Summer Lynn Lee was born on November 26,1987 and is an American politician and community organizer serving as the US representative for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district since 2023.
15 Facts About Summer Lee
2.
Summer Lee was the first black woman to represent Southwestern Pennsylvania in the state legislature.
3.
Summer Lee was the Democratic nominee in the 2022 election to represent Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.
4.
Summer Lee won the general election, and became the first Black woman from Pennsylvania in the House of Representatives.
5.
Summer Lee was a member of Democratic Socialists of America, but left DSA before winning office after disagreements with the Pittsburgh DSA chapter.
6.
Summer Lee graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2009 and earned a Juris Doctor from the Howard University School of Law in 2015.
7.
Summer Lee campaigned for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic primaries after graduating.
8.
Summer Lee challenged incumbent Representative Paul Costa in the Democratic primary for the 34th district in 2018.
9.
Summer Lee joined forty other House Democrats in a letter calling on the Biden Administration to use all means possible to preserve FDA approval for Mifepristone and protect access to these treatments nationwide, in response to a ruling by Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk.
10.
Summer Lee is an original co-sponsor of the DERAIL Act, which would put stricter federal rail safety regulations in place that were rolled back during the Trump administration.
11.
Summer Lee joined Senator Bernie Sanders, and at least nine House Democrats, in signing a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressing concern over rising violence between Israelis and Palestinians and the new Israeli government's attempt to weaken the country's independent judiciary.
12.
In October 2021, Summer Lee announced her candidacy for Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district after the incumbent representative, Mike Doyle, announced his retirement.
13.
Summer Lee won the Democratic primary election on May 17,2022, defeating rival Steve Irwin.
14.
Summer Lee won the Allegheny County portion of the district by almost 4,500 votes.
15.
Summer Lee simultaneously ran for reelection to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; she was reelected to a third term with little opposition, but was required to resign the seat to assume her new role in the US House, which she did on December 7,2022.