Israel-Gaza war takes center stage in battleground state seat as progressive ‘Squad’ Rep. Summer Lee looks to defeat challenger: Pennsylvania key indicator of how foreign conflict could impact balance of power in 2024

Israel’s war in Gaza has taken center stage in Pennsylvania’s 12th congressional race, pitting progressive “Squad” member Summer Lee against a Democratic challenger.

Voters in the state will go to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the presidential and congressional primaries.

Bhavini Patel wants to dethrone the progressive freshman lawmaker in the district that includes Pittsburgh and surrounding suburbs.

The race tests how criticism of Israel and the war in Gaza plays out in a democratic stronghold and battleground.

Lee has represented the Pittsburgh district since he was elected in 2022 after winning the open seat vacated by retiring Democratic Congressman Mike Doyle.

She is the first Black woman elected to represent Pennsylvania in Congress and ran on a progressive platform despite fierce opposition during the midterm primaries.

Bhavini Patel is challenging Rep. Lee in the Democratic primary. She serves on the Edgewood Borough Council

Since taking office, Lee has been closely associated with the progressive wing of the party in Washington known as the ‘Squad’.

Following the October 7 Hamas attack, Lee condemned the attack, but she has also been an outspoken critic of Israel’s war in Gaza and was one of the first lawmakers to call for a ceasefire in October.

But despite criticism from some in Pittsburgh’s large Jewish community, she remains the frontrunner in the primary, with both the benefits of her incumbency and some Democratic Party and Pennsylvania heavyweights backing her.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones joined her this weekend ahead of the primaries in Pittsburgh.

Lee also has the support of Senator Bernie Sanders, Pennsylvania’s two senators, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, who credit her with bringing hundreds of millions of dollars to the district to bring.

Her challenger, Patel, is the daughter of an Indian immigrant who grew up in the suburb of Monroeville and is a member of the Edgewood Borough Council and a former business owner.

She launched her effort to oust Lee in October and has been a strong supporter of President Biden’s agenda. She has also gone after Lee over her stance on Israel and the war in Gaza.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigned for Rep. Summer Lee in Pittsburgh on Sunday ahead of the Pennsylvania primary. Supporters held signs against GOP billionaire Jeff Yass, who had spent money on the race

But Lee’s supporters have pushed back that Patel is benefiting from the spending of billionaire Jeff Yass, the richest person in Pennsylvania and a Republican megadonor.

Yass is largely behind funding the Moderate PAC, which has attacked Lee while supporting Patel, although Patel has disavowed this.

The Moderate PAC ran an ad ahead of the primaries accusing Lee of “antagonizing” Biden and giving him a “cold shoulder” during his State of the Union address.

Lee was among a group of progressive members who wore keffiyeh, the scarf that has become a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians, during the president’s speech last month.

Even as Patel tries to align himself more closely with Biden, he gave Lee a shoutout during his visit to Pittsburgh last week.

President Biden at an event in Pittsburgh on April 17

According to Ad Impact’s tracking, the 12th District race has received 45 percent of all House of Representatives primary spending in the state.

Lee received a total of $1.6 million in advertising support for her campaign, while Patel received $798,000.

Notably, the United Democracy Project, a super PAC affiliated with AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), has not entered the race after being a major donor in 2022.

The candidates themselves have also focused their ad spend on infrastructure messaging.

Lee placed an ad bringing $1.2 billion into the community.

Patel emphasized her support for the bipartisan infrastructure bill and accused Lee of opposing it, even though Lee was not in Congress at the time the bill was passed.

Lee has also trumped Patel in fundraising. Federal filings show Patel has raised at least $602,000 for her campaign in about six months since it launched.

As an incumbent, Lee has had a clear advantage, raising more than $2.3 million for her re-election bid, according to filings through April 3.

Lee isn’t the only “Squad” member facing a Democratic challenger.

Rep. Cori Bush in Missouri, Rep. Ilhan Omar in Minnesota and New York Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman also face challengers in the Democratic primary.