Two candidates were selected by their political parties to run in the special election for Pennsylvania State Senate District 37. The special election was called to fill the vacancy in District 37 after incumbent Guy Reschenthaler (R) was elected on November 6, 2018, to the United States House of Representatives to represent Pennsylvania’s 14th Congressional District. The special election is set for April 2, 2019.
In Pennsylvania, the political parties select candidates for special elections directly rather than using a primary process. The Democratic Party selected Pam Iovino, a retired U.S. Navy veteran, to run in the special election. Iovino previously sought election to the United States House of Representatives in 2018 in the special election for Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District, but was not selected as the Democratic nominee.
The Republican Party selected D. Raja, a small business owner. Raja previously sought election to the Pennsylvania State Senate to represent District 37 in the 2012 general election. He won the Republican primary but was defeated in the general election by former incumbent Matthew Smith (D).
Entering the special election, the Pennsylvania State Senate consists of 29 Republicans and 21 Democrats. Prior to the general election in 2018, Republicans held 33 seats, Democrats held 16, and there was one vacancy.
On February 1, 2019, a judge ordered a third election for Georgia House of Representatives District 28, ruling that the second primary election in December 2018 was invalid.
Chris Erwin (R) challenged Rep. Dan Gasaway (R) in the original Republican primary for the seat on May 22, 2018. No Democratic candidate filed. Erwin won that election by a margin of 67 votes, but the election was deemed inconclusive due to a mapping error in which dozens of voters—more than the margin of victory—received the wrong ballots.
Erwin and Gasaway faced off again in a repeat primary on December 4, 2018, which Erwin won by two votes. However, Gasaway challenged the election results.
In the February 1 decision, Senior Superior Court Judge David Sweat ruled that a third election was necessary because four votes—double the margin of victory—were improperly cast. Three voters had moved out of District 28 before casting their votes, and one voter cast two votes in the December do-over.
Erwin was sworn into office on January 14, 2019, but he was ordered to step down on February 8.
The third election is set for April 9, 2019. Because no Democratic candidate has filed in the district, the winner of the Republican primary will represent the district in the Georgia House of Representatives.