PHILADELPHIA — Voters in Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District will cast ballots Tuesday in the Democratic primary to select a nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives. Four candidates—State Representative Chris Rabb, State Senator Sharif Street, pediatric surgeon Ala Stanford, and Shaun Griffith—are competing to succeed retiring Representative Dwight Evans.

Evans announced in June that he would not seek reelection after ten years in congressional office. He has represented the district since 2016. In the 2024 presidential election, the district gave 88% of its votes to Vice President Kamala Harris, placing it 40 percentage points more Democratic than the national average.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attended a rally with Rabb on Friday. "So what kind of Democrat will represent the bluest district in America? Is it going to be a Democrat who collaborates with special interests and lobbyists, or is it going to be a Democrat who put everything on the line to deliver for the people and communities that they love?" Ocasio-Cortez said at the event.

Rabb addressed the rally with sharp language directed at wealthy interests. "To the billionaire class, the Epstein class, we're coming for you. You're not safe, your money will not protect you. We're coming for you," he said. "They're afraid we're going to do the same thing to them that they've done to us. But this is about so much more than vengeance," Rabb said.

Rabb has represented northwest Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2017. His congressional bid has been endorsed by Ocasio-Cortez, Representative Ro Khanna, the Working Families Party, Justice Democrats, and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Stanford, who is making her first run for political office, has been endorsed by Evans, Representative Madeleine Dean, and Representative Chrissy Houlahan. Street, who entered the Pennsylvania State Senate in 2017 as the first Muslim elected to the chamber and served as chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party from 2022 to 2025, has been endorsed by Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, Speaker Joanna McClinton, and Senator Cory Booker, who campaigned for him Monday. Street, Rabb, and Stanford are considered the frontrunners. Governor Josh Shapiro, who has participated in four battleground House races in Pennsylvania, has not endorsed in the primary.

All four campaigns have focused on expanding healthcare, affordability, and housing. Each of the three main candidates supports widening healthcare access, increasing affordable housing, and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. "They're all opposed to Donald Trump. They're all talking about civil rights, healthcare and voting rights," said Marc Stier, who served as director of the Pennsylvania Policy Center until earlier this year.

No independent polls have been conducted in the race. A poll sponsored by 314 Action found Stanford leading with 28 percent support, Rabb at 23 percent, and Street at 16 percent. A November survey sponsored by Street's campaign found Street leading with 22 percent, Rabb at 17 percent, and Stanford at 11 percent.