Summer Lee

Summer Lee is a Pittsburgh area activist. Lee, 30, is a Democratic Socialists of America member, ending mass incarceration is among her highest priorities.

Lee, with Sara Innamorato—another young DSA member—are emblematic of the Democratic Party’s leftward shift. “Even in a time of intense political turmoil,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted, “the choice in these races—between an almost iconic old-school Pittsburgh name and an emerging progressive movement—could hardly be more striking.”

Lee calls for a moratorium on new prison construction and an end to mandatory minimum sentences and cash bail, which she calls “a barbaric relic of the past.” She’s also prioritizing the issue of economic inequality and wants to amend the state constitution to create an equitable tax system.

Background

Summer Lee is an African-American attorney who grew up in North Braddock, a working class community immediately up the hill from the gritty mill town of Braddock just outside of the city of Pittsburgh. Exhaust from U.S. Steel’s Edgar Thomson Works still blows in North Braddock, causing out of control asthma and other health problems for children in the district. After graduating from Howard Law School, Lee returned to her home community where she became a leader in the struggle to bring justice for racially profiled students in the Woodland Hills School District. She also worked as an organizer in the Fight for $15 struggle to raise the minimum wage.

Lee advocates cleaning up the air and ending fracking, removing armed police from the schools and an end to the school to prison pipeline for African American and poor students, labor planks including both a minimum wage hike and the right of workers to unionize, and the introduction of a millionaire’s tax to adequately fund public schools. She was thus able to bring together a coalition that garnered more votes for her alone than the total number of votes that had been cast in the same race four years earlier.

JStreet PAC endorsement

In 2024 JStreet PAC endorsed Summer Lee.

Working Families Party 2024 endorsements

In 2024 Summer Lee was the Working Families Party endorsed candidate for U.S. House, District 12 Pennsylvania.

Waleed Shahid

For six years, Waleed Shahid was the spokesperson for Justice Democrats, which is known for helping launch the Green New Deal campaign and recruiting and electing working-class progressives like US Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, and Summer Lee.

Resolution condemning socialism

February 2, 2023 House Republicans moved a Resolution condemning socialism and certain dictators.

The Resolution began:

Whereas socialist ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has time and time again collapsed into Communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and brutal dictatorships;

Whereas socialism has repeatedly led to famine and mass murders, and the killing of over 100,000,000 people worldwide;

Whereas many of the greatest crimes in history were committed by socialist ideologues, including Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Fidel Castro, Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un, Daniel Ortega, Hugo Chavez, and Nicolás Maduro;

Eighty six Democrats voted no. Forteen voted "present" and six didn't vote.

Representative Summer Lee voted "Nay".

No to China committee

Sixty-five Democrats in the House of Representatives voted on Tuesday January 10, 2022, against creating a committee to investigate China and find ways to counter the communist country’s growing international influence.

The House overwhelmingly voted to create the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party on a 365 to 65 margin, in one of the first votes since the Republicans took control of the chamber.

However, even though some members did not vote, all 65 lawmakers who voted against the committee’s creation were Democrats, including Summer Lee.

National Labor Network for Ceasefire

Ceasefire Now Resolution

From an article from The Intercept regarding the Hamas-empowering Ceasefire Now Resolution dated October 20, 2023 by Ryan Grim:

Washington, D.C. (October 16, 2023) — Today, Representatives Cori Bush (MO-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Andre Carson (IN-07), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Delia Ramirez (IL-03), alongside Representatives Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Chuy Garcia (IL-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Nydia Velazquez (NY-07) announced a resolution urging the Biden Administration to call for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine, to send humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza, and to save as many lives as possible.

Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Maxwell Frost, and Greg Casar joined a few days later.

Democracy in Color

Green New Deal for the people tour

Summer Lee, Kaniela Ing, Ed Markey.

Green New Deal Resolution

Washington (April 19, 2023) – During Earth Week and on the four-year anniversary of the Green New Deal Resolution, Representative Summer Lee (PA-12) and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) will reintroduce the resolution at a press conference at the Senate Swamp on THURSDAY, April 20th at 12:00 PM. Lee will also join Senator to announce new legislation focused on tackling the intersecting climate and public health crises.

