State Rep. Chris Rabb scored a shocking victory Tuesday after earning the Democratic nomination for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District. Despite failing to get an endorsement from Philadelphia’s Democratic Party or Mayor Cherelle Parker, Rabb still came out on top with a 15-point margin over the second-place finisher, The Associated Press reported.

Rabb’s opponent, Pennsylvania state Sen. Sharif Street, was endorsed by the mayor and the Philadelphia Democratic Party. The other candidate, Dr. Ala Stanford, had the support of the district’s incumbent Rep. Dwight Evans, NBC Philadelphia reported. 

Who are some of Chris Rabb’s biggest supporters?

Rabb largely leaned on the support of progressive groups to earn the nomination. One of his biggest supporters, the Working Families Party, said Democrats and Republicans are losing trust as they continue to align themselves with powerful interests instead of representing the people.

Rabb also credited New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for fueling the grassroots movement that helped him achieve success. The 56-year-old Pennsylvania representative said the progressive movement has also been inspired by leaders who are determined to fight back against Donald Trump’s inflammatory ideologies.

“That was at the heart of why I was running and that is what I built my campaign around and that, I believe, is a chord we struck in this electorate that showed up and came out like gangbusters,” Rabb told The Associated Press.

While some moderates show doubt about far-left candidates, saying they will lose undecided voters, progressive leaders are still finding success with their movement. Rabb, who describes himself as a Democratic socialist and a proud troublemaker, said he is determined to keep moving forward despite the doubters.

“I have been critiqued along this campaign for being too radical, too bold,” Rabb said in his victory speech after Tuesday’s election. “They ain’t seen nothing yet.”

According to The Associated Press, progressive leaders are also challenging Democratic incumbents and Republicans as they currently fight for seats in New York, California and Michigan. Rabb told his supporters that he earned his victory through “grassroots organizing.”

“It was mobilizing regular people who wanted to see their priorities, their values reflected in a campaign that indicated that we need more than incremental change,” Rabb said, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.

What are some of Chris Rabb’s campaign points?

Rabb has been vocal about many of the same ideas Democrats have expressed in recent years. Similar to some of his rivals, Rabb has advocated for Trump’s impeachment and for abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has also pushed for universal Medicare while speaking out against data centers.

Unlike many of his rivals, however, Rabb has also called for government-owned grocery stores. Additionally, Rabb is speaking out against politicians who take large donations from interest groups.

“We can learn lessons from this victory because, if establishment politics was as effective and productive as people would have us think, then I would have been blown out of the water,” Rabb said.