What’s at stake? The 37th Senate District covers a large swath of Pittsburgh’s western and southern suburbs, from Marshall to the north, North Fayette to the west and Jefferson Hills to the south. The GOP has held this seat for most of the past few decades, and while Democrats have won a few rounds in the past, a recent redistricting has arguably helped Republicans. Republican Devlin Robinson has served the 37th District since 2021, after beating first-term incumbent Democrat Pam Iovino by four points. Dems will need to retake it if they hope to gain control of the upper legislative chamber, and while a handful of potential contenders decided against a run, Nicole Ruscitto took up the party's banner, campaigning forcefully on abortion rights.
District map:
Further reading:
“Spot Check: Abortion ban ad, and counterpunch on gender-affirming care, loose with facts” (Charlie Wolfson, PublicSource)
“Pennsylvania's minimum wage likely to remain frozen for yet another year” (Tom Riese, WESA)
“Fundraising in Pa. state Senate and House races point to a dogfight in the general election” (Chris Potter, WESA)
“Robinson launches re-election bid in 37th Senate district, with labor support” (Chris Potter, WESA)
Devlin Robinson
Robinson is a military combat veteran and small businessman who is serving his first state Senate term. The Pittsburgh native served four years in the U.S. Marines after the 9/11 attacks. Upon returning to the U.S., he founded a medical supply company geared toward veterans and volunteered with veteran nonprofits. Robinson chairs the Senate Labor & Industry committee, is vice chair of the Law & Justice committee and serves on five others.
Party: Republican
Place of residence: Bridgeville, Allegheny County
Education: B.A., Robert Morris University; MBA, University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business
Current occupation: State Senate of Pennsylvania; president of Veterans Medical Technology
Related experience: Robinson says three combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan showed him how to collaborate with others and gave him “a sense of mission-forward thinking.” He serves on seven state Senate committees, including Local Government, Appropriations and Consumer Protection.
Supporters/endorsements: Local and state law enforcement and firefighters unions; independent business and realtors trade groups; Life PAC; Firearms Owners Against Crime.
Links: Website | Facebook | LinkedIn
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $289,650.00 (2023 ending cash balance: $509,021.32)
Total spent (2024): $82,343.20
WESA Candidate Survey
State policies can help determine the health of the local economy — by adjusting tax rates, imposing or relaxing regulations, and so on. What policies do you think Harrisburg should pursue to improve the state’s economic performance?
Pennsylvania’s economic growth hinges on creating a standard under which the state serves the people, not the other way around. Overregulation and obedience to special interest groups that rely on a system of taxation and overspending have proven a drag on the economy. One need only look at our once highest-in-the-nation corporate net income tax to understand why many job creators have hesitated to locate here. Harrisburg should focus on the essential services required of the state — notably support for public education — and abandon a policy of seeing every private-sector job as something to tax.
Pennsylvania’s approach to education funding, which relies heavily on local property taxes, has long been criticized for burdening homeowners and for creating gaps between rich and poor communities. What should the legislature do to address those concerns, and are there other reforms you think are needed to improve the education students receive?
Inequitable funding is, at its core, a result of inequality of opportunity. Poor districts are poor because of a lack of resources provided by the free market. So, first and foremost, we need to concentrate on job-creation and private-sector business growth. That said, any adjustment in the tax structure must be revenue-neutral. Shifting property taxes to some other revenue source must not result in a net rise in taxes on working families.
Nearby states have legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana, and there have been proposals to do so in Pennsylvania, possibly through new distributors or through existing state stores or medical marijuana dispensaries. Do you support legalization, and if so, who should be allowed to sell the product?
I will support such legislation with the provision that the state provides law enforcement with the means to accurately test drivers who might be impaired by overuse of cannabis. Once properly regulated to ensure both purity and to control potency, private sector dispensaries should be licensed to handle such sales.
Arguments over voting provisions — such as mail-in balloting, “drop boxes” and voter verification requirements — have become a part of the electoral landscape. How well do you think our election systems work now, and what, if any, changes to our state voting laws would you support?
