Political ads · 2026 · PA

Pennsylvania House District 12 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Summer Lee won · 65.4% to 34.6% · Called by AP on Nov 3

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James Hayes (Republican) and Summer Lee (Democrat) are the nominees for Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Summer Lee is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, James Hayes's campaign had raised $81,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Summer Lee's campaign $1.6 million (through October 14, 2026). Outside groups have reported $23 for James Hayes and $0 against; $52,000 for Summer Lee and $23 against.

James Hayes (REP), Summer Lee (DEM, incumbent). 3 others filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

How to vote in Pennsylvania

From Pennsylvania's official election office. Each line links to the official page it came from.

Registration	Register by Mon, Oct 19 (passed)Source: pa.gov ↗Source: pa.gov ↗
Early voting in person	No early voting (No early in-person voting; in-person mail ballot at county office once ballots are ready.)Source: pa.gov ↗
By mail	Anyone can vote by mail; request a ballot by Tue, Oct 27 (Application must be received by the county.); return it by Tue, Nov 3 (Received by the county election office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day; postmarks do not count.) (passed)Source: pa.gov ↗Source: pa.gov ↗
Election Day	Tue, Nov 3. Polls: 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. (passed)Source: pa.gov ↗
ID at the polls	Only first-time voters at a polling place must show photo or non-photo ID.Source: pa.gov ↗

Check your registration and polling place ↗ Pennsylvania's official election site ↗

Checked October 8, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the official site before you go.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

James Hayes (REP)

Raised: $81K through 2026-10-14 individuals $74K · PACs $5,775 · party $250 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $25 · cash on hand $11K
Outside spending: $23 supporting Hayes · latest reported 2026-09-22
Largest outside spenders: PENNSYLVANIA PRO-LIFE FEDERATION PAC — $23 supporting Hayes

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

4 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

FRIENDS OF ERIC DAVANZO $250
MEUSER FOR CONGRESS $1,000
MONROEVILLE REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE $200
PENNSYLVANIA HONOR $3,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

Summer Lee (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $1.6M through 2026-10-14 individuals $1.3M · PACs $240K · from the candidate's other committees $64K · cash on hand $1.7M
Outside spending: $23 opposing Lee · $52K supporting Lee · latest reported 2026-09-22
Largest outside spenders: WORKING FAMILIES PARTY PAC — $34K supporting Lee Largest donors: DEMOCRACY PAC $6.5M (32%); MOVEMENT VOTER PAC $2.2M (11%); ACCOUNTABLE JUSTICE ACTION FUND $2.0M (10%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC); Patty Ann Quillin $650K (3%), NOT Employed, NOT Employed; JORDAN/DELANEY FAMILY TRUST $450K (2%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC) SOLIDARITY VICTORY PAC — $12K supporting Lee Largest donors: ORGANIZE PENNSYLVANIA $551K (84%) (an organization: its own funders aren't reported to the FEC) STRAIGHT AHEAD ORGANIZATION — $4,000 supporting Lee RURAL FREEDOM NETWORK — $1,417 supporting Lee Largest donors: Sherwood Guernsey $151K (56%), Retired, Retired API PA VOTES — $95 supporting Lee Largest donors: MOVEMENT VOTER PAC $135K (65%) and 3 more

Bundled through PACs: $18K through 2 PACs · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01 A NEW POLICY PAC — $10K from 3 gifts END CITIZENS UNITED — $7,000 from 2 gifts

60 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION $3,000
AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION COPE (ATU COPE) $2,500
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $5,000
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND (CRNA PAC) $1,000
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATION PAC (RADPAC) $3,000
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY PAC $5,000
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES PAC (AFGE PAC) $2,500
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTRY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES - P.E.O.P.L.E., NATIONAL $10K
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $10K
AMERICAN OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATION PAC (AOA-PAC) $2,500
AMERICAN POSTAL WORKERS UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION $3,000
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE $5,000
COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS COMMITTEE (CWA COPE) $1,500
CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS PAC $5,000
DEFEND THE VOTE $2,500
DEMOCRATS WIN FUND $1,000
DEXTER MCCOY CAMPAIGN $500
DRIVE - DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (THE PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) $4,000
ELECT DEMOCRATIC WOMEN $1,000
EMGAGE FEDERAL PAC $1,000
END CITIZENS UNITED $5,000
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC)/INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $5,000
FIG AND OLIVE ACTION PAC $1,255
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH ACTION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
GRIDIRON PAC $3,000
IMMIGRANTS' LIST $5,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS INTERESTED IN REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION PAC $6,000
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES POLITICAL ACTION TOGETHER POLITICAL COMMITTEE $2,500
JANE FONDA CLIMATE PAC $5,000
JEFFRIES FOR CONGRESS $2,000
JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PAC $5,000
JUSTICE DEMOCRATS PAC $5,000
LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS ACTION FUND $1,000
MACHINIST'S NON-PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $10K
MAXWELL ALEJANDRO FROST FOR CONGRESS $1,000
MCARE (MUSLIM COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR RIGHTS & EMPOWERMENT) - FEDERAL $1,000
MEDICARE FOR ALL PAC $5,000
MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION $2,500
NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NARFE PAC) $1,000
NATIONAL AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASSOCIATION PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS U.S.A. POLITICAL FUND (LETTER CARRIER POLITICAL FUND) $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (NADA PAC) $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS $2,500
NATIONAL POSTAL MAIL HANDLERS UNION PAC - DIVISION OF LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA $5,000
NATIONAL RURAL LETTER CARRIERS' ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
NATIONAL TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,500
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $5,000
PA UNITED FEDPAC $3,000
PROFESSIONAL AVIATION SAFETY SPECIALISTS PAC (PASS PAC) $2,000
ROBERT GARCIA FOR CONGRESS $1,000
SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) $5,000
THE SIX PAC $1,100
UNITE HERE TIP CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE $9,250
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION ACTIVE BALLOT CLUB $5,000
UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA - COAL MINERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
UNITED STEELWORKERS POLITICAL ACTION FUND $10K
UTILITY WORKERS UNION OF AMERICA $1,000

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in PA; or it ran mostly in PA and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
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Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.