Sen. Bernie Sanders comes to Pittsburgh area in support of Summer Lee

PITTSBURGH — Sen. Bernie Sanders shared hugs with State Rep. Summer Lee and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey as he took the stage at the Westin downtown at a campaign event for Lee. He said he endorses Lee because she would be a member of Congress with the guts to stand up for working families.

“Summer understands $7.50 minimum wage is a starvation wage,” Sanders said to the crowd.

Gainey also rallied for Lee, pumping up a crowd that chanted her name and held up Summer Lee signs.

“We’re not sending a politician to D.C.,” Gainey exclaimed. “We’re sending a leader. We’re sending a leader that’s going to fight for union rights.”

We had a chance to talk to Lee after her event to see how she’s feeling five days out.

“Feeling good! The energy in this room was incredible,” Lee tells Channel 11. “It’s definitely a reminder, no matter what they throw at us, we do have people, energy and momentum.”

Lee says she’s disgusted by the attack ads a super PAC is pouring money into to fight her campaign.

“These types of attacks and smears, that suppresses votes, that depresses votes and disenfranchises people,” Lee adds.

It’s a crowded race. Attorney Steve Irwin and Pitt law professor Jerry Dickinson are leading alongside Summer Lee. Irwin was endorsed by the 25-year congressional veteran, Mike Doyle, who is retiring and whose democratic seat these candidates want to fill. He was also endorsed by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

Both Irwin and Dickinson are pro-choice and fighting for racial justice. They want to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and find some solutions for the gun violence plaguing our communities.

The Republican race for the 12th congressional district is uncontested. Mike Doyle is on the ticket. While it looks like a familiar name, he’s actually a different person from the democrat, Mike Doyle, who’s retiring and leaving a seat to fill.

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