In such a left-leaning district, the candidates are bound to have similar views and priorities, and policy differences won\u2019t make much difference in the primary outcome, local political consultants say. Since the 3rd is clearly not a swing district, it also probably won\u2019t attract significant spending by national political funders or interest groups that could push one candidate to the top.<\/p>\n
Fundraising will still be very important as the contenders work to increase their name recognition through pricey TV commercials and mass mail campaigns, the experts add. But among those who do raise enough, the decisive factor may be what Philadelphia political consultant Dan Fee called the candidate\u2019s \u201cidentification\u201d \u2014 a main attribute each is known for, and the group of voters that appeals to.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re a Black woman and you want to vote for a Black woman, you\u2019re going to vote for [that candidate] whether they have enough money or not. If you are someone who believes that health care is the most important issue, you\u2019re going to vote for the doctor,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving been on both the winning and losing side of the candidates with the most money, sometimes other things matter more,\u201d Fee said. \u201cI think that this is a race where other things will matter more.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle, whose 2nd Congressional District covers most of the other half of Philadelphia, said victory will be determined by a complex combination of factors, including who runs a disciplined and vigorous campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, ideology is a factor, but in a multi-candidate primary, especially in Philadelphia, geography is a factor, identity is a factor,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat will matter most in this district is not ideology or what kind of flavor of Democrat you are. I think it\u2019ll be simply as old-fashioned as who runs the best race.\u201d<\/p>\n
Experienced pols seek to move up<\/p>\n
No poll results have been publicly released and the primary is still nine months away, but some observers say that the strongest candidate right now is probably state Sen. Sharif Street<\/a>.<\/p>\n He\u2019s already known to many of his 260,000 constituents and was chair of the state Democratic party until he resigned last month. He shares a famous name with his father, former two-term mayor John Street, and his late uncle Milton Street, who served in the Pa. House and Senate.\u00a0<\/p>\n Street was also quick out of the gate, declaring his candidacy days after Evans announced his retirement at the end of June, announcing early union endorsements and holding fundraising events.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s got great name recognition, and so far has seemed to have party support coalesce around his campaign in terms of labor support and other people that are involved in the process,\u201d said Mustafa Rasheed, president and CEO of government relations firm Bellevue Strategies.<\/p>\n Street was soon followed by state Rep. Chris Rabb<\/a>, who since 2017 has represented a Northwest Philadelphia district with high voter turnout rates and a history of strong political organization. He\u2019s known as an outspoken progressive who\u2019s proposed bills on criminal justice reform and reparations for Black residents, and has repeatedly won races without official party backing<\/a>.<\/p>\n A \u201cdisproportionate\u201d part of the 3rd Congressional District is in the Northwest, \u201cso the Northwest will have its say on who they want to see for this. That\u2019s going to play a huge role,\u201d Rasheed said. Rabb has \u201ca good power base of support there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChris has been against the establishment candidate a few cycles, but, you know, you win a few times, and now you\u2019re the establishment yourself,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n This week state Rep. Morgan Cephas<\/a>, who has represented West Philadelphia since 2016, launched her campaign. She touts her work boosting maternal health benefits for Medicaid recipients and winning state funding for community development projects, and notes she would be the first Black woman representing Philadelphia in Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Cephas raises a lot of money and can project the fact that she\u2019s the most prominent female [candidate], I would guess that she has a chance to make some noise,\u201d said longtime political consultant Neil Oxman of the Campaign Group.<\/p>\n Cephas\u2019 run follows successful campaigns by former state rep Cherelle Parker, who last year became Philly\u2019s first woman mayor; Rep. Joanna McClinton, the first Black woman to serve as Pa. House Speaker; and U.S. Rep. Summer Lee, a former state representative from the Pittsburgh area who in 2022 became the first Black woman elected to represent the state in Congress.<\/p>\n \u201cPennsylvania\u2019s delegation has made great strides in the last half dozen years or so in women stepping up and running fantastic campaigns and winning,\u201d Rasheed said.<\/p>\n Newcomers working to be heard<\/p>\n The first-timers in the race include David Oxman<\/a>, an intensive care doctor at Jefferson. (He is not related to Neil Oxman.) He\u2019s focusing on the inadequacy of the healthcare system and this week attacked U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s statements about vaccines, calling him \u201cthe most wholly unqualified charlatan to ever hold the position\u201d and saying he should be impeached.<\/p>\n While several candidates are soliciting contributions, Oxman\u2019s the only one who has reported significant fundraising so far. He\u2019s raised $280,000, including $100,000 he personally loaned his campaign.<\/p>\n Rasheed said that\u2019s a \u201csignificant amount\u201d for someone who\u2019s never run before, and shows the physician has a \u201cdecent network,\u201d while adding that newbie candidates tend to hit a wall financially after maxing out their friends and family.<\/p>\n Neil Oxman, the political consultant, was not impressed. \u201c$280,000 is, you know, five days of Philadelphia television. It\u2019s not going to get the guy a lot of stuff. You and I can raise 200,000 bucks from our friends,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Temple University computer science professor Karl Morris<\/a> is running a campaign that emphasizes equal access to AI and other technology and protections from their misuse, and focuses on women\u2019s health, climate change, home affordability and other Democratic priorities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3rd-congr-dist-p2-0925.png\")
From left, Karl Morris, Dave Oxman and Robin Toldens are running in the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania\u2019s 3rd Congressional District.<\/p>\n