Act 77 was landmark voting rights legislation that broadened the use of mail-in ballots with sensible regulations to protect ballot integrity. In 2020, unelected bureaucrats attempted to freelance voting laws in direct contravention with the written law — an action that ultimately resulted in uneven application of voting laws across the 67 counties. I believe that a recent state Supreme Court ruling on the matter points us in the right direction, but we must make certain that the state’s constitutional mandate that election laws remain the responsibility of the elected legislature is followed. Rather than another layer of law, we should follow the one we have already enacted.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022, there have been discussions in state capitals across the country about whether to limit abortion access or expand it. What changes, if any, would you favor to the state's current abortion laws?
I support the same common-sense law that has been on the books since 1982 and would not vote for a ban on abortion in Pennsylvania.
Nicole Ruscitto
Nicole Ruscitto is a public educator who entered local politics in 2019. She says 27 years of teaching experience taught her how policies in Harrisburg impact students and their families. Her priorities include public school funding, job creation and community advocacy, according to her campaign website.
Party: Democratic
Place of residence: Jefferson Hills, Allegheny County
Education: Bachelor's in elementary education, California University of Pennsylvania; masters in secondary education for social studies and history, Duquesne University
Current occupation: Public school teacher
Related experience: Jefferson Hills Borough Council (2019-2023)
Supporters/endorsements: Pennsylvania chapter of the AFL-CIO; state labor and teachers unions, including PSEA and SEIU; EMILYs List; Clean Water Action
Links: Website | Facebook | X
Total fundraising (reported as of 10/1/24):
Total raised (2024): $161,675.07
Total spent (2024): $41,307.75
WESA Candidate Survey
State policies can help determine the health of the local economy — by adjusting tax rates, imposing or relaxing regulations, and so on. What policies do you think Harrisburg should pursue to improve the state’s economic performance?
Harrisburg should provide tax incentives to encourage job creation, particularly in industries like clean energy, while also supporting small businesses and expanding access to job training. When families have more disposable income, it drives economic growth — whether through dining out, home improvements, purchasing homes, or buying cars. By ensuring that hardworking Pennsylvanians have access to good-paying jobs, we can strengthen our economy and create a more prosperous future for everyone.
Pennsylvania’s approach to education funding, which relies heavily on local property taxes, has long been criticized for burdening homeowners and for creating gaps between rich and poor communities. What should the legislature do to address those concerns, and are there other reforms you think are needed to improve the education students receive?
It’s crucial that Harrisburg enacts policies to alleviate the burden local property taxes place on homeowners. We must fully implement the fair funding formula, as mandated by the PA Supreme Court, to guarantee that every student in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to succeed. Additionally, the legislature must put an end to the siphoning of public dollars away from our public schools and into unaccountable, unregulated private or charter institutions. Every child deserves access to high-quality education, and by investing in our public schools — rather than diverting funds — we can expand critical programs and ensure all students receive the opportunities they deserve.
Nearby states have legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana, and there have been proposals to do so in Pennsylvania, possibly through new distributors or through existing state stores or medical marijuana dispensaries. Do you support legalization, and if so, who should be allowed to sell the product?
Pennsylvania should follow the lead of neighboring states by legalizing adult-use marijuana. This would allow the state to regulate and tax it, generating much-needed revenue to invest in infrastructure, education, and other essential services. We lag behind our neighbors in setting up a safe, well-regulated market and I’d support the creation of one and am open to learning more about the different possible models — with strict guardrails in place to protect kids and prevent underage access.
Arguments over voting provisions — such as mail-in balloting, “drop boxes” and voter verification requirements — have become a part of the electoral landscape. How well do you think our election systems work now, and what, if any, changes to our state voting laws would you support?
Thanks to our existing infrastructure and elections officials, Pennsylvania's voting system is safe and secure and more accessible than ever, but there’s still more that we can do. We should expand the use of drop boxes, implement more early voting sites, and make it even easier to participate in our process with open primaries and same-day registration. Every eligible voter should be casting a ballot twice a year, and we should do as much as possible to foster strong participation.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022, there have been discussions in state capitals across the country about whether to limit abortion access or expand it. What changes, if any, would you favor to the state's current abortion laws?
I am firmly committed to expanding reproductive rights and access to women's health care. A woman’s health care choices should be between her and her doctor — bottom line. I support Pennsylvania’s current abortion laws, but I would support removing the onerous hurdles that the Abortion Control Act puts on access to abortions. It is essential that reproductive health care remains not just legal in Pennsylvania, but also accessible to all.
