Meet the three Democrats contending to replace Chris Rabb to represent Mount Airy in Harrisburg

Three Democrats vying to replace State Rep. Chris Rabb in Harrisburg are making their final pitches to voters in Northwest Philadelphia ahead of Tuesday’s primary.

Philadelphia School District staffer Chris Johnson, business owner and Democratic committeeperson Qasim Rashad, and clinical social worker Deshawnda Williams are running for Rabb’s seat in the 200th Legislative District in Mount Airy.

Rabb announced earlier this year that he would not be running for reelection in Harrisburg, choosing to focus on his campaign for the 3rd Congressional District.

No Republican is on the ballot for Rabb’s seat, so the winner of Tuesday’s primary will determine who will represent the Democratic stronghold as the party looks to maintain its House majority in the fall and flip the state Senate for the first time in three decades.

Here is what to know about the candidates.

Johnson, 33, is the director of state and federal government relations for the Philadelphia School District and has amassed a broad array of high-profile endorsements from across the party’s ideological spectrum.

The Mount Airy resident has the support of Rabb, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, the progressive Pennsylvania Working Families Party, the Philadelphia Democratic Party, and former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D., Pa.) among others.

“Chris Johnson understands that real progress comes from collaboration and cooperation,” said Parker, who is also the leader of the 50th Ward, located in the 200th District, in her March endorsement announcement.

Johnson said it is crucial to unite his district over key priorities, like funding public education, aiming to ensure safety and accessibility on SEPTA, protecting civil and voting rights, and raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania.

As an employee of the school district, he is particularly passionate about investing in schools amid the district’s decision to close 17 and frequently advocates in Harrisburg for education funding.

Johnson came into his advocacy role for the school district in February 2025 and said he also had to combat the prospect of President Donald Trump’s administration cutting grants, Medicaid, and SNAP benefits.

“I have been really fighting hard to defend those dollars, to continue investing in our schools, and I’m going to continue to do that as a state representative, if I’m elected by our neighbors,” Johnson said.

Before joining the school district, Johnson was the regional representative for Casey and district office director for now-Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia), who is also supporting his campaign.

Johnson said that Philadelphians are ready for the next generation of leaders to combat challenges at the state and federal levels.

“This is a moment where folks do want to see fresh, energetic leadership moving our communities forward,” he said.

Rashad, 64, of Mount Airy, calls himself “a different kind of Democrat.”

The father of seven has deep ties to the community as an elected committeeperson for the city’s 22nd Ward and the state’s 4th Senate District, a youth athletics coach, and a member of the fraternity Omega Psi Phi. He also established his small business, an IT company called Final Mile Technologies, in the neighborhood.

He said that his roles with the city and state Democratic committees make him the only candidate in the 200th District primary to have been elected, and that his experiences give him greater insight into the political landscape.

“I’ve learned how the political process works at the state level and at the city level, how to get resources, particularly for my ward and specifically for my division,” Rashad said.

If elected, Rashad — like many local Democrats — wants to prioritize funding for Philly schools.

He also wants to bring a “business enterprise center” in the district to assist aspiring entrepreneurs of all ages. In addition, he is deeply passionate about nutrition after his struggles with diabetes, and wants to improve healthy food options in grocery stores and at Philadelphia schools.

Rashad vehemently disagrees with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s politics and called him a “goofball,” but said “he got it right on nutrition.”

Rashad said his campaign platform makes him stand out against his opponents in the primary. He also bucks the notion that he needs endorsements from political figures to be electable.

As amir of the United Muslim Masjid and United Muslim Islamic Center of Philadelphia, Rashad said, he has received support from groups dedicated to Muslim Americans, including the Muslim League of Voters of the Delaware Valley and Emgage.

“I’m endorsed by the community,” he said. “I am running for the community, and I don’t necessarily require the endorsement of other politicians to serve my community.”

Williams, 48, is a clinical social worker who “wears many hats,” she said, as a pastor, an entrepreneur, and an educator.

“Dr. Dee,” as she is known, has run unsuccessfully for state senator in the 3rd District and City Council at-large. But she says her in-depth experience in the community through social work, ministry, and assisting children with behavioral and mental health issues equips her to be a policymaker in the state House.

“It don’t matter what seat it is, long as I have a seat at the table, that’s going to change somebody’s life,” Williams said. “I tell people, ‘When you meet Dr. Williams, your life will never be the same.’ And I mean that, because I’ve touched people’s lives across the city.”

Additionally, Williams was elected as the Philadelphia NAACP’s first vice president in 2024, chairs the health subcommittee on the Mayor’s Interfaith Roundtable, and is a former track-and-field champion.

Williams’ platform revolves largely around social issues and public health, such as investing in mental health resources and addressing students’ struggles with reading and writing.

She also wants to focus on economic development, including raising the minimum wage.

She said she has gained the support of various stakeholders, including the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees District Council 33 and Philadelphia Black clergy members.

Williams said she stands out among her opponents in the Democratic primary because while they have worked in government or government-adjacent roles, she has been embedded in the community.

She recalled various times throughout her career where she has supported families in crisis — visiting mothers who have lost their sons to gun violence or attending a community funeral service at her church.

“The difference between me and them is that I have receipts, as the young people say,” Williams said. “Lived experience.”