Pennsylvania state Rep. Chris Rabb is projected to win the Democratic primary for the state’s 3rd Congressional District, scoring a major victory for progressives who eyed the seat as their latest pick-up.Rabb, a five-term state legislator and Democratic socialist, defeated state Sen. Sharif Street and physician Ala Stanford in a contest for one of the bluest districts in the country. He’s poised to succeed Rep. Dwight Evans, who is retiring after this term. The race is the latest to underscore Democratic fault lines, with Rabb describing himself as “an aggressively anti-establishment Democrat” while Street embraced the support of local party leaders. “The question is not whether this community will elect a Democrat but what kind of Democrat this community will elect,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said at a recent rally for Rabb. “You’ve got to elect Democrats like Rep. Rabb if you want our nation to change.”Ocasio-Cortez, as well as Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Summer Lee (D-Pa.) were among the progressive lawmakers who threw their backing behind Rabb alongside organizations like the Justice Democrats and the Pennsylvania Working Families Party. State Rep. Chris Rabb, a Democrat from Pennsylvania and U.S. Congressional candidate, arrives for a campaign event ahead of a primary election at Garden of Prayer World Prayer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday, May 15, 2026. Pennsylvania will hold a primary election on May 19.Joe Lamberti/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesRabb ran on a platform of progressive priorities, including Medicare for All and the Green New Deal, and was vocal about his support for Palestinian rights, describing Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide. He’s also known for backing legislation that sought to impose more taxes on the wealthy and that established a police misconduct database during his time as a state lawmaker.Rabb has represented part of the district, which is majority-Black and includes much of western Philadelphia, for roughly nine years. Given the district’s heavy Democratic lean ― and the lack of a Republican opponent ― any candidate who wins the primary is widely expected to secure the seat in November. Rabb previously told City & State Pennsylvania in March, “There’s more of an anti-establishment fervor than ever before. We saw that in New York City (with last year’s election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor), and we’re definitely seeing it on the ground – on the campaign trail – here.”The NewsCan't Wait.Neither Can We.Your SupportFuelsOur MissionYour SupportFuelsOur MissionSupport HuffPostMisinformation spreads fast. Fact-based reporting is how we fight back. Your membership funds the reporters holding power accountable every single day. Join HuffPost and be part of our mission.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.“Our fierce, independent reporting and unvarnished perspective hold power to account and inform millions of readers. Please support this hard-hitting journalism.”Whitney SnyderEditor-in-Chief HuffPostSupport $5/monthSilverMonthly recurring supporter-only emailFewer requests for financial supportSupport $10/monthGoldEverything in the Silver TierAd-free access on the HuffPost website OR HuffPost appsSay goodbye to annoying video interruptions while you read. No more autoplay videos.Support $20/monthPlatinumEverything in the Gold TierAd-free access on the HuffPost website AND HuffPost appsEarly access to new featuresMembership to Platinum Club focus groupMake a One Time ContributionJoin HuffPostAlready a member? Log in to hide these messages.Close