Iovino(D) vs Raja (R) special election for state SD37 set for April 2nd

[DeminPennswoods]

Last edited Mon Jan 28, 2019, 06:58 AM - Edit history (1)

A special election for state senate district 37 has been set for April 2nd 2019. Initial speculation was the election would co-incide with the May primary obviously was wrong. This seat is open because Guy Reschenthaler was elected to the open seat in the new PA CD 18 (old CD 14) and had to resign from his state office.

This seat is based in SW Allegheny County and Peters Twp in Washington County. It was part of the district that Lamb won when it was the old PA-14. Also Dems flipped the neighboring 38th state senate district in Nov, so a pick up is not impossible.

The candidates will be selected by their respective party committees. There's a rundown embedded in the link here: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2019/01/05/Special-election-April-2-pennsylvania-Senate-seat-left-vacant-Guy-/stories/201901050061

[FakeNoose]

1. Please check the link?

I get "404-page not found"

Thx

[DeminPennswoods]

2. Update

Try this link: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2019/01/12/6-still-in-running-for-state-Senate-seat/stories/201901120053

[Mc Mike]

3. Something odd about the story.

I was in CD 14 since I started voting in '83, it was repped by Bill Coyne the whole time. When the repugs tried to push a redistricting fight between Doyle and Coyne (in the early 2000's) Coyne retired and I've been repped by Doyle in old 14 since then.

They just changed our district name to 18, after the special election in old 18 that was won by Lamb.

Lamb never won any part of old CD 14, it was always Doyle's district, he always won.

[DeminPennswoods]

4. Nothing odd

the state supreme court threw out the old CDs and had a special master draw a new constitually conpliant map that they implemented for the Nov election.

Anyway, this special election is for the state senate, not federal.

[Mc Mike]

5. This part is off:

"It was part of the district that Lamb won when it was the old PA-14."

Lamb never ran in or won old PA 14. It was Coyne for decades, then Doyle got redistricted into it, and it was his for decades.

Maybe it's a typo, and they meant 'when it was the old PA-18.'

I know the current op subject is a state senate special election, was just jarred by a discrepancy in the discussion of federal CD-14 and 18.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. It's Pam Iovino (D) vs D Raja (R) in SD37

Link: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-state/2019/01/27/Democrats-Pennsylvania-37th-state-senate-district-recommend-Pam-Iovino-nomination/stories/201901270186

Iovino has run for the Dem nomination a couple times in this area (she dropped out when Lamb entered for CD17 and old CD14), but never succeeded. She's a great candidate, amazingly qualified, retired Navy Captain (O-6 = Army/USMC/AF full Col), VA asst secty.

https://twitter.com/pamforpa

https://pamforpa.com/

Raja has actually been the GOP candidate for a few Pgh area offices and never won. Politically, he's kind a known retread. Iovino has a really good shot at flipping this seat, imho. If she does, it would cut the GOP edge in the state senate by 1 more.

[DeminPennswoods]

7. Negative ads up and running from both sides in

this special election which will take place on April 2nd.

[DeminPennswoods]

8. SD37 special election this Tuesday

Should be an interesting night.

[DeminPennswoods]

9. Iovino wins! Dems pick up another state senate seat

SD 37 is pretty swingy having been represented by both Ds and Rs with the last decade. Reschenthaler (R) won fairly easily in 2016, but resigned the seat to run for Congress and won leaving the seat open.

Frankly, it's stunning the inroads Dems made in the state senate. Before the 2018 mid-terms, Rs had a super majority 34-16, now it's 26-22 (2 open R-held seats). The state house and senate districts have not changed since the last redistricting and are heavily gerry-mandered. Since there are fewer senate districts (50), it's a little harder to make them as tilted as the house (203) districts are.

[DeminPennswoods]

10. Final results: Iovino 33,301 Raja 30,741

Last edited Wed Apr 3, 2019, 09:12 AM - Edit history (1)

or 52% to 48%

Iovino won Allegeheny Co 54% 46% (31,152 to 26,999). Raja won Peters Twp 63% to 37% (3,742 to 2,158)

Total turnout in Allegheny Co was about 58,000 or 42% of the 2016 turnout.
Total turnout in Peters Twp was about 6,000 or 56% of the 2016 turnout.