Pennsylvania 3rd District Democrats enter homestretch in fight to succeed Dwight Evans as primary nears

With just a week to go, Democrats in Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District will look to run through the tape in the race to win their party nomination and succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans.

"It's interesting because these seats do not come up," Larry Ceisler, a public affairs specialist and longtime political consultant, said.

Ceisler, who lives in the expansive Philadelphia district, says whoever wins the May 19 Democratic primary could be in line to hold this seat for years.

The Cook Political Report's 2025 Partisan Voting Index shows that over the past two presidential elections, PA-03 averaged a plus-40 margin for Democratic candidates. That makes the district the most Democratic-leaning U.S. House district in the entire country and the overall most partisan-leaning.

Since Evans announced he wouldn't seek re-election in June 2025, a bevy of Democrats launched runs for his seat. But as we approach the primary, the final list has been narrowed to four: tax attorney Shaun Griffith, state Rep. Chris Rabb, Dr. Ala Stanford, and state Sen. Sharif Street.

Ceisler, though, sees Rabb, Stanford and Street as the frontrunners and says he believes they're running a close race to the finish.

"[They're] all sort of bunched up," Ceisler said.

Separating yourself in a partisan primary can be a challenge, but Ceisler believes each of the frontrunners brings something unique to the race.

Stanford, the doctor who gained recognition for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic and started the Black Doctors Consortium, has never run for political office before. But Ceisler says she brings a different perspective from the two state lawmakers.

Ceisler says Rabb, the race's progressive candidate with backing from national figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, will look to rally the sizeable group of young progressives in the district.

Street, a longtime state legislator and former chair of the state Democratic Party, has the backing of what Ceisler called "the establishment," like large labor organizations and Mayor Cherelle Parker.

"I think there's something for everybody in this field," Ceisler said.

The candidates will look to represent a district that is large and diverse. PA-03 covers a slew of city neighborhoods, from East Passyunk and Rittenhouse to Overbrook, North Philadelphia, Roxborough and Mt. Airy.

Ceisler says many Democratic voters are looking for candidates to hit on similar issues.

Pushing back against President Trump has been a common theme among the candidates, both in PA-03 and across the nation. But Ceisler says the contenders also need to make sure they have answers for kitchen-table issues.

"Economic opportunity. Affordability. Jobs. Healthcare," Ceisler said.

As with any primary election, turnout could decide who wins the day. Ceisler says he thinks turnout should be somewhat higher than in previous years, given the enthusiasm shown by Democrats in races nationwide over the last two years.

But right now, he says he's not seeing the enthusiasm on the ground.

"I mean my division votes like 80%," Ceisler said. "But if you drive around here, you see no signs that there's an election."

Ceisler says money could be a factor in that. Democrats and Republicans are set to spend big dollars on key November races that could decide which party controls Congress. Ceisler says District 3 being viewed as a safer Democratic district could lead to some of that money being held back.

But with the candidates locked in a seemingly tight race, he thinks this final stretch will be crucial.

"It's going to come down to organization," Ceisler said, "and what happens on the street, and can you get your voter out."