Candidates for Legislature offer different philosophies

Pa. 34th House District

Democrats in the Mon Valley will decide Tuesday if they want two more years of state Rep. Summer Lee’s progressive movement of “people-centered politics” in Harrisburg — a no-holds-barred fight for justice for the marginalized, as she describes it — or if they’d rather hand the reins to a North Braddock councilman focused on building relationships with other elected officials and being pragmatic.

Ms. Lee’s challenger, Chris Roland, has shaped his candidacy around his 11 years on the council and the relationships he has built along the way, which he says have grounded him in the issues that people care about most and will allow him to secure the state money necessary to fund the fixes.

He’s the guy, he says, who gets down to the nitty-gritty and does the work — who can be found in North Braddock cutting the grass of the Little League fields instead of on social media, talking about policy goals.

“Talking about that stuff’s important, but being able to pen that letter, being able to make the motion and go to the meeting and see it move forward, that’s what folks want to see,” Mr. Roland said.

Though she’s indeed active on social media, Ms. Lee says where she can be found most often is fighting for environmental, economic, social and criminal justice, and equity for her communities — a fight she commandeered in Western Pennsylvania long before COVID19 hit and exposed the failures of social safety nets, she said.

For one, she says she was advocating for UPMC paying its workers a living wage long before jets flew over the city thanking them for their essential service — though no one’s making sure they’re paid fairly or have adequate protective equipment.

“I’ve done my job exceedingly well — that I would come in and fight for progressive policies, people-centered and working-class centered policies,” Ms. Lee said. “I’ve not just done that, but I’ve brought people with me, legislators, into this movement.”

“I’ve been able to have a ripple effect in Harrisburg,” Ms. Lee added, noting her stand-up-andfight mentality has given colleagues the license to do the same.

In a news release this week, it

was Mr. Roland, though, who framed himself as “an alternative to the status quo.” The status quo, he said, is legislators worrying about issues in other states or counties, not the residents of their district.

Mr. Roland said it’s “laughable” to consider him part of the establishment, and he fought back against the perception that Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald — who endorsed his candidacy — is the puppet master behind his campaign. He said his focus is fighting for working people and “our struggling towns and schools.”

“When you go out in the community and attend events in the school board or social clubs, you get a feel for what people are thinking and what they would like to see,” Mr. Roland said.

What would people like to see? Mr. Roland mentioned park and playground improvements and then said people want their legislator to bring back jobs to the district and keep the jobs in town they already have.

When she’s in the capital, Ms. Lee said it’s clear that having her unique perspective and experience — a “poor black woman from the Mon Valley” who worked as an activist and organizer — is an “invaluable resource” to the Legislature.

Unlike other incumbents ramping up for re-election, Ms. Lee does not rattle off a list of votes she feels the most “proud” of. She said there’s no pride in having to step up and vote to protect marginalized communities over and over again, “especially when you’re a minority taking that vote.”

One thing she’s proud of, she said, is she’s been able to push back against the narrative it’s impossible to have both good jobs and a good environment — something the leadership in her party is starting to recognize, too.

Ms. Lee said the COVID19 pandemic — which has disproportionately impacted the black community, the disabled and the elderly — has made it clear the Democratic Party must become more culturally representative and responsive. The caucus, she said, has to “diversify rapidly” and open up to more progressive ideals.

“We don’t need more people who can engage their colleagues better. We already have that,” Ms. Lee said. “We need people who can engage our peers, our constituents, our communities, our marginalized populations. We need people who can expand the electorate ... so Democrats can win again.”

The 34th District stretches from the eastern edge of Pittsburgh up through Homestead and over to Forest Hills and Churchill. No Republicans are lined up to face the winner of the Democratic primary in November.