Summer Lee

Summer Lee
Born	Summer Lynn Lee 26 11, 1987
Birthplace	North Braddock, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, social activist, attorney
Known for	First Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress
Education	Pennsylvania State University (BA) Howard University (JD)
Website	[summerlee.house.gov Official site]

Summer Lynn Lee (born November 26, 1987) is an American politician, attorney, and social activist serving as the U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Lee represents a district encompassing the majority of Pittsburgh and its eastern suburbs, including portions of Westmoreland County. Upon her election in November 2022, she became the first Black woman to represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States Congress, a distinction that drew national attention to her candidacy and career. Before entering federal office, Lee served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 34th district from 2019 to 2022, where she was the first Black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature. A former member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Lee has been identified as a member of "The Squad," a group of progressive Democrats in the U.S. House. In February 2026, the Working Families Party selected Lee to deliver its response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, underscoring her rising profile within the progressive movement.

Early Life

Summer Lynn Lee was born on November 26, 1987, in North Braddock, a small borough in Allegheny County located in the Monongahela River valley east of Pittsburgh. The communities of the Mon Valley, historically built around the steel industry, experienced significant economic decline following the collapse of the American steel sector in the late twentieth century. Lee grew up witnessing the consequences of deindustrialization — rising poverty, population loss, and environmental degradation — in the communities surrounding her hometown.

Lee's upbringing in North Braddock shaped her political outlook and orientation toward issues of economic and environmental justice. The borough, adjacent to the larger community of Braddock, was home to working-class families, many of whom were affected by the decline of the steel mills that had once been the region's primary employer. Lee has spoken publicly about how the economic hardship in her community influenced her decision to pursue careers in law and public service.

Her early experiences in the Mon Valley placed her in proximity to both the legacy of organized labor in western Pennsylvania and the environmental consequences of heavy industry. These themes would later become central to her political platform, particularly her emphasis on environmental justice, workers' rights, and equitable economic development for underserved communities.

Education

Lee attended Pennsylvania State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently enrolled at Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C., one of the nation's historically Black universities, where she obtained her Juris Doctor degree. Her legal education at Howard University provided a foundation for her subsequent work in community organizing and social activism before she entered electoral politics.

Career

Community Activism and Early Political Involvement

Prior to seeking elected office, Lee was involved in community organizing and social activism in the Pittsburgh area. Her work focused on issues affecting working-class communities in the Mon Valley and broader Allegheny County, including economic justice, environmental concerns, and civil rights. Lee's activism brought her into contact with progressive organizations, including the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), whose Pittsburgh chapter supported her initial campaign for public office.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives (2019–2022)

In 2018, Lee ran for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in the 34th district, challenging incumbent Democratic state representative Paul Costa. The 34th district included communities in eastern Allegheny County, encompassing parts of the Mon Valley and surrounding areas. Lee's candidacy was supported by the DSA and aligned with a broader wave of progressive primary challenges to establishment Democratic incumbents across the country.

Lee defeated Costa in the May 2018 Democratic primary, a result that attracted national media attention as part of a larger narrative about the rising influence of progressive and democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party. The New Yorker profiled the race as an example of emerging intra-party dynamics within the Democratic Party, describing it as a contest that "represents the future of the Democratic Party." Lee won the general election that November, becoming the first Black woman elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature from Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Lee took office on January 1, 2019, succeeding Costa. During her tenure in the Pennsylvania House, she focused on issues including environmental justice, workers' rights, criminal justice reform, and economic equity. Her service in Harrisburg provided a platform from which she built a political profile that extended beyond the 34th district.

In the 2020 election cycle, Lee successfully ran for re-election to the state House, continuing to represent the 34th district.

Lee later departed from the Democratic Socialists of America following disagreements with the organization's Pittsburgh chapter, though the DSA had been instrumental in supporting her initial state House campaign.

2022 Congressional Campaign

Entry into the Race

In October 2021, following the announcement by longtime U.S. Representative Mike Doyle that he would not seek re-election, Lee announced her candidacy for the open congressional seat in what was then Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district. Doyle had represented the Pittsburgh-area district for nearly three decades. Following the decennial redistricting process associated with the 2020 census, the boundaries of the district were redrawn and redesignated as Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district. Lee's candidacy was positioned within the new 12th district, which encompassed much of Pittsburgh and the eastern suburbs.

Democratic Primary

The May 2022 Democratic primary for the 12th district seat was a closely contested race that attracted national attention and significant outside spending. Lee ran on a progressive platform emphasizing environmental justice, workers' rights, healthcare access, and economic equity. The primary was viewed as a proxy battle between the progressive and moderate wings of the Democratic Party.

Lee won the Democratic primary, securing the nomination in a race that was not officially called for several days after Election Day due to the closeness of the results.

General Election

Lee entered the November 2022 general election as the Democratic nominee in a district with a strong Democratic lean. She won the general election, becoming the first Black woman elected to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Congress. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and other regional and national outlets reported on the historic nature of her victory.