The lawmakers will be joined by Green New Deal members of Congress and labor, health, climate, and justice advocates to celebrate the intersectional coalition’s achievement in getting the Inflation Reduction Act passed—the federal government’s largest-ever investment in climate and clean energy—while outlining the fight ahead to deliver a just, Green New Deal future that upholds the promise of the resolution and the movement that it inspired.

— Senator Ed Markey —Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez —Representative Ro Khanna —Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) —Representative Greg Casar (TX-35) —Representative Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) —Representative Summer Lee (PA-12) —Representative Maxwell Frost (FL-10) —Representative Delia Ramirez (IL-03) —Representative Robert Garcia (CA-42) —Representative Becca Balint (VT) —Kaniela Ing, National Director of the [Green New Deal Network]] —Sara Nelson, President of Association of Flight Attendants-CWA —Dr. Colleen Achong, SEIU Healthcare, Committee of Interns and Residents —Jacqui Patterson, Executive Director of the Chisholm Legacy Project and Climate Justice Alliance member

Representatives Chellie Pingree and Valerie Foushee also showed up. THURSDAY, April 20th at 12:00 PM, Senate Swamp, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C.

Progressive Change Campaign Committee

Progressive Change Campaign Committee endorsed Summer Lee in 2022.

Food & Water Action 2024

These candidates have committed to fighting for our shared vision of clean water, trustworthy food, and a livable climate.

Lateefah Simon - California, District 12, Sue Altman - New Jersey, District 7, Luz Rivas - California, District 29, Summer Lee - Pennsylvania, District 12, Josh Riley - New York, District 19, Jan Schakowsky - Illinois, District 9, Ruben Gallego - Arizona, U.S. Senate, Bonnie Watson Coleman - New Jersey, District 15, Ro Khanna - California, District 17, Chris Deluzio - Pennsylvania, District 17, Laura Friedman for Congress - District 30 California.

Food & Water Action

Food & Water Action supported or endorsed these candidates in 2022.

Supported Christina Bohannon Iowa – Congressional 1. Endorsed Summer Lee Pennsylvania – District 12. Endorsed Jamie McLeod-Skinner Oregon – District 5. Supported Chris Deluzio Pennsylvania – Congressional 17. Supported Gabe Vasquez New Mexico – Congressional 2. Endorsed Maxwell Frost Florida – Congressional 10. Endorsed Rep. Jamaal Bowman New York – District 16. Supported Nikki Budzinski Illinois – Congressional 13.

Summer Lee is a lifelong resident of southwest Pennsylvania, bringing her experience as a state legislator and longtime social justice organizer to Congress. Food & Water Action helped her stop a fracking well in her hometown of Braddock, PA and supported her efforts to end fossil fuel handouts.

In Congress, she will fight to end fracking, to pass a Green New Deal, to provide clean energy jobs and to ensure clean air and water for all, especially marginalized communities.

Medicare for All

Cheryl Webb November 30, 2022.

"We’re SO thrilled to congratulate and welcome these new members of Congress who won their elections earlier this month on a platform of supporting Medicare for All!

Greg Casar - TX-35, Summer Lee - PA-12, Valerie Foushee - NC-04, Shri Thanedar - MI-03, Delia Ramirez - IL-03, Maxwell Frost - FL-10, Sydney Kamlager - CA-37, Robert Garcia - CA-42, Becca Balint - VT-at large, Morgan McGarvey - KY-03, Glenn Ivey - MD-04, Kevin Mullin - CA-15, Jill Tokuda - HI-02, Jonathan Jackson - IL-01, John Fetterman - Senator-elect, Pennsylvania, Peter Welch - Senator-elect, Vermont .

"Why we can’t wait for Medicare-for-All"

An op-ed "Why we can’t wait for Medicare-for-All" was published in the Pittsburgh City Paper, August 19, 2020, by 6 Members of Pittsburgh's DNC delegates.

