An election this month in Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs is emerging as an early test of whether Israel’s war with Hamas poses political threats to progressive Democrats in Congress who've criticized the conflict. First-term Rep. Summer Lee is facing a primary challenge from Bhavini Patel, a municipal councilwoman.
FILE - U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., stands for a portrait overlooking the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh , Monday, April 8, 2024. An election later this month in Pittsburgh and some of its suburbs is emerging as an early test of whether Israel ’s war with Gaza poses political threats to progressive Democrats in Congress who have criticized the war. Lee is facing a primary challenge from Bhavini Patel. Bhavini Patel, Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania ’s 12th District in the U.S.
Lee has raised far more money than Patel and has backing from Pennsylvania’s Democratic establishment, including Sen. Bob Casey, and a constellation of progressive groups that include both Jewish and Muslim organizations. That set her apart from Biden’s stance and that of most House Democrats, although now dozens more have joined her in calling for a cease-fire. At Biden’sPatel, 30, a small-town municipal councilwoman who worked in former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald’s administration, declared her candidacy a few days before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.
Lee also accused Patel of aligning herself more with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than with Biden. The issue has barely registered on the airwaves, and pro-Israel groups that spent heavily to try to defeat Lee in the 2022 primary — Democratic Majority for Israel and the American Israel Public Affairs committee, better known as
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