Summer Lee | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2023 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's12th district | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Mike Doyle (redistricted) |
| Member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives from the34th district | |
| In office January 1, 2019 – December 7, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Paul Costa |
| Succeeded by | Abigail Salisbury |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1987-11-26)November 26, 1987 (age 38) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Socialists of America(2018–2021) |
| Education | Pennsylvania State University (BA) Howard University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Lee on thePittsburgh synagogue shooting following the gunman's conviction in federal court. Recorded June 21, 2023 | |
Summer Lynn Lee (born November 26, 1987)[1][2] is an American politician and social activist serving as theU.S. representative forPennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2023. She is a member of theDemocratic Party. Her district encompasses the majority ofPittsburgh and the eastern suburbs, including parts ofWestmoreland County. After winning the2022 congressional primary and the general election, Lee became the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress.[3][4][5]
Lee was a Democratic member of thePennsylvania House of Representatives for the34th district from 2019 to 2022.[6] As of 2025, she is the firstblack woman to representSouthwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.[6] Lee is a former member of theDemocratic Socialists of America (DSA). The group supported her in her initial run for state office, but she departed after disagreements with the organization'sPittsburgh chapter.[7][8] She is considered a member of the"The Squad",[9] a small group of young left-leaning Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Lee was raised inNorth Braddock, Pennsylvania, and attendedWoodland Hills High School. She graduated with aBachelor of Arts injournalism, with minors in international studies and French fromPennsylvania State University in 2009 and earned aJuris Doctor from theHoward University School of Law in 2015.[2][10][11] She campaigned forBernie Sanders in the2016 Democratic primaries after graduating.[12]
Lee challenged incumbent representativePaul Costa in the Democratic primary for the34th district in2018. An organizer fromPittsburgh'sDSA chapter approached her about running after she led a successfulwrite-in campaign for aschool board candidate.[12] She defeated Costa, 67.8% to 32.2%, attributing her victory tograssroots campaigning.[13] She was unopposed in the general election.
In October 2021, Lee announced her candidacy forPennsylvania's 18th congressional district after the incumbent representative,Mike Doyle, announced his retirement.[15] After Pennsylvania's new congressional districts were chosen in February 2022, most of the old 18th district, includingPittsburgh as well as parts of theMon Valley andWestmoreland County, became the12th district, and Lee announced she would run there.[16]
Lee won the Democratic primary election on May 17, 2022, defeating rivalSteve 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 theAllegheny 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.[17]
In the November 8 general election, Lee defeatedRepublican Mike Doyle (no relation to the Democratic incumbent).[18]
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.[19][20] With elections inthe 32nd district, where incumbentTony DeLuca died in October 2022 but was reelected posthumously to a 21st term,[21] andthe 35th district, where incumbentAustin Davis was simultaneously reelected to a third full term andelected 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 inthe 2022 elections, but would begin the new legislative term with just 99 members, due to these three vacancies in solidly Democratic districts inAllegheny County.[22]
In 2024, Lee faced a primary challenge fromEdgewood councilwoman Bhavini Patel, who ran towards the political center compared to Lee.[23] Amid concerns that her criticism of Israel could cost her renomination in a district with a significant Jewish population, Lee cultivated endorsements from prominent Democrats including House minority leaderHakeem Jeffries and SenatorBob Casey Jr.[24] The race between Lee and Patel, who is pro-Israel, was seen as a bellwether for other primary races where pro-Israel candidates are challenging progressive, Israel-critical incumbents.[25] Ultimately Lee defeated Patel,[26] but unlike Lee fellow progressive Israel criticsJamaal Bowman andCori Bush were defeated for renomination by pro-Israel candidates who, unlike Patel, received backing from the pro-IsraelAIPAC.[27][28][29]
Lee supportsabortion rights.[30] Lee joined 40 other House Democrats in a letter calling on the Biden administration to use all means possible to preserveFDA approval formifepristone and protect access to these treatments nationwide, in response to aruling byNorthern District of Texas judgeMatthew Kacsmaryk.[31][32]
In response to theSupreme Court's decision inStudents for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which held that race-basedaffirmative action programs incollege admissions processes violate theEqual Protection Clause of theFourteenth Amendment, Lee stated that she was "disgusted that our country just enshrined racial inequity in higher education and economic immobility into law.[33]
Lee was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[34] She was the only no-vote among westernPennsylvania house members.[35] She had previously decried Republicans' willingness to take the country "to thebrink of economic catastrophe" to win budget concessions.[36]
