Rep. Summer Lee, the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Congress, has moved one step closer to reelection after winning her district’s Democratic primary on Tuesday. For Lee, a prominent progressive in Congress, her race has been framed by her vocal opposition to Israel in its current war in Gaza; her victory gives a potential preview of how the Middle East will impact this year’s election cycle for Democrats.

First-term congresswoman Summer Lee, a member of the ‘Squad’ of progressive Democrats in the House of Representatives, easily won her Democratic primary race against challenger Edgewood Councilwoman Bhavini Patel. Lee’s first term in office has been marked by progressive stances on domestic and foreign issues, including criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza. In her victory speech, Lee continued to draw the connection between her support for Palestinians and her emphasis on justice at home. “We won’t be ashamed and put our heads down when we say that we want no more wars, when we say that people deserve dignity and human rights and self-determination whether they are Jewish or Muslim or Black or white or if they’re in Gaza or in Pakistan or in Haiti.” Lee posted a video of her speech with the caption “Opposing genocide is good politics and good policy” alongside the hashtag #CeasefireNOW.

Lee was one of the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Lee quickly condemned the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that sparked this war but also criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “target[ing] densely populated civilian areas.” Just over a week after that attack, Lee was one of the first members of Congress to call for a ceasefire. At the time, this view put her at odds with many of her fellow Democrats, but a steadily rising death toll in Gaza and growing criticism of Israel around the country have brought many Democrats to her position. Lee represents Pittsburgh, where a gunman attacked the Tree of Life synagogue in 2018 in the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history. The area’s Jewish community has been more skeptical of Lee’s views, though her supporters note that she has led efforts to fund repairs to the synagogue and support for the community impacted by the mass shooting.

In the end, Lee’s stance on Israel and Gaza did not hurt her in the primary. The pro-Israel lobbying groups, which spent millions of dollars opposing Lee in her 2022 race, decided not to back her primary opponent this time. These groups may oppose other Democrats who are critical of Israel. With other members of the Squad facing primary challenges later this year, Lee’s victory was seen as a test of whether the progressives’ stances, including opposition to the war in Gaza, would resonate with voters. Meanwhile, Democrats who support Israel’s efforts, including President Joe Biden, have been faced with criticisms and protests that could hurt their chances in November.

As events continue to unfold in the Middle East, it remains to be seen if more Democrats will follow the lead of Lee and adopt her calls for a ceasefire and other actions in the current conflict in Gaza. Lee’s strong performance against a moderate challenger gives evidence to the idea that a progressive stance will perform strongly in crucial swing states like Pennsylvania.

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