This is the fifth installment in our series covering the Commonwealth’s congressional primaries.
The 12th Congressional District contest is a Democratic stronghold that includes the city of Pittsburgh. Rep. Summer Lee is the clear favorite to return to Washington, but faces a primary challenge from other Democrats William Parker and most likely Republican James Hayes in the fall general elections.
The Pennsylvania primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19.
Summer Lee
- Experience: Advocate. Representative of the United States House of Representatives, starting in 2022; Pennsylvania State House Representatives, 2019–23
- Priorities
- Work to make voting easier, not harder – and that means federal automatic voter registration, nationwide early and mail-in voting, federal holidays on Election Day, and same-day voter registration
- Prohibit members of Congress from trading stocks
- End the filibuster, a tool championed by segregationist senators to oppose civil rights legislation that continues to stand in the way of progress.
- Enforce real ethics requirements, end lifetime appointments, and expand the Supreme Court
- The end of a united citizenry
- Fight to pass the PRO Act
- Universal free kindergarten
- Ensure immigrants are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve and fix our backlogged and deliberately overburdened immigration system
- Fight against LGBTQ+ and gender discrimination
- Medical care for all
- Protect abortion rights and guarantee access to reproductive health care at the federal level
- Fundraising: : $43,604 from April 1 to April 29. Cash on hand: $1,691,816
- Education: B.A., Pennsylvania State University, 2009; J.D., Howard University School of Law, 2015
- Quotable: “Repairing our democracy goes beyond stopping Trump, elected Republicans, and right-wing judges from engaging in voter suppression and abusing their power to overturn the results of a free and fair election. It also includes working to end racist voter ID and suppression laws, restoring the full force of the Voting Rights Act, and ending gerrymandering.”
- Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
Will Parker
- Experience: Founder of VendSpin
- Priorities
- Expanding the Affordable Care Act, lowering prescription drug prices, and protecting Medicaid and Medicare
- Fight to fund infrastructure that creates jobs, improves safety and connects communities
- Protecting democracy and fundamental rights Electoral rights, reproductive freedom and civil liberties
- Strengthening and expanding the Affordable Care Act
- Creating a public option to augment competition and lower premiums
- Support a bipartisan package combining border security, legal pathways and humane treatment
- Raising the federal minimum wage
- Fundraising: : $10 from January 1 to March 30. Cash on hand: $5,561.
- Education: Pittsburgh Public Schools
- Quotable: “Western Pennsylvania families are working harder than ever, but they continue to struggle with rising costs. I am committed to policies that strengthen the lower and middle classes – raising wages, expanding business and union protections, investing in tech startups, clean energy production and supporting small businesses.”
- Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
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