One of the up-and-coming members of Congress scored a major victory on April 23: Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Summer Lee won her primary challenge against Edgewood Borough Council member Bhavini Patel. A member of Congress’ progressive ‘squad,’ Lee will face Republican James Hayes in November’s general election.
What is more notable than Lee’s primary win, though, is the discourse surrounding it. The Democratic Party has been split over how to deal with the Israel-Hamas war, with more traditional liberals backing the U.S.’ support of Israel while progressive Democrats decry the country’s alleged war crimes in Gaza. Lee falls into the latter category, and her primary victory could prove to be a preview of how Democratic voters will handle the issue in November.
Lee does appear to be making an attempt at straddling both sides of the argument, as her 12th Congressional district has one of the largest Jewish populations in Pennsylvania. But she has also called for peace “from Pittsburgh to Palestine.” Ultimately, her campaign was “about making sure President Biden gets reelected in November,” Lee said in her victory speech, per NBC News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Advertisement
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week’s Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lee’s beginnings and entrance into Congress
Summer Lee was born in Pennsylvania’s Mon Valley in 1987. She grew up in the town of North Braddock before “graduating from Penn State and Howard University School of Law, where she focused on civil rights and social justice advocacy,” according to her House biography. After college, Lee worked as a labor organizer around Pennsylvania, engaging in efforts to increase the state’s minimum wage. A former member of the Democratic Socialists of America, Lee also campaigned for Bernie Sanders’ presidential run in 2016.
In 2018, Lee ran as a Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. She defeated her GOP opponent, a 20-year incumbent, by a large margin to become the “first Black woman from Western Pennsylvania ever elected to the [state] legislature,” her biography said. Lee served in the state House for three years, and in 2021 announced that she was running for the U.S. House. She won the Democratic primary in a close race before defeating her Republican opponent in the 2022 general election by over 10 points. Her victory made Lee the first Black woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress from Pennsylvania.
Advertisement
Lee’s ‘squad’ membership and future
Upon her arrival in Washington, D.C., Lee became a vocal member of the ‘squad,’ a group of nine progressives in the House that includes names like Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). The squad has been outspoken about their disavowal of Israel’s actions in Gaza since the Hamas attack, and Lee has joined in the outcry.
Lee was “among the first lawmakers to call for a cease-fire” in Gaza, Politico said, and was one of just a few Democrats who recently voted against additional aid for Israel. However, given that most of the Democratic Party remains aligned behind Israel, Lee’s primary was seemingly a barometer for where the party stood on the issue. She was the first member of the squad to be primaried this season, and her opponent, Bhavini Patel, “hammered the progressive freshman over her response to Israel’s war in Gaza” and accused Lee of “ignoring [her] district’s Jewish community and undermining President Joe Biden’s policy in the region,” said CNN. Lee has pushed back against these accusations, denouncing both antisemitism and Islamophobia.
While pro-Israel groups attempted to dismantle Lee’s campaign, her “popularity in the district and the lack of name recognition for Patel … mostly kept them off the airwaves,” CNN said. Not only did she win her primary challenge, but the makeup of her district means that Lee appears “poised to cruise to victory come the fall in the deep-blue district,” said Politico.
While Democratic in-fighting over Israel and Hamas continues, Lee’s primary win was a “powerful rebuke to those who imagine that progressive advocates for a cease-fire and justice for Palestinians are necessarily vulnerable in this year’s Democratic primaries,” said The Nation. Her vote against additional Israel and Ukraine aid came days before the primary, and a “more cautious politician might have avoided a supposedly controversial vote on the eve of a high-profile primary.” But the fact that she won her primary in a landslide anyway shows that “opposing genocide is good politics and good policy,” said Lee on X.
To continue reading this article…
Advertisement
Create a free account
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Already have an account? Sign in
Advertisement
Subscribe to The Week
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Advertisement
Cancel or pause at any time.
Advertisement
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Unlimited website access is included with Digital and Print + Digital subscriptions. Create an accountwith the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
One thousand pounds of Pennsylvania-made butter have formed a work of art celebrating the dairy farmers of the Keystone State and their cattle.
The Pennsylvania Farm Show unveiled its annual butter sculpture for the 2025 event on Thursday. The sculpture is called “From Moo to Marvel: Dairy Cows Power Pennsylvania.”
American Dairy Association
Advertisement
Conshohocken-based artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton spent weeks sculpting a massive cow and additional smaller pieces like a wheel of cheese, a jug of milk, a barn, plants and a methane digester.
Land O’Lakes, which has a plant in Carlisle, Cumberland County, donated the butter used in the sculpture. The American Dairy Association announced the sculpture in a news release and said it highlights how waste and byproducts from cows and dairy farms can help create energy.
The methane digester, also called an anaerobic digester, takes waste products like manure, leftover frying oil, sewage and even pre-sculpted butter and converts them to biogas and solid digestate. Biogas is mostly methane and can be used by natural gas companies for heating and electricity or turned into fuel for vehicles.
Digestate can be treated and turned into fertilizer or compost for farmers’ fields.