Together, we are committed to ending the presidency of Donald Trump and electing Joe Biden. Once elected, we will push the Biden/Harris administration just as hard to ensure universal health care becomes a reality in this country and to make our laws recognize that health care is a human right. The American people deserve nothing less.

The authors are all Pittsburgh-area delegates to the 2020 Democratic National Convention, and include Corey Buckner, Chris Deluzio, Sara Innamorato, Summer Lee, Jake Pawlak, and Anita Prizio.

Progressive Caucus inductees

Greg Casar Summer Lee and Maxwell Frost.

2022 CPC new members

During an event at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C., Pramila Jayapal said that 15 of the 18 candidates the CPC's political arm had won their elections as of Sunday, with another win potentially on the way.

“There’s no question this will be the most progressive Democratic Caucus in decades,” Jayapal said, adding that they will have over 100 members in the 118th Congress compared to their current membership of 99.

By the numbers: Jayapal was joined at the press conference by nearly a dozen incoming members.

They were: Morgan McGarvey (Ky.), Summer Lee (Pa.), Robert Garcia (Calif.), Shri Thanedar (Mich.), Maxwell Frost (Fla.) Jasmine Crockett (Texas), Jill Tokuda (Hawaii), Delia Ramirez (Ill.), Greg Casar (Texas), Becca Balint (Vt.) and Jonathan Jackson (Ill.).

Collective PAC

The Collective PAC endorsed Summer Lee in 2022.

EMGAGE PAC

Summer Lee was endorsed by EMGAGE PAC during her 2022 Congressional race.

Working Families Party

Greg Casar, Delia Ramirez, Maxwell Frost, Summer Lee, Becca Balint, Jasmine Crockett.

Randy Shannon connection

Summer Lee with Randy Shannon.

Tina Shannon connection

The People's Slate

People's Action, together with our member groups in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Maryland, North Carolina and more, knocked on 1 million doors and made 2 million phone calls to voters in the 2022 cycle.

U.S. Senate & House of Representatives: Ilhan Omar, Minnesota U.S. House District 5, Peter Welch, Vermont U.S. Senate, Summer Lee, Pennsylvania U.S. House, District 34, John Fetterman, U.S. Senate, Pennsylvania, Becca Balint, Vermont U.S. House, Delia Ramirez, Illinois U.S House, District 3, Brittany Pettersen, Colorado U.S. House, District 7, Jason Crow, Colorado U.S. House, District 6, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Washington U.S. House District 3.

Justice Democrats

In 2022 Justice Democrats endorsed candidates were Kina Collins, Rana Abdelhamid, Summer Lee, Odessa Kelly, Jessica Cisneros, Greg Casar.

Our Revolution endorsement 2022

Our Revolution endorsed Summer Lee in 2022.

Progressive Democrats of America, 2024

Progressive Democrats of America House endorsements 2024 Alma Adams, Becca Balint, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, Greg Casar, Judy Chu, Debbie Dingell, Lloyd Doggett, Chuy Garcia, Raul Grijalva, Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, Jim McGovern, Summer Lee, Joe Neguse, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Delia Ramirez, Jamie Raskin, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib, Mark Takano.

Progressive Democrats of America

Progressive Democrats of America 2022 House challenger endorsements were Becca Balint, Greg Casar, Angelica Duenas, Maxwell Frost, Jonathan Jackson, Gary Josephson, Summer Lee, Derek Marshall, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Delia Ramirez, Michelle Vallejo.

Netroots 2019

In Philadelphia July 2019, at the largest Netroots Nation conference to date, with 3,700 participants, the first day featured a panel discussing this very shift in dynamics. A session titled “Young Women of Color Winning Elections” highlighted four elected officials, all young women of color, who spoke to the role that racism and sexism played in their campaigns and the personal and systemic challenges they continue to face now that they hold public office.