Departure from State Legislature

Following her election to Congress, Lee resigned from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on December 7, 2022, triggering a special election to fill the vacancy in the 34th district. Her resignation came on the same day that Lieutenant Governor-elect Austin Davis also resigned his state House seat. The special election to succeed Lee attracted a wide field of Democratic candidates. Abigail Salisbury subsequently succeeded Lee in the 34th district.

U.S. House of Representatives (2023–present)

Lee was sworn in as the representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district on January 3, 2023, at the start of the 118th United States Congress. In Congress, she has focused on progressive policy priorities, including environmental justice, workers' rights, healthcare, and economic equity — themes consistent with her record in the Pennsylvania state legislature.

Lee has been identified by media outlets as a member of "The Squad," the informal grouping of progressive Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives that has included members such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, and Rashida Tlaib.

Working Families Party Affiliation

In addition to the Democratic Party, Lee has been associated with the Working Families Party (WFP), a progressive third party that cross-endorses candidates, primarily Democrats, who align with its platform of economic populism and workers' rights. The WFP has been a political ally for Lee, reflecting her positioning within the progressive wing of the Democratic coalition.

2026 State of the Union Response

In February 2026, the Working Families Party announced that Lee would deliver its response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, scheduled for February 24, 2026. The selection of Lee was announced as part of the WFP's effort to present a progressive counter-message to both the president's address and the official Democratic Party response. Axios reported the selection as a reflection of Lee's growing stature within the progressive movement.

Lee announced that she would boycott the State of the Union address itself, instead participating in a livestream event intended to address working families directly. The Nation covered Lee's planned response, framing it as an effort to articulate a progressive alternative vision for economic policy and workers' rights. Common Dreams described Lee's selection as a contrast to the centrist Democratic approach, noting the WFP's intent to present a "bold vision for working-class" Americans. The TribLIVE also reported on the selection, identifying Lee as representing Swissvale in her capacity as the congresswoman for the 12th district.

Legislative Initiatives

In February 2026, Lee introduced legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Freedom House Ambulance Service, a pioneering emergency medical service based in Pittsburgh that is credited with developing modern paramedic practices. Lee introduced the bill during Black History Month, highlighting the service's historical significance and its origins in Pittsburgh's Hill District.

Personal Life

Lee is from North Braddock, Pennsylvania, in the Mon Valley region of Allegheny County east of Pittsburgh. She has maintained ties to the communities of the Mon Valley throughout her political career, and her district office serves the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Lee has spoken about the influence of her upbringing in a working-class, post-industrial community on her political values and commitment to public service.

Lee's political identity has been shaped by her experiences as a Black woman from a historically underserved community. She has been affiliated with the Working Families Party in addition to the Democratic Party. Her earlier association with the Democratic Socialists of America ended after disagreements with the organization's Pittsburgh chapter, though the DSA had been an important part of her initial entry into electoral politics.

Recognition

Lee's election to Congress in November 2022 was recognized as a historic milestone. She became the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in the United States Congress, a fact noted by The Hill, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and numerous other outlets. Her 2018 victory in the Pennsylvania state House was similarly recognized as the first time a Black woman had been elected to the state legislature from Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The New Yorker profiled Lee's 2018 state House race as representative of broader shifts within the Democratic Party, positioning her candidacy within the context of a rising progressive movement challenging established party structures. Pittsburgh Magazine featured Lee following her state House victory, exploring the factors behind her win and her plans for office.

In 2026, Lee's selection by the Working Families Party to deliver its response to the State of the Union address was covered by Axios, The Nation, Common Dreams, TribLIVE, and other outlets as a sign of her standing within the national progressive movement.

Legacy

Lee's career has been situated within broader narratives about representation, progressive politics, and the changing dynamics of the Democratic Party. Her status as the first Black woman elected to Congress from Pennsylvania placed her in a line of barrier-breaking political figures, and her election was part of a broader trend of increasing diversity in the U.S. Congress during the early 2020s.

Her initial election to the Pennsylvania state House in 2018, as part of a wave of progressive primary challenges supported by organizations like the DSA, was seen as indicative of the growing influence of left-leaning grassroots movements within the Democratic Party. The New Yorker's coverage framed her race as a microcosm of the party's internal debates about ideology, representation, and the role of establishment incumbents.

In Congress, Lee's association with "The Squad" and the Working Families Party has placed her within the progressive caucus of the Democratic Party. Her selection to deliver the WFP's 2026 State of the Union response — a platform distinct from both the Republican president's address and the official Democratic response — reflected her role as a voice for the party's progressive wing and for working-class communities.

Lee's legislative interests, including environmental justice, workers' rights, and recognition of Black contributions to American civic life — as exemplified by her Freedom House Ambulance Service Congressional Gold Medal bill — have defined a congressional tenure oriented toward the communities and causes that shaped her early life in the Mon Valley.