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Primaries Set Stage For Fall Races In Mass.
The stage is set for the fall campaign in November after primary elections in redrawn congressional districts that saw victories for several Democratic incumbents, as well as a member of the Kennedy family making his first bid for public office.
Thursday's primaries were the first under a new Massachusetts political map which reflects the loss of one of the state's 10 seats in the U.S. House due to population shifts.
Turnout was mostly light, in part due the absence of any contested statewide primaries. The state's marquee race in November pits Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown against Democrat Elizabeth Warren, but neither faced opponents in their respective primaries.
4th District
Joseph Kennedy III, the 31-year-old son of former U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II and grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy, overwhelmed two other Democrats to win the Democratic nomination in the 4th district, where longtime Rep. Barney Frank is retiring.
Unofficial returns gave Kennedy more than 90 percent of the vote.
"I promise that no one will work harder than our campaign to earn every vote," Kennedy said in a statement Thursday night. "I look forward to having a real conversation over the next two months about the issues that matter to the people of the 4th."
Kennedy in November will face Sean Bielat, who won a three-way Republican primary in the district that stretches from the Boston suburbs of Newton and Brookline to the southeastern Massachusetts cities of Taunton, Attleboro and Fall River.
"For us, this is going to be very much an outreach campaign, knocking on doors," said Bielat, who ran unsuccessfully against Frank two years ago.
9th District
Freshman U.S. Rep. William Keating turned back a challenge from Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter in the Democratic primary in the reconfigured 9th district.
Keating said he was happy with his win, but not taking anything for granted in November.
"We're shifting right into gear. We're back to work on Monday. It's all centered on moving the economy forward," he said.
Republicans Christopher Sheldon of Plymouth and Adam Chaprales of Barnstable were locked in a close race in the 9th district, which includes Cape Cod and much of the South Shore. The winner will face Keating.
2nd District
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, of Springfield, appeared headed for a 13th term in the House after defeating two challengers in the redrawn 1st district encompassing much of western Massachusetts. There are no Republicans running in the district.
Neal represents the current 2nd district. Democratic U.S. Rep. John Olver, who has represented the current 1st district since 1991, is retiring at the end of this term.
Other Races, Districts
U.S. Rep. James McGovern, of Worcester, the other only incumbent who faced a primary challenge, easily defeated Worcester resident William Feegbeh and does not have a Republican opponent in November.
Neither candidate in what could be the most hotly contested November congressional race in Massachusetts faced primary opposition on Thursday. Incumbent Democrat John Tierney of Salem and Richard Tisei, a former state senator and the 2010 Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, have already been sparring for months in the 6th district.
Thursday's results set up several other November congressional races in Massachusetts.
- In the 3rd Congressional District, Carlisle businessman Jon Golnick defeated Tom Westford in the GOP primary to earn a rematch with incumbent Rep. Niki Tsongas, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
- U.S Rep. Edward Markey, the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, was unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face Tom Tierney, of Framingham, who won a three-way Republican primary.
- In the 8th district, Joe Selvaggi, a Boston resident, defeated Matt Temperley of Quincy for the Republican nomination to face Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, who was not challenged in the primary.
Complete State Primary Results:
U.S. House - District 1
Richard Neal (i), DemU.S. House - District 2
Jim McGovern (i), DemU.S. House - District 3
Jon Golnik, GOPU.S. House - District 4
Joe Kennedy, Dem
U.S. House - District 4
Sean Bielat, GOPU.S. House - District 5
Tom Tierney, GOPU.S. House - District 8
Joe Selvaggi, GOPU.S. House - District 9
Bill Keating (i), DemGovernor's Council - District 4
Christopher Iannella (i), DemGovernor's Council - District 5
Eileen Duff, DemGovernor's Council - District 6
Terrence Kennedy (i), DemState Senate - 1st Bristol & Plymouth
Michael Rodrigues (i), DemState Senate - 1st Essex
Kathleen Ives, Dem
State Senate - 1st Essex
Shaun Toohey, GOPState Senate - Hampden
James Welch (i), DemState Senate - 3rd Middlesex
Sandi Martinez, GOPState Senate - Plymouth & Barnstable
Therese Murray (i), DemState Senate - Plymouth & Norfolk
Genevieve Davis, DemState Senate - 2nd Suffolk
Sonia Chang-Diaz (i), DemState House - 2nd Barnstable
Brian Mannal, DemState House - 2nd Bristol
Paul Heroux, DemState House - 10th Bristol
William Straus (i), DemState House - 14th Essex
Diana DiZoglio, DemState House - 16th Essex
Marcos Devers (i), DemState House - 2nd Franklin
Denise Andrews (i), DemState House - 2nd Hampden
Marie Angelides, GOPState House - 5th Hampden
Aaron Vega, DemState House - 9th Hampden
Sean Curran (i), DemState House - 4th Middlesex
Danielle Gregoire, DemState House - 13th Middlesex
Thomas Conroy (i), DemState House - 25th Middlesex
Marjorie Decker, DemState House - 27th Middlesex
Denise Provost (i), DemState House - 31st Middlesex
Jason Lewis (i), DemState House - 36th Middlesex
Cathy Richardson, GOPState House - 10th Norfolk
Jeffrey Roy, Dem
State House - 10th Norfolk
Richard Eustis, GOPState House - 14th Norfolk
Alice Peisch (i), DemState House - 7th Suffolk
Gloria Fox (i), DemState House - 14th Suffolk
Angelo Scaccia (i), DemState House - 2nd Worcester
Richard Bastien (i), GOPClerk of Courts - Franklin
Susan Emond, DemClerk of Courts - Suffolk Civil
Michael Donovan (i), Dem
Clerk of Courts - Suffolk Criminal
Maura Hennigan (i), DemRegister of Deeds - Berkshire Middle
Patsy Harris, DemRegister of Deeds - Essex Northern
Paul Iannuccillo, DemRegister of Deeds - Franklin
Scott Cote, Dem