Pelton and Victor have worked on butter sculptures together for 25 years. They spoke to CBS News Philadelphia in 2024 after the unveiling of last year’s farm show sculpture, “A Table For All,” showing a family at a dinner table with their animals.
Advertisement
That sculpture was placed in a methane digester and broken down into energy after last year’s Farm Show.
“It has a whole life after being a work of art,” Pelton said last year.
The latest sculpture will meet the same fate.
While it’s still intact, you can see the sculpture up close at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, running Jan. 4-11, 2025, at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg.
In addition to this dairy art, the farm show features animal shows, sales and photo judging, various competitive cooking contests, rodeo events and much more.
Advertisement
Joe Brandt
Joe Brandt has been a digital content producer for CBS News Philadelphia since 2022. He is a Temple University graduate and was born and raised in Pitman, NJ.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.
On Wednesday at 7:51 p.m. an updated snow squall warning was issued by the National Weather Service in effect until 8:15 p.m. for Bedford, Blair and Huntingdon counties.
“At 7:50 p.m., a dangerous snow squall was located along a line extending from Altoona to New Enterprise, moving east at 35 mph,” according to the weather service. “Travel will become difficult and potentially dangerous within minutes.”
Locations impacted by the warning include Altoona, Hollidaysburg, Roaring Spring, New Enterprise, Martinsburg, Lakemont, Bellwood, Claysburg, Williamsburg, Duncansville, Dudley and Horseshoe Curve. This includes the following highways: Route 22 from near Gallitzin to east of Canoe Creek State Park. Route 220 from near King on I-99 to near Bellwood on I-99.
The weather service states, “Wet roadways will quickly freeze. Black ice will cause roads, bridges, and overpasses to become slick and dangerous. Slow down and be prepared for a sudden loss of traction. Slow Down! Rapid changes in visibility and road conditions are expected with this dangerous snow squall. Be alert for sudden whiteout conditions.”
Advertisement
Snow squalls: Safety protocols and prevention tips
What are snow squalls?
Snow squalls are brief but intense winter weather events often linked to strong cold fronts. They can cause sudden white-out conditions and icy roads within minutes, even if there’s no major winter storm happening. While they usually last less than an hour and might only result in minor snow accumulation, they pose significant risks to drivers due to reduced visibility, gusty winds, and rapidly falling temperatures. These conditions have historically led to deadly traffic accidents.
What is the difference between a snow squall and a snowstorm?
The main distinction between a snow squall and a snowstorm lies in their duration and intensity. Snow squalls are typically brief but intense, lasting around 30-60 minutes. In contrast, a snowstorm can stretch over several hours or even days
Snow squall warnings
Snow squall warnings are rapidly issued for specific areas, much like tornado or severe thunderstorm warnings. They offer crucial, localized information aimed at saving lives. If an alert for a snow squall is issued in your area, it’s best to postpone or avoid driving until the squall moves on.
Actions to take
In response to a snow squall warning, individuals should follow the guidelines provided by the weather service, which encompass the following key actions:
Avoid or delay travel: If a snow squall warning is issued for your vicinity, it’s advisable to postpone or refrain from motor travel until the squall has passed through your area. Highways and roads are particularly hazardous during snow squalls.
Advertisement
Reduce speed and increase visibility: If you find yourself already on the road during a snow squall, prioritize safety by reducing your speed. Turn on both your headlights and hazard lights to enhance visibility for yourself and other drivers.
Maintain safe distance: Ensure there is ample distance between your vehicle and the one ahead of you. This precaution is essential to account for reduced visibility and the potential unpredictability of road conditions during a squall.
Avoid abrupt braking: In slippery and icy conditions, sudden braking can lead to loss of vehicle control. It’s safer to slow down gradually to minimize the risk of skidding or causing a chain reaction crash.
Winter weather safety tips: For tips on how to stay safe before, during, and after winter weather, visit the weather service Winter Weather Safety page.
Prepare your vehicle: Prior to traveling, take steps to prepare your vehicle for winter conditions by inspecting tires, brakes, and lights, and confirming all fluids are at appropriate levels. A properly cared-for vehicle is more prepared to tackle the obstacles of winter driving.
Advertisement
Essential items for your car’s emergency kit: Always have a well-prepared emergency kit in your vehicle containing crucial supplies like blankets, non-perishable food, water, a flashlight, and a first-aid kit. Additionally, include jumper cables, flares or a reflective triangle, an ice scraper, a car cell phone charger, a map, and cat litter or sand for improved tire traction. These items can be invaluable should you encounter an unexpected breakdown or emergency while on the road.
In conclusion, when faced with a snow squall warning, prioritizing personal safety and adhering to the weather service recommendations can significantly mitigate risks. By understanding, preparing, and staying vigilant, individuals can navigate these winter hazards with greater confidence and security.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25672934/Metaphor_Key_Art_Horizontal.png "There’s a reason Metaphor: ReFantanzio’s battle music sounds as cool as it does")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24982514/Quest_3_dock.jpg "Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks")
