Oct 29, 2012 3 min read

When state Sen. John Pippy, R-Moon Township, announced he would not seek re-election in the 37th Senatorial District, the vacancy created a rush of candidates on the Republican side but no candidate filed on the Democratic ticket in the primary. When the votes were counted, former Mt. Lebanon Commissioner D. Raja came out on top and was presumed to be the winner in the November election. That was until a write-in Democratic candidate dropped out and current state Rep. Matt Smith, D-Mt. Lebanon, announced he would run for the office on the Democratic ticket. Smith is also seeking re-election in the 42nd Legislative District, a seat he currently holds. Voters in Peters Township, the only area in Washington County included in the 37th Senatorial District, may only have representation by whichever candidate wins for two years pending an ongoing legal case over the Legislature’s redistricting plan. That plan would move Peters out of the 37th Senatorial District. The campaign between Raja, 47, and Smith, 40, has been contentious, with Raja hurling barbs at Smith focusing on Smith’s record in the state House. Smith counters with data contending Raja outsources jobs and failed to pay his employees minimum wage. Raja claims to have the support of Democrats and Smith maintains he has Republican support. However, on some issues, the two candidates agree, including Marcellus Shale drilling. Both men say the gas drilling industry is creating new jobs and producing a boom in the local economy. However, Raja and Smith both cautioned that any drilling must be done safely and responsibly. As for the state Act 13 regulating local drilling that is currently before the state court, Raja said local control should not be lost, such as the distance a well should be drilled from schools. Smith said he voted no on Act 13 for several reasons, including the lack of a severance tax and lack of local control. Smith said he wants a list of chemicals that are being used in the drilling process and is concerned that the state Department of Environmental Protection is cutting jobs at a time when more and more duties are being placed on the state agency that involve the Marcellus Shale industry. The majority of the 37th District is in Allegheny County, where property reassessment is a hot topic. Raja and Smith agree that property reassessment is, in Smith’s words, “broken and flawed.” Placing a moratorium on reassessment until the state government can equalize the process throughout the state’s 67 counties and not merely single out Washington and Allegheny counties is one of the top items on each of the candidates’ agenda. Raja is a businessman while Smith is an attorney. Raja, who was born in southern India, arrived in Pittsburgh in 1986 to further his education. He is an American citizen and is chairman of Computer Enterprises Inc. in Scott Township. And, while Raja said he has sent jobs to India, he claims for every job he supports in India, 20 jobs were created in the local company. He added that his expertise in business would be a great enhancement to the state Senate. After graduating from Duquesne University with his law degree, Smith worked in private practice before running for the state Legislature. In running for the state Senate, Smith said he is looking forward to “bringing new ideas to the state Senate.” Raja said, if elected, he would not take a pension and would forgo the per diem payments offered to state senators. He also believes there should be term limit of 12 years for elected officials.