Contested primaries for the state legislature, Governor’s Council, Congress, and Senate
This overview covers contested primaries for State Representative, State Senate, Governor’s Council, U.S. Congress, and U.S. Senate on September 3, 2024.
| office | Races | Incumbent Primaries | Dem. Primaries | GOP Primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Representative | 160 | 15 | 22 | 5 |
| State Senate | 40 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| Governor's Council | 8 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Representative in Congress | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Senator in Congress | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
There are a fifteen races where a sitting incumbent State Representative is being challenged by someone from their own party and eleven races where the current State Representative is not running and their is at least one party primary. These are pretty big numbers is both categories from a historical perspective.
Incumbent Primaries
There are thirteen Democratic incumbent challenges and two Republican incumbent challenges—fifteen in all.
| State Representative - Sixteenth Essex Incumbent Francisco E. Paulino (D-Methuen) - Former State Rep Devers lost to incumbent Paulino by 161 votes in the 2022 primary after 2021 redistricting |
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|---|---|---|
| Incumbent | Francisco E. Paulino (D-Methuen) | Current State Representative |
| Marcos A. Devers (D-Lawrence) | Former State Representative, Mayor, Council President | |
| State Representative - Eleventh Hampden Incumbent Bud L. Williams (D-Springfield) - McKnight ran for Springfield mayor in 2015 and draws distinctions with Wiilliams on women’s reproductive rights |
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| Incumbent | Bud L. Williams (D-Springfield) | |
| Johnnie Rs Mcknight (D-Springfield) | ||
| State Representative - Fifth Middlesex Incumbent David Paul Linsky (D-Natick) - Jaymin Patel ran and lost against incumbent Linsky in the 2020 primary |
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| Incumbent | David Paul Linsky (D-Natick) | Candidate for Re-nomination; Former Assistant District Attorney |
| Jaymin A. Patel (D-Natick) | ||
| State Representative - Seventh Middlesex Incumbent Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham) - First-time candidate Phelps hopes to unseat 4-term incumbent Lewis |
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| Incumbent | Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham) | Candidate for Re-nomination; Current State Representative |
| Carlton I. Phelps, Jr. (D-Ashland) | ||
| State Representative - Ninth Middlesex Incumbent Thomas M. Stanley (D-Waltham) - May, Chair of the Waltham Dem. City Committee, hopes to unseat 12-term incumbent Stanley |
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| Incumbent | Thomas M. Stanley (D-Waltham) | Candidate for Re-nomination |
| Heather A. May (D-Waltham) | ||
| State Representative - Eighteenth Middlesex Incumbent Rady Mom (D-Lowell) - Hong lost to Mom by only 56 votes in 2022 Democratic primary |
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| Incumbent | Rady Mom (D-Lowell) | Current State Representative |
| Tara Hong (D-Lowell) | ||
| Andrew W. Kollar (D-Lowell) | ||
| State Representative - Twenty-Fifth Middlesex Incumbent Marjorie C. Decker (D-Cambridge) - One of two progressive Cambridge lawmakers facing a challenge from the left |
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| Incumbent | Marjorie C. Decker (D-Cambridge) | Current State Representative |
| Evan Mackay (D-Cambridge) | ||
| State Representative - Twenty-Seventh Middlesex Incumbent Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) - One of two progressive Cambridge lawmakers facing a challenge from the left |
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| Incumbent | Erika Uyterhoeven (D-Somerville) | Candidate for Re-nomination |
| Kathleen M. Hornby (D-Somerville) | ||
| State Representative - Twenty-Eighth Middlesex Incumbent Joseph W. Mcgonagle (D-Everett) - City Councilor Marchese lost in a similar challenge in 2022, also 1998 and 1990 |
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| Incumbent | Joseph W. Mcgonagle (D-Everett) | Current State Representative |
| Michael K. Marchese (D-Everett) | ||
| State Representative - Thirty-Fifth Middlesex Incumbent Paul J. Donato (D-Medford) - Mossalam lost to incumbent Donato by only 50 votes in 2022 |
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| Incumbent | Paul J. Donato (D-Medford) | Candidate for Re-nomination |
| Nichole Dawn Mossalam (D-Malden) | ||
| Zayda Ortiz (D-Malden) | ||
| State Representative - Eleventh Plymouth Incumbent Rita A. Mendes (D-Brockton) - Fontaine ran as an Unenrolled candidate in the last 2022 general election won by Mendes, now challenging in the Dem. Primary |
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| Incumbent | Rita A. Mendes (D-Brockton) | Current State Representative; Former Councilor at-Large |
| Fred Fontaine (D-Brockton) | ||
| State Representative - Sixth Suffolk Incumbent Russell E. Holmes (D-Boston) - Previous challenger Hardaway is joined by Adams and previous Nick Collins challenger Pierce |
