Progressive state representative Summer Lee defeated corporate attorney Steve Irwin to win the Democratic nomination for the 12th Congressional District seat.
The 12th district comprises Pittsburgh and suburban Allegheny County communities, as well as Westmoreland County communities such as Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley Township and parts of Hempfield.
Associated Press called the race late Friday and Irwin conceded soon thereafter.
“The people took on the corporations and the people won,” said Lee in a statement. “We built a movement on Western Pennsylvania that took on corporate power, stood up for working families, and beat back a multimillion dollar smear campaign. This was never about one candidate – it was about the people of this district who have been left behind by corporations who put their profits over our lives. It is a new way forward for everyone in the Commonwealth with no one left behind.”
Irwin conceded in a tweet.
Lee’s victory means she is very likely to become the first Black woman from Pennsylvania elected to Congress.
The 12th District has a Republican opponent in the general election — Mike Doyle (no relation to current U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle) — but the district is a strong blue district, and forecasters don’t rate it competitive for Republicans.
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5 Responses
Pittsburgh will get $0 in federal aid with her there. She is unfit to serve.
Summer is where the Democrats need to be, taking on the corporations instead of being their tools. Wish I lived in her district so I could have voted for her. And I wish that Conor Lamb had stayed put.
Irwin headed the anti-union shop at his law firm and was all-Israel, all the time … a shill for Rich Fitzgerald and the Old Guard. Not a bad guy, but an empty suit. Doesn’t say much that some union leaders endorsed him (the same ones that ignore their rank and file members).
I’m sure once Lee takes office, her constituents lives will get exponentially better ????
Summer Lee makes me feel fine…..
Blowin through the jasmine in my mind…..
The song blows and so does she