This is the second in our series highlighting key congressional primary elections across the commonwealth.
Four candidates are running for the Democratic nomination in the 3rd Congressional District Representative Dwight Evans. The winner of the primary is likely to win in November because PA-03 is one of the bluest districts in the country, with more than three out of four voters registered as Democrats.
That and no candidate has entered the Republican race.
The Pennsylvania primary election will be held on Tuesday, May 19.
Chris Rabb
- Experience: Five-year State Representative (PA-200).
- Priorities
- Medical care for all. Protecting reproductive freedom
- A universal basic income and living wage for all
- Home guarantee for everyone under the “Housing First” model.
- Universal care for children from birth to 5 years of age
- Abolish the death penalty and death by imprisonment
- Free public college and job training
- Abolish ICE and abolish immigrant concentration camps
- Publicly fund elections and fix rigged election maps
- The impeachment and removal of President Trump
- Fundraising: $393,727 from January 1 to March 31. Cash on hand: $236,960.
- Education: B.A., Yale University 1992. M.S., University of Pennsylvania 2006
- Quotable: “It is time to put community before trade, expand democracy, strengthen workers’ rights, guarantee access to health care, housing, clean air and water, and confront the danger that concentrated wealth poses to true self-government.”
- Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
Unfortunately, Stanford
- Experience: Founder, Black Doctors Consortium; Dr. Al Stanford Center for Health Equity.
- Priorities
- Health care is a right, not a privilege
- Expanding the ACA and creating a public option
- Total financing of the Capital Fund for public housing
- Supports the ROAD to Housing Act and the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act
- immigration reform that is humane and just; abolish ICE and hold those responsible accountable for their actions
- Fight for a true and just path to citizenship for undocumented residents
- He supports doubling the Pell Grant and indexing it to inflation
- Invest in our public schools by investing federal money to rebuild our crumbling school infrastructure
- Oppose any cuts to Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security, whether they are direct or indirect
- Oppose efforts to raise the retirement age, privatize Social Security, or turn Medicaid into a block grant that shifts costs to states and cuts benefits
- At home, she is an activist for the law on preventing price gouging. It will strengthen antitrust enforcement and support pass laws to ensure the ultra-rich pay their fair share
- Fundraising: $211,084 from January 1 to March 31. Cash on hand: $449,876.
- Education: B.A., Pennsylvania State University 1992; M.D., Penn State College of Medicine 1997
- Quotable: “(I’m running) for Congress to fight Donald Trump’s disastrous policies, whether it’s cutting health care programs or depleting funding for food programs, education and affordable housing. Philadelphia needs a champion who will stand up for the support our city deserves.”
- Cufflinks: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
Sharif Street
- Experience: Pennsylvania state senator since 2016; chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, 2022–25
- Priorities
- Reduce health care costs, escalate the affordability of prescription drugs, and escalate access to mental health care
- Fight for federal cannabis legalization that prioritizes justice, equity and social reinvestment
- Protect access to the ballot to defend health care, reproductive freedom and LGBTQ+ rights
- Take on corporate price gouging, fight to lower the cost of living, develop affordable housing, and ensure everyone has an equal chance at success – not just those at the top
- Invest $500 billion in school infrastructure to ensure students have access to safe and sound schools that can meet the needs of today’s students
- Fundraising: $198,601 from January 1 to March 31. Cash on hand: $263,296.
- Education: B.A., Morehouse College 1996; J.D., University of Pennsylvania, 1999
- Quotable: “North Philadelphia taught me how to fight for all of us. That’s what I did in Harrisburg and that’s what I will do in Congress.“
- Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
Shaun Griffith
- Experience: Tax advisor
- Priorities
- Every American should have access to health care and health insurance – without loopholes, gaming, and suspension policies
- Raise the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour
- Support workers’ ability to organize and negotiate better wages and benefits
- Change tax laws that allow ultra-wealthy business owners to underpay their employees, forcing middle-class taxpayers to foot the bill
- Invest in neat energy jobs and resilient infrastructure
- Hold polluters accountable and enforce significant penalties
- Education: JD, University of San Francisco School of Law
- Quotable: “Ensure that the American Dream is sustainable for hardworking Americans and ensure that America remains a place where immigrants are welcome, where diversity is celebrated, individuality is dignified and opportunity abounds.”
- Cufflinks: : Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Blue
ForumS
In the News
- How the Middle East and the word “genocide” became a defining issue in a congressional race in Philadelphia (April 30, Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Meet three Penn campaign affiliates representing University City (April 30, Daily Pennsylvanian)
- Sans Stanford, Dems Rabb and Street meet Wednesday for the PA-3 debate (April 29, city and state)
- Philadelphia congressional candidate Ala Stanford has withdrawn from the live debate, leaving her rivals to face off without her (April 29, Inquirer)
- US House of Representatives candidate Ala Stanford suggests Congress could enforce immigration laws if ICE is abolished (April 28, Inquirer)
- Dream. Street releases ad as rivals gain support in 3rd Congressional District race (April 24, Philadelphia Tribune)
- Democratic candidates for the 3rd Congressional District discuss the future of ICE (April 24, NBC10)
- These four Democrats hope to represent Philadelphia’s 3rd District in Congress. Here’s what you need to know (April 23, WHY)
- PA-3 Democrats fight each other in an unusual main forum (April 21, city and state)
- Philly’s three-way fight to replace Dwight Evans in the House of Representatives is entering an unstable finale (April 15, Inquirer)
- How two congressional candidates in Philadelphia are quietly leading a super PAC in plain sight (April 13, Inquirer)
- Meet the 4 Democrats who want to replace Dwight Evans in Congress (April 8, Inquirer)
- Final interview for the 3rd Congressional District (April 3, Philadelphia Citizen)
- Candidate Crib Sheet: The Race to Replace Dwight Evans (March 30, Philadelphia Magazine)
- Candidates looking to replace Philadelphia Rep. Dwight Evans in Congress are turning to voters (March 19, CBS3)
- Inside Chris Rabb’s uncompromisingly progressive PA-3 primary campaign (March 13, city and state)
- Black women’s issues dominate West Philly’s third district candidate forum (March 12, Philadelphia Tribune)
- The pro-Israel Muslim Democrat is walking a political tightrope in the Philadelphia primary (March 9, Jewish Insider)
- In Pennsylvania’s Third Congressional District, the main candidates share political goals but are divided on their approach to power (February 10, WHY)
- The PA-03 Congress Forum presents the points of view of six promising candidates (February 10, PolitykaPA)
