Nov 15, 2019 3 min read

Editor’s note: This story has been updated. The article previously incorrectly stated he is vice president of Veterans of Washington Boulevard, a re-entry program for returning veterans. Robinson is no longer on the board of that organization.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

That could be the motto of Devlin Robinson, who’s making a second bid to become the Republican nominee in the 37th State Senatorial District, a seat now held by Democrat Pam Iovino.

Robinson finished second in a GOP mini-convention last January to D. Raja as the nominee for a special election April 2, and Raja lost to Iovino.

The special election was necessitated because of a vacancy in the 37th when state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Peters Township) was elected to Congress in the 14th District in November 2018 and later resigned from his state position to begin his new job in the U.S. Capitol.

“Regaining Republican control in the 37th district next year is essential to protecting values that are critically important to western Pennsylvanians,” Robinson said in a news release Thursday.

He pledged to fight any attempts to increase residents’ taxes while encouraging new and expanded business in Pennsylvania.

There could be two veterans in the 2020 37th District race. Iovino, 63, of Mt. Lebanon, served in the U.S. Navy and was an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Robinson, 36, of Bridgeville, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who founded a medical supply firm, Veterans Medical Technology.

He holds a business degree from Robert Morris University and a master’s of business administration degree from University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.

Robinson served three combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, where he participated in the battles of Nasiriyah and Fallujah.

“From the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq to the arena of politics, I understand that not only do you have to fight, you have to understand what it is you’re fighting for, and that makes all the difference,” Robinson said. “That is why I am running, to represent the people of the 37th District, to serve and to fight for their values.”

His other volunteer work includes serving as a mentor for Semper Fi Odyssey in Somerset County, Peters Township Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Bridgeville American Legion, and Bethel Park Marine Corps League. He is also the state commander of the Italian-American War Veterans.

The 37th State Senate District comprises the South Hills and airport-area suburbs of Allegheny County, plus Peters Township in Washington County.