County Dems endorse Lee as primary nears

The Allegheny County Democratic Committee has endorsed U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, D-Swissvale, for re-election — the first time she has gotten the local party’s nod in running for a congressional seat.

Ms. Lee faces challenges for the Democratic nomination from Bhavini Patel, an Edgewood Borough Council member and former community outreach manager for former Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and Laurie MacDonald, president and CEO of the Center for Victims.

The local Democratic committee voted, 440 to 299, to endorse Ms. Lee over Ms. Patel. Morgan Overton, vice chair of the committee, shared the results on the social media site X on Sunday.

The congresswoman from the state’s 12th Congressional District, which includes much of Pittsburgh and some eastern suburbs, had previously not been backed by the committee. In the 2022 primary, local Democrats backed Steve Irwin, a former banking and securities commissioner of Pennsylvania, whom Ms. Lee beat in a close race.

The committee also on Sunday gave its backing to candidates in three other contested races:

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State Senate District 45 (eastern and southeastern Allegheny County):

State Rep. Nick Pisciottano over Makenzie White, a public health social worker, by a vote of 160 to 36. Longtime State Sen. Jim Brewster has announced he is not seeking re-election.

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State House District 34 (eastern Pittsburgh, including parts of Port Breeze and Homewood and nearby suburbs):

State Rep. Abigail Salisbury, the incumbent, over Ashley Comans, who works in nonprofit communications and sits on the Wilkinsburg School Board, by a vote of 95 to 22.

• State House District 38 (centered around Allegheny County Airport and surrounding suburbs): John Inglis, a West Mifflin Borough Council member and high school counselor won the committee’s backing over Anthony

J. Olasz, a local law clerk and grandson of Richard Olasz, a former representative for the district, by a vote of 53 to 39. The incumbent, state Rep. Nick Pisciottano, is running for the state Senate’s 45th District.

Of 1,932 voting members in the committee, 1,095 ballots were cast — a 56.7% turnout.

The committee made endorsements in numerous other statehouse races, all of which feature Democrats running uncontested in the April primary.

It also endorsed U.S. Rep Chris Deluzio’s re-election campaign in the state’s 17th Congressional District, which includes Beaver County and northwestern Allegheny County.

Mr. Deluzio will either face state Rep. Rob Mercuri or Jesse Vodvarka, manager of a small local manufacturing business. Mr. Mercuri and Mr. Vodvarka are running in the Republican primary for the seat, which is seen by many political observers as one of the most competitive races nationwide.

The primary election is scheduled for April 23.