, In These Times…
Mayor Mamdani’s First Day, A Zero Hour Conversation With Richard Wolff
July 2, 2025
Take Action Now If elected, what would Mayor Mamdani do on his first day in City Hall? How would a democratic socialist govern as a big-city mayor?……
The U.S. Is Funding A Bloodbath At Gaza Aid Centers
July 2, 2025
Take Action Now The admin just gave $30M to GHF, the organization at the center of charges that Israel is weaponizing assistance and shooting at…