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| Incumbent | Russell E. Holmes (D-Boston) | Current State Representative |
| Haris H. Hardaway (D-Boston) | ||
| Samuel Pierce (D-Boston) | ||
| State Representative - Eighth Suffolk Incumbent Jay D. Livingstone (D-Boston) - Graf is running an issue candidacy on a disability bil sent to study by a committee Livingstone chairs;, Linardin has run for State Rep and City Council before |
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| Incumbent | Jay D. Livingstone (D-Boston) | Current State Representative |
| Lisa Jeanne Graf (D-Boston) | ||
| Kelechi Linardon (D-Boston) | ||
| State Representative - Second Plymouth Incumbent Susan Williams-Gifford (R-Wareham) - Gaskey campaigning against social teachings in public schools |
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| Incumbent | Susan Williams-Gifford (R-Wareham) | Candidate for Re-nomination |
| John Robert Gaskey (R-Carver) | ||
| State Representative - Seventh Worcester Incumbent Paul K. Frost (R-Auburn) - Frigon is know for advocacy against vaccine mandates |
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| Incumbent | Paul K. Frost (R-Auburn) | Candidate for Re-nomination |
| Michelle L. Frigon (R-Millbury) | ||
Open Seat Primaries
| State Representative - Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Incumbent Dylan A. Fernandes (D-Falmouth) - is running for the Plymouth and Barnstable State Senate seat |
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|---|---|---|
| Arielle Reid Faria (D-West Tisbury) | ||
| Thomas W. Moakley (D-Falmouth) | Former Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney | |
| State Representative - Third Berkshire Incumbent William “Smitty” Pignatelli (D-Lenox) - is retiring |
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| Leigh Susan Davis (D-Great Barrington) | Great Barrington Selectboard Member | |
| Jamie M. Minacci (D-Stockbridge) | Current Select Board Member | |
| Patrick Thomas White (D-Stockbridge) | Select Board Member | |
| State Representative - First Bristol Incumbent Fred Jay Barrows (R-Mansfield) - is retiring |
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| Kostas Loukos (D-Mansfield) | Former Town Moderator | |
| David R. Martin (D-Mansfield) | ||
| Michael E. Toole (D-Norton) | Board of Assessors Member; Former Select Board Member | |
| State Representative - Eleventh Essex Incumbent Peter L. Capano (D-Lynn) - is not running |
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| Hong L. Net (D-Lynn) | Current City Councilor | |
| Sean Reid (D-Lynn) | Current School Committee Member | |
| State Representative - Eleventh Middlesex Incumbent Kay S. Khan (D-Newton) - is retiring |
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| Alexander Jablon (D-Newton) | ||
| Amy Mah Sangiolo (D-Newton) | Former City Councilor | |
| State Representative - Twelfth Middlesex Incumbent Ruth B. Balser (D-Newton) - is retiring |
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| Bill Humphrey (D-Newton) | City Councilor | |
| Rick Lipof (D-Newton) | Current Newton City Councilor at-Large | |
| Greg Schwartz (D-Newton) | Former Newton City Councilor at-Large | |
| State Representative - Seventh Norfolk Incumbent William J. Driscoll, Jr (D-Milton) - is running for the Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol State Senate seat |
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| Christos Alexopoulos (D-Randolph) | Randolph Town Councilor | |
| Tony King (D-Milton) | ||
| Richard Gerard Wells, Jr. (D-Milton) | Current Member, Milton Select Board | |
| State Representative - Thirteenth Norfolk Incumbent Denise C. Garlick (D-Needham) - is retiring |
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| Patrick A. Gatto (D-Needham) | ||
| Kenneth J. Ruetenik (D-Needham) | ||
| Joshua Tarsky (D-Needham) | Veteran | |
| State Representative - First Plymouth Incumbent Mathew J. Muratore (R-Plymouth) - is not running |
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| Michelle L. Badger (D-Plymouth) | ||
| Arthur Thomas Desloges (D-Plymouth) | Town Meeting Member | |
| Scott Francis Hokanson, Sr. (D-Plymouth) | ||
| Stephen Michael Palmer (D-Plymouth) | Plymouth Redevelopment Authority Commissioner | |
| Jesse G. Brown (R-Plymouth) | Veteran | |
| Dee Wallace Spencer (R-Plymouth) | Former Town Meeting Member | |
| State Representative - Tenth Bristol Incumbent William M. Straus (D-Mattapoisett) - is not running |
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| Robert S. Mcconnell (R-Fairhaven) | Fairhaven Town Meeting Member | |
| Joseph M. Pires (R-Rochester) | Current School Committee Member | |
| State Representative - Sixth Plymouth Incumbent Josh S. Cutler (D-Duxbury) - has been named Undersecretary of Apprenticeship, Work-Based Learning, and Policy by Governor Healey |
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| Jane L. Cournan (R-Pembroke) | ||
| Kenneth Peter Sweezey (R-Pembroke) | ||
Incumbent State Senators Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford), Adam Gomez (D-Springfield), and Nick Collins (D-Boston) all face primary challengers. State Representative Bill Driscoll (D-Milton) is running for the Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol seat held by retiring Senator Walter Timilty (D-Milton).
