Raja, Smith Race Considered 'Most Competitive' in the Upcoming Election

Readers of the site PolitcsPA selected the Raja-Smith race for the 37th district as the most competitive state race in the upcoming November election. 

In a recent poll, 34 percent of respondees said the race between Mt. Lebanon Republican D. Raja and Democratic write-in candidate Matt Smith will be the most competitive race of the 2012 election cycle, according to PoliticsPA. The poll notched 395 votes total. 

Raja and Smith are vying to replace the seat by former Pennsylvania Sen. John Pippy in the 37th district, which includes Moon Township.

Pippy announced his retirement from state politics in January, but resigned from his post last month to become the CEO of the . 

Raja, a former Mt. Lebanon commissioner and software company CEO, Moon-based state Rep. Mark Mustio in the spring's Republican primary. 

Smith, a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serves the state's 42nd house district, which includes Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon and Thornburg. It is believed that he will campaign for the seat as a write-in candidate. 

Click here for the full story from PoliticsPA. 

Pennsylvania's Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley has decided that  to fill the state's 37th Senatorial District seat, which was left vacant by the  of Republican John Pippy.

Consistent with state law governing special elections, Cawley decided that such an election would not be in the best interest of the public given that the regularly scheduled election for the full four-year term of Pippy's old seat will take place on Nov. 6.

Keeping up with news in the Sewickley Patch is easy—simply like us on Facebook!