Republican candidate concedes in special election, district flips back to blue

SOUTH HILLS, Pa. — People in parts of Allegheny and Washington counties voted Tuesday in a special election, choosing between Republican D. Raja and Democrat Pam Iovino to fill the seat for the 37th Senatorial District.

UPDATE 11 p.m. Tuesday: Democrat Pam Iovino won the special election to fill the empty state senate seat in the 37th District, flipping a red district blue again.

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UPDATE 9:45 p.m. Tuesday: "Thank you all for what you just did. You just made SD-37 blue again!"

UPDATE 9:35 p.m. Tuesday: The Republican candidate has conceded the race, according to the Democratic candidate's campaign.

UPDATE 9:30 p.m. Tuesday: More than 92% of precincts in Allegheny Co. are reporting, with Iovino leading by 3,700 votes.

UPDATE 9:15 p.m. Tuesday: With nearly 70% of Allegheny County precincts reporting, Raja trails Iovino by 7 points (2,700 votes.)

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UPDATE 8:45 p.m. Tuesday: Results are starting to come in from local precincts.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: The polls have closed. Channel 11's Aaron Martin reports results could be in as soon as 9 p.m.

UPDATE 5 p.m. Tuesday: While this may not look like a major race, groups nationwide are watching the results. In the 2016 presidential election the 37th District voted for President Trump, but in the special election in 2017 much of it swung to Conner Lamb.

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UPDATE 12:30 p.m. Tuesday: People are keeping a close eye on Tuesday's special election, which some believe could indicate which political party will do well during the 2020 presidential election.

Democratic candidate Pam Iovino, a Navy veteran who worked in the George W. Bush administration, is among those who think the election will offer insight into how voters are feeling since the 2016 presidential election.

“I hope that they turn out in record numbers. It’s not always easy to do that for a special election,” Iovino said.

TRENDING NOW:

Republican candidate D. Raja, the founder of a software company and chairman of the Republican Committee of Allegheny County, didn’t seem sold on the election’s national implications.

“I’ve done about 40,000 doors with my team. We just talk about the local issues is what I hear. It’s about jobs, it’s about property taxes, about education … that’s what I hear,” Raja said.

President Donald Trump won the 37th Senatorial District in 2016, but it went to the other side of the aisle for Gov. Tom Wolf last year.

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UPDATE 10:20 a.m. Tuesday: Candidate D. Raja has cast his vote in the special election.

UPDATE 8 a.m. Tuesday: Candidate Pam Iovino has voted. She is running against D. Raja, who is expected to vote later in the morning.

UPDATE 7 a.m. Tuesday: The polls have opened for Tuesday's special election.

ORIGINAL STORY: Voters in parts of Allegheny and Washington counties will vote in a special election Tuesday to fill a vacant seat for the 37th Senatorial District.

Republican D. Raja and Democrat Pam Iovino are running in the special election to replace Guy Reschenthaler.

RELATED HEADLINES: Candidates Raja, Iovino sit down for interviews with Channel 11

Elections officials remind residents that they can verify their voter resignation, look up their polling place and see a sample ballot online.

There have been changes to eight polling locations.  Voters affected were notified by letter of the change, and postings can be found on former polling places directing them to the new sites.

Click here to watch the full interview with Republican D. Raja

Click here to watch the full interview with Democrat Pam Iovino

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at  8 p.m.

Cox Media Group