Inside Chris Rabb’s unapologetically progressive PA-3 primary campaign

This is the latest in a series of interviews with Democratic candidates for PA-3. Other candidates interviewed include Ala Stanford, David Oxman and Sharif Street.

As a state representative, Chris Rabb hasn’t been afraid to buck his own party. And now, in a crowded Democratic primary race with several candidates vying to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans in Pennsylvania’s Third Congressional District, he’s leaning on that reputation to stand out. 

“Even though (voters have) shown up recently in election cycles to come out in force, it’s not because of the Democratic Party; it’s because of our opposition to extremism,” Rabb told City & State in an interview. “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.” 

Labeled as an outspoken progressive, Rabb has served five terms in the state House since winning the seat in 2016. He has called himself an “unapologetic” voice within the Democratic Party, pitching a variety of reforms from ranked-choice voting to adult-use cannabis legalization. He said at a time when many voters may be skeptical of party establishment candidates, he wants to run on a “people-first agenda.”

“The Democratic establishment bristles at (the thought of ranked-choice voting) because it makes them have to work harder and makes them more accountable,” Rabb said. “I’m the most outspoken as it relates to the challenges of establishment politics, and this makes my candidacy far more compelling, because (in) these political times, (we’re) calling for folks who do not identify with the establishment or the status quo.”

When asked how Rabb can balance his message as an experienced Democratic legislator who’s also not shy about bucking party trends, he said his record speaks for itself. 

“It’s not a hard balance for me … My voting record stands strong with all the pillars of the Democratic Party, but I also have a consistent track record of holding my party to account, and I think more than ever that’s what we need,” he added. “Because when we take back the (U.S.) House in 2027, we need to know that not only do we have the majority, but do we have the capacity to lead, and part of leadership is knowing when to dissent and when to provide constructive critiques to your own party to move it forward.”

Rabb has also set himself apart from the other legislators seeking to jump from Harrisburg to Washington: he’s not running for reelection for his current seat in the 200th district in Northwest Philadelphia. 

Rabb said the decision to focus entirely on his congressional race is to not only show that he’s “all in,” but that he’s willing to let the next generation get their seat at the table. 

“I’m not hedging my bets. I will be Philadelphia’s next member of Congress in January 2027 – I don’t need a fallback,” he said. “I also believe that passing the torch is important. I don’t believe that people should be staying in office for decades. It may be legal, but it’s not right; it’s important that we allow new blood to come in and keep that talent pipeline open.”

Rabb’s record

Rabb, 55, worked as an aide for former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and for the White House Conference on Small Business during the Clinton administration. The East Mount Airy resident said, above all else, he’s running because Congress needs more fighters willing to speak out against the current administration. 

“Our country has descended into authoritarianism, and there’s a level of manufactured chaos by extremists on the federal level to dismantle society as we know it. This is an opportunity for those folks who have public service and legislative experience, who are not afraid of addressing systemic issues that have gotten us to this point,” Rabb told City & State. “We basically need folks who know how to fight within the belly of the beast without being consumed by that very beast – and I think that characterizes my 10 years in Harrisburg.

“If you want to know what I’m going to do in Congress, look at what I’ve done in Harrisburg and in my district, and you can tell that there’s a consistent theme around justice issues. You can see a diverse array of legislative priorities and also creative and sometimes counterintuitive approaches to things that sometimes go against Democratic orthodoxy.”

On the legislative side, Rabb said he’s focused on affordability and speaking out against injustice, including taking a strong stand against federal immigration enforcement policies. 

“What are we going to do to address these issues as the cost of living skyrockets while the wealthy are just getting more and more rich?” said Rabb. “No one should be working 40 hours a week and still be in poverty. A lot of these things are perhaps outside of the norm, but it’s precisely these kinds of radical ideas of justice that are shaped with substantive policy considerations that people want, particularly in a moment like this, where all the things that they thought would be permanent and protect them are crumbling before our eyes.”

His outspoken and upfront mentality was on display recently when Rabb reported his campaign treasurer for what looked to be improper spending. 

In February, Rabb said his now-former campaign treasurer, Yolanda Brown, made “unauthorized withdrawals” from his campaign account. The Philadelphia Inquirer found that Brown is a Florida-based consultant who’s faced at least four separate allegations of financial misconduct. 

Rabb told City & State that as soon as he noticed irregularities, he terminated Brown and reported her to the Federal Elections Commission for criminal investigation. 

“(Was I going to do what’s) best for me politically, or was I going to do what was right? And I decided to do what was right because I didn’t want anyone else being victimized,” Rabb explained. “The reason people can get away with these things is because no one speaks up, whether (due to) shame or embarrassment or political expediency, and too many people are put in this situation and are victims of crimes. I could not live with myself if I did not immediately address this issue and report her.”

Picking people over politics, Rabb said, is his primary motivation. And during a contentious primary in an already fraught political landscape, Rabb said elections like the May primary will be “an inflection point” for the way the country moves forward. 

Voters “will have a choice of sending a progressive public servant to office or another status quo politician. While they both may be Democrats, they’re very different, and understanding the difference between a public servant and a politician matters more than ever,” Rabb said. “We’ve seen the effects of someone who appeared to be a public servant and has become a base politician. Now’s the choice – and that choice, I believe, is clear.”