Politics

Race for 12th Congressional District Democratic nomination could remain undecided for days

PITTSBURGH — The votes separating Rep. Summer Lee and candidate Steve Irwin are less than 500. The margin is so slim that political experts say there will likely be a recount. And yet one candidate has already declared victory.

Last night, shortly after midnight, candidate Summer Lee declared victory in the state’s 12th Congressional District race. However, the race has not been officially called.

“Our internal projections are showing that once every vote is counted, our campaign will win,” said Lee.

However, her opponent Irwin is opting to lay low and wait it out.

Channel 11 News spoke with Irwin during his election watch party on Tuesday.

“This was a hard-fought race, and everybody in western Pennsylvania invested a lot of time, hopefully, we will be successful tomorrow,” said Irwin.

But with officials predicting the election may not be called until Friday, Channel 11 News attempted to check in with Irwin on Wednesday. After sending emails and stopping by his headquarters, the doors were locked, and we did not receive a response from the campaign.

“It’s a brand-new district, nobody’s ever won in this district before, so we don’t know for sure what this district likes,” said Kristin Kanthak, a political science professor at the University of Pittsburgh.

In February, the state’s new congressional map created District 12, which includes Pittsburgh and many eastern and southern suburbs. Now it will also include Westmoreland County communities such as Murrysville, North Huntingdon, Penn Township, Sewickley Township, Jeannette and a portion of Hempfield.

Despite the unknowns with the new district, Kanthak shared that she doesn’t believe the margin or the outcome of this race will change.

“We’re probably going to see the same pattern so it doesn’t change the margin at all, even though everybody’s numbers will go up,” said Kanthak.

She also noted that in multiple instances the candidate that the Democratic Party nominated did not win, or like in District 12, races have come down to the wire.

“The Democratic Party and the electorate are changing and the party leaders are going to need to change alongside that,” she said.

Lee, who was not endorsed by the party, shared that she hopes following this race the party can build a more reflective democracy.

“This region has shown, over and over again, through the cycles it is ready for bold change and build a reflective democracy,” said Lee.

But we asked her if the votes were to change and if Irwin was to win, what would happen next?

“I don’t think we have to worry about that, but call me on Friday,” said Lee.

County officials say that the race may be called until Friday as they continue to count.