Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair steps down amid congressional campaign

(WHTM)– Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Sharif Street announced he is stepping down from his role as party chair as he runs for Congress.

Street, a State Senator from Philadelphia, announced in a statement on Monday, August 25, that he will be stepping down as Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party after the election of his successor on September 6.

“I’m proud of what we’ve built – and I’m not done fighting. I’m running for Congress to keep up the work,” he said in his statement. Street previously announced his run to replace retiring Congressman Dwight Evans (D) earlier this year.

Street says he is looking toward the next chapter of his political career, flipping Congressional seats to take back Democratic control in Congress, and “defeating Donald Trump and the MAGA agenda once and for all.”

“When I first campaigned for Chair, I promised to build bridges– bringing together Black voters who felt taken for granted, rural voters who felt overlooked, and progressives who felt shut out. As the first Black man and the furst Muslim ever elected to Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, I knew representation wasn’t just a symbol–it was strategic,” he said in his statement. “We built real power by forging a coalition that could win. And going forward, I remain committed to strengthening those voices– alongside labor, young people, and all those fighting to build a more just, inclusive, and energized Democratic Party.”

Street was elected in 2022 as the first African American man and Muslim to serve as Chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. He is one of six Democratic Party candidates running for Evans’ seat.