Moderated by the political director of People for the American Way, Lizet Ocampo, the group of speakers featured: West Virginia House of Delegates member Sammi Brown of District 65, Phoenix Elementary School Board member Elora Diaz, Democratic State Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania’s 34th District, and State Rep. Anna Eskamani of District 47 in Florida’s Orange County.

Each of the women addressed the need to challenge prevailing ideas about what a “politician” or a “winner” supposedly looks like. Eskamani, the first Iranian-American elected to the Florida legislature, asserted that there is a double standard women of color face when running for office. “[We are] often accused of identity politics,” she said, noting that there is power in being your authentic self. Eskamani advised activists and candidates to “never want to fit into a box,” especially when opponents are attempting to classify you as the “other.”

DSA victories

PA Wilds DSA June 3 2020·

Last night was a huge night for Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates in Pennsylvania. The biggest news is Nikil Saval's probable win for state senate in the first senatorial district, in Philadelphia, as well as an apparent close win (pending mail-in ballots) for Rick Krajewski in the 188th legislative district. DSA members Summer Lee, Sara Innamorato, Elizabeth Fiedler and Chris Rabb were relected to the statehouse as well. Our movement is growing, and we're gonna win! Join us.

2018 endorsements

The Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America have chosen two candidates to endorse for the 2018 election cycle.

Summer Lee is running for Pennsylvania’s 34th Legislative District and Sara Innamorato is up for District 21. Both Lee and Innamorato were endorsed by Pittsburgh DSA, both identify as democratic socialists, and both are dues-paying members of the DSA.

Summer Lee is a graduate of Howard University School of Law and has been an organizer in the Woodland Hills School District area. She is a vocal opponent of armed police presence in schools and currently serves on the Woodland Hills Commission on Youth Development and Learning. She has advocated tirelessly for area juvenile and criminal justice reform, education funding, workers' rights, and creating decent jobs that pay a living wage.

Sara Innamorato is a graduate of Coro Pittsburgh's Center for Civic Leadership's Women in Leadership Program, and co-founder of She Runs, a nonprofit to encourage and empower women to run for government office. She is devoted to pursing healthcare for all, housing as a human right, and reforming Pennsylvania politics.

Free College Online Forum November 2017

Pennsylvania Student Power Network hosts online forum for free college

Pennsylvania Student Power Network hosted an online forum for promoting "Free College for All". From Facebook:

"Tonight: Free College for All online forum with Rep. Maureen Madden, Summer Lee for State Rep, Erie Council Chair Jay Breneman, Greg Edwards for Congress, and more!"

DSA endorsements, 2018

Democratic Socialists of America April 26 at 9:51am .

DSA is proud to announce national endorsements for nine candidates who are running for local, state, and federal office!

• Kaniela Ing, U.S. Congress for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District
• Gayle McLaughlin, California Lieutenant Governor
• Summer Lee, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 34
• Sara Innamorato, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 21
• Kareem Kandil, Pennsylvania House of Representatives District 30
• Zellie Thomas, Paterson City Council New Jersey
• Brandy Brooks, Montgomery County Council Maryland
• Danielle Meitiv, Montgomery County Council Maryland
• Chris Wilhelm, Montgomery County Council Maryland

Endorsements

Summer Lee is endorsed by Democratic Socialists of America, MoveOn.org, Our Revolution.

DSA field operation

DSA comrades

Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America June 10, 2018.

— with Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee, Emily Fear, Adam Shuck in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Supporters

Summer Lee January 6, 2018.

Braving the cold...

1. Summer2018 — with Nan Alexander Dowiak, Julie Platt, Summer Lee, David Ankin, Kacy McGill, Jamin Bogi, Jonathan Reyes, Daniel Ezra Moraff, Symone Miquela and Louis Berry III.

Moraff was Summer Lee's campaign manager.

Swissvale Community Action Committee

Summer Lee, December 20, 2017.

We are Swissvale.

Swissvale Community Action Committee — with Miranda Crotsley, Summer Lee, Sam Laffey, Leland Scales, LauraEllen Ashcraft and Robert Rogers.