Dr. Ala Stanford, who provided vaccines to Philly’s communities of color, announces run for Congress

From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

Dr. Ala Stanford, the physician and public health leader who rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced she is running for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 3rd District. With the endorsement of retiring U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, Stanford enters a competitive and increasingly crowded field for the Democratic primary.

The 54-year-old Philadelphia native emphasized her modest local roots, public school education and support from the community in her announcement speech Wednesday morning, but also took aim at Republicans in Congress.

“Philly made me,” she told supporters. “And now, I’m ready to fight for Philly in Washington … So yes, I am running for Congress. The same MAGA-controlled Congress that joined Donald Trump in shutting down the federal government at midnight last night.”

The 3rd Congressional District, which includes large portions of North and West Philadelphia, is in one of the most deeply blue districts in the country, making next year’s May 19 primary the de facto battleground, with the winner most likely going on to take the seat.

Evans, 71, has been a fixture in Philadelphia politics for more than four decades. First elected to the state House in 1980, he rose to become the powerful chair of the Appropriations Committee in Harrisburg before winning his congressional seat in 2016 when he unseated then-Rep. Chaka Fattah. His decision not to seek reelection marks the end of a long political era.

Stanford graduated high school early and attended Penn State University for her undergraduate degree and medical degree, becoming the first Black woman pediatric surgeon to be trained entirely in the United States. Her profile rose sharply in 2020 when she and a team of volunteers began administering free COVID-19 tests in communities of color across Philadelphia. The group later pivoted to providing vaccinations, drawing national praise and support, including from the Biden administration.

Stanford said that success “wasn’t luck — that was leadership.”

“When COVID hit and testing was scarce, I didn’t wait for someone else to solve it,” she said. “We stepped up, built clinics and made sure people were cared for. And when the vaccines rolled out, Bloomberg reported that Philadelphia vaccinated more Black Americans than any other major city in the country.”

In 2021, then-President Joe Biden appointed Stanford to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a regional director, overseeing public health strategy for six states and Washington, D.C. She later joined the University of Pennsylvania as a professor of practice in the Department of Biology, and as director of community outreach for research activities in the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation.

Her work has earned her national awards and frequent media appearances and led to a book deal, but this is her first campaign for public office and she faces significant competition as she joins a crowded field of Democrats. Already in the race are state Sen. Sharif Street, state Reps. Chris Rabb and Morgan Cephas, Jefferson intensive care unit physician Dr. David Oxman, former city worker Robin Toldens and Temple University professor Karl Morris.

Street, who recently stepped down as chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, is among the highest-profile candidates in the race. Rabb is seen as a progressive alternative whose Northwest Philly district includes some of the city’s most civically engaged wards. Cephas currently chairs Philadelphia’s delegation in the state House and is seen as a rising star in Harrisburg, with strong support in West Philadelphia, where she has worked on maternal health and criminal justice reform.

However, Stanford’s presence is likely to shake up the race. A recent poll conducted by Black Leadership Pennsylvania before she officially announced her campaign showed Stanford leading the pack with 18% after voters were introduced to the candidates, with Street and Rabb close behind. Cephas trailed in single digits, and nearly a quarter of voters remained undecided.

The poll also revealed that Stanford’s support crosses multiple demographic groups, with strong showings among Black men, LGBTQ+ voters and homeowners — an early sign of broad appeal.