Summer Lee Survives AIPAC Backed Challenger!

Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA) defeated an AIPAC Democrat.

The Squad is no longer playing games with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

The progressives declared war on the dark money foreign lobby group. After it was announced that AIPAC has launched a $100 million campaign to oust Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA), Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-IL) and Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), the Squad decided to fight back.

AIPAC has been active in supporting lawmakers who keep pumping billions of our tax dollars into Israel. 

Ohio's 15 lawmakers voted to fund Israel, Ukraine, Taiwan and ban TikTok. The 11 Republicans and 5 Democrats 

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) voted to ban TikTok. Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) voted against the TikTok ban because he is opposed to funding Ukraine. Had it been TikTok only, definite yes on the matter. Ohio has 17 electoral votes. All the members and Senators embraced AIPAC.

Former president Donald J. Trump carried the state in 2016 and 2020. He is expected to carry it again.

Our neighbor to the east, Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes. The state has 9 Democrats and 8 Republicans. Only 13 members of the state are endorsed by AIPAC. It has two Democratic senators. Both of them also are embracing AIPAC.

Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted to ban TikTok.

Trump carried Pennsylvania in 2016. He lost it in 2020. He hopes to achieve that goal again.

AIPAC blessed these lawmakers with donations and a shield. Those who didn't bow to the Israeli lobby were targets.

Summer Lee was no exception.

Lee, a freshman lawmaker faced a primary challenger who was backed by AIPAC.

Bhavini Patel was backed by Democratic Majority for Israel, an AIPAC-backed lobbying group. Her loss shows that Democrats disapprove of Biden's stance on Israel.

Bhavini Patel, a Democrat who is progressive but a staunch supporter of Israel was defeated in a primary that would have determined whether the Zionist propaganda was effective.

Lee not only far outperformed her lone challenger across the District, but she was also on track to far surpass her own win in the primary two years ago.

The Associated Press called the race for Lee at 9:21 p.m. ET, when she led Edgewood Borough Councilmember Bhavini Patel, 59% to 41%, with more than half of the vote reporting.

Lee was ahead in both vote-rich Allegheny County, which includes Pittsburgh, and in Westmoreland County, where she was trounced in the 2022 primary. At the time the race was called, Lee was also ahead in both counties among votes cast by mail as well as those cast on Election Day. Two years ago in Allegheny, Lee lost decisively among votes cast by mail but managed to carry the county overall on the strength of her performance among Election Day votes.

The 12th District votes reliably Democratic in general elections, but the ongoing protests over the Israel-Hamas war have placed the primary contest in a national spotlight. Lee has accused Israel of “war crimes” in Gaza and was an early proponent of a cease-fire. She was also supportive of a campaign to vote “uncommitted” in Democratic presidential primaries to send a message to President Joe Biden over the war.

Lee narrowly defeated attorney Steve Irwin in the 2022 Democratic primary, 41.9% to 41.0%. She led Irwin in Allegheny County by less than 5,000 votes, a margin of about 4.5 percentage points. Irwin dominated in Westmoreland County, with 56% of the vote compared to 24% for Lee. But Westmoreland makes up only about 10% of the vote in the 12th District.

Lee’s victory Tuesday as well as her 2022 primary victory were both powered by her strong performance in Pittsburgh, where she was far ahead of Patel, 62% to 38%, at the time the AP called the winner. Two years ago, Lee bested Irwin in Pittsburgh, 54% to 31%.

Lee will face Republican James Hayes in November. She defeated her Republican opponent in 2022, 56% to 44%. Voters in the 12th District gave Democrat Hillary Clinton 57% of the vote in the 2016 presidential election and President Joe Biden 59% of the vote in 2020.

By the way, I would still back Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH) over Nina Turner if they ever face off again. Despite Brown being in the pocket of the Israeli lobby, she isn't the left's version of Majorie Taylor Greene.