Incumbent Primaries
| State Senate - Second Bristol and Plymouth Incumbent Mark C. Montigny (D-New Bedford) - Montigny has a campaign account with over $700K while challenger Kivi has not raised or spent campaign money |
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|---|---|---|
| Incumbent | Mark C. Montigny (D-New Bedford) | Candidate for Re-nomination; Current State Senator |
| Molly Kivi (D-New Bedford) | ||
| State Senate - Hampden Incumbent Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) - Two-term incumbent Gomez is being challenged by city councilor and Rep. Bud Williams aide Malo Brown |
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| Incumbent | Adam Gomez (D-Springfield) | Candidate for Re-nomination; State Senator |
| Malo L. Brown (D-Springfield) | Current City Councilor | |
| State Senate - First Suffolk Incumbent Nicholas P. Collins (D-Boston) - Community Organizer Skeens has raised a little over $1,000 in his bid to oust Collins |
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| Incumbent | Nicholas P. Collins (D-Boston) | Current State Senator |
| Juwan Khiry Skeens (D-Boston) | ||
Open Seat Primaries
| State Senate - Third Bristol and Plymouth Incumbent Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton) - is working on the new Transatlantic Climate Alliance |
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| Joseph Richard Pacheco (D-Raynham) | ||
| Barry Christopher Sanders (D-Taunton) | Taunton City Councilor | |
| State Senate - Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol Incumbent Walter F. Timilty, Jr. (D-Milton) - is running for Norfolk County Clerk of Courts |
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| Erin G. Bradley (D-Milton) | Current Select Board Member, Milton | |
| Kathleen Crogan-Camara (D-Randolph) | ||
| William J. Driscoll, Jr. (D-Milton) | Current State Representative | |
| State Senate - Plymouth and Barnstable Incumbent Susan Lynn Moran (D-Falmouth) - is running for Barnstable County Clerk of Courts |
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| Kari Macrae (R-Bourne) | Current School Committee Member | |
| Mathew J. Muratore (R-Plymouth) | ||
There are two incumbent primary challenges and an open seat for the
Governor’s Council. Mara Dolan stands a very good chance of unseating
Devaney who has held the seat for 25 years.
| Governor’s Council - Second Incumbent Robert L. Jubinville (D-Milton) - was appointed as Clerk Magistrate of Framingham District Court |
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|---|---|---|
| Tamisha L. Civil (D-Stoughton) | Current Town Meeting Member | |
| Muriel Elaine Kramer (D-Hopkinton) | Former Hopkinton Selectboard Member; Veteran | |
| Sean Murphy (D-Bridgewater) | Veteran | |
| David S. Reservitz (D-Needham) | ||
| Governor’s Council - Third Incumbent Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney (D-Watertown) - Dolan is getting grassroots and mainstream party support in her aggressive campaign to unseat 25-year incumbent Devaney |
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| Incumbent | Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney (D-Watertown) | Current Governor's Councillor; Candidate for Re-nomination |
| Mara Dolan (D-Concord) | ||
| Governor’s Council - Fourth Incumbent Christopher A. Iannella, Jr. (D-Boston) - 30-year Brockton incumbent Iannella faces two challengers but has a sizeable fundraising advantage |
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| Incumbent | Christopher A. Iannella, Jr. (D-Boston) | Present Governor's Councillor |
| Stacey K. Borden (D-Boston) | ||
| Ronald Primo Iacobucci (D-Quincy) | ||
Unlike the State Representative, State Senate, and Governor’s Council races, the primary race for the Eighth Congressional seat represented by Stephen Lynch is not an incumbent challenge or for an open seat, but rather to determine the Republican to face Lynch in the general election. None of the GOP challengers seem to be taking this race seriously and only Govatsos has raised any money—less than $5,000.
| Representative in Congress - Eighth Incumbent Stephen F. Lynch (D-Boston) - Only Gavatsos has done any fundraising or campaigning for this primary |
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| Robert G. Burke (R-Dedham) | ||
| James M. Govatsos (R-Walpole) | ||
| Daniel Kelly (R-Boston) | ||
There are also three Republicans vying for the GOP nomination to face Senator Elizabeth Warren in the November 5 general election. John Deaton (R-Swansea) has raised close to a half a million dollars, but has less-than-stellar chance against Elizabeth Warren if he is the Republican who makes it to the general.
| Senator in Congress - Statewide Incumbent Elizabeth Ann Warren (D-Cambridge) - Cryptocurrency advocate Dean has had the highest profile and done the most fundraising, followed by Cain, while Antonellis has not made much of an effort |
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| Robert J. Antonellis (R-Medford) | ||
| Ian Cain (R-Quincy) | Current Quincy City Councilor | |
| John Deaton (R-Swansea) | Veteran; Former Special Assistant United States Attorney | |