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.[37] This came two days after a highly publicizedschool shooting in Nashville.[38] 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.[39]
On April 7, 2023, Lee harshly criticized theTennessee House'sexpulsion of Democratic representativesJustin Pearson andJustin Jones.[40] The lawmakers were expelled after joining a protest against mass shootings on the Tennessee house floor.[41] Her criticism was also aimed at Republican's overall treatment ofgun 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."[42]
After aNorfolk 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.[43] This was two months aftera train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which also involved a Norfolk Southern train.[44] In response to these events, Lee publicly supported multiple bills in Congress that look to enforce strict regulations on the rail industry.[45] 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.[46][47]
Lee and other progressive Democrats voted against a resolution condemningIran's aerial attack on Israel in April.[48] She also voted against an embargo on sending American technology to Iran and a resolution requesting theEuropean Union designate Iran'sIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.[49]
On April 4, 2023, Lee joinedSenatorBernie Sanders, and at least nineHouseDemocrats, in signing a letter toPresidentJoe Biden andSecretary of StateAntony Blinken expressing concern over rising violence between Israelis and Palestinians and the new Israeli government'sattempt to weaken the country's independent judiciary.[50]
On April 25, 2023, Lee was one of 19 representatives (18 Democrats and 1 Republican) to vote against House Resolution 311, a resolution honoring America's relationship with Israel on the 75th anniversary of its independence.[51]
On May 5, 2023, Lee was one of 17 cosponsors of the "Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act," which "prohibits U.S. taxpayer funding to the Government of Israel from being used for the military detention, abuse, or ill-treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention."[52][53][54]
On June 13, 2023, Lee was one of 13 representatives (eleven Democrats and two Republicans) who voted against a bill mandating the Biden administration appoint a special envoy for theAbraham Accords.[55]
On July 18, 2023, she voted against, along with eight otherProgressiveDemocrats (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,Cori Bush,Jamaal Bowman,André Carson,Ilhan Omar,Ayanna Pressley,Delia Ramirez, andRashida Tlaib), anon-binding resolution proposed byAugust Pfluger which states that "the State of Israel is not aracist orapartheid state", that Congress rejects "all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia" and that "the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel."[56] In atweet, Congresswoman Lee wrote, "I reject antisemitism and xenophobia in all its forms. Whether we're talking about India, Israel, or Sri Lanka, we are not true allies if we cannot push our partners to uphold basic human rights & democratic values."[57]
On October 25, 2023, Lee and eight other progressive Democrats (Ocasio-Cortez, Bowman, Bush, Carson, Omar, Ramirez, Tlaib, andAl Green), along with RepublicanThomas Massie, voted against a resolution supporting Israel in the wake of the2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The resolution stated that the House of Representatives: "stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched byHamas and other terrorists" and "reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security"; the resolution passed by an overwhelming 412-10-6 margin.[58][59] Lee has instead voiced support for a ceasefire in the wake of Israel's military campaign against Hamas,[23] co-sponsoring an opposing resolution demanding a ceasefire in the conflict.[60] She has condemned Hamas's attack. She has also accused Israel of war crimes.[25] Lee voted against a foreign aid package for Israel.[61]
Lee, along with nearly fifty other members ofCongress, were barred from entering Russia on May 19, 2023.[62][63]
In 2023, Lee was among 56 Democrats to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed PresidentJoe Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[64][65]
In light of a potentialban onTikTok in the United States, Lee has supported the platform, calling it "an incredible organizing tactic."[66][67] She voted against a bill that would force TikTok's parent company to sell the app or face a ban.[68]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | 6,914 | 67.77 | |
| Democratic | Paul Costa(incumbent) | 3,288 | 32.23 | |
| Total votes | 10,202 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 21,240 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratichold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | 11,863 | 76.36 | |
| Democratic | Christopher Roland | 3,672 | 23.64 | |
| Total votes | 15,535 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | Unopposed | |||
| Total votes | 27,129 | 100.0% | |||
| Democratichold | |||||
| 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 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | 184,674 | 56.2 | |
| Republican | Mike Doyle[a] | 143,946 | 43.8 | |
| Total votes | 328,620 | 100 | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Summer Lee | 64,594 | 60.65 | |
| Democratic | Bhavini Patel | 41,902 | 39.35 | |
| Total votes | 106,496 | 100 | ||
Lee lives inSwissvale, Pennsylvania.[12]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromPennsylvania's 12th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 336th | Succeeded by |
