Bhavini Patel stands between Summer Lee and a second term in Pittsburgh congressional race
Published in Political News
It has all the elements of a high-profile congressional race in November: provocative ads, millions of dollars in fundraising and campaign spending, and two candidates — a favored incumbent and determined challenger — who have exchanged verbal blows over national hot-button issues, including the Israel-Hamas war, dark money and support for President Joe Biden.
Except it's the Democratic primary in April.
Summer Lee, a freshman progressive who represents Pittsburgh and its eastern and southern suburbs, aims to withstand a challenge by Bhavini Patel, a more moderate Edgewood borough council member. The winner likely will be the favorite against Republican James Hayes in the general election in November.
Lee, 36, has demanded an unconditional cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, a politically risky stance in a district that includes one of the most prominent Jewish enclaves in Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh-area Jewish leaders have repeatedly sent letters to Lee criticizing her stance on the war and urging her to more forcefully denounce antisemitism.
Multiple voters told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that while the Israel-Hamas issue is important, it's not the only one in the race.
Patel, 30, says her opponent is not a true representative of Democratic voters in the district, claiming a more moderate voice in Washington would be more effective, and she says Lee has failed to adequately back Biden in a presidential-election year.
And she says she also has tried to pin down Lee on more local issues, but Lee continues to turn the contest into one heavy on national topics.
Lee has pilloried Patel for having the support of Republicans, including at least one conservative PAC funded by a Philadelphia-area billionaire. Patel's supporters counter that much of Lee's so-called grassroots support is money coming from outside the district.
Lee's initial victory in the 2022 Democratic primary was a five-candidate nail-biter in which she beat Steve Irwin, a former state official, by fewer than 1,000 votes. But despite her provocative nature and progressive views — some of which have caught the ire of Democratic voters around the district — she's still the incumbent.
And in a head-to-head race, even against a local elected official like Patel, it's always difficult to beat someone in office, especially in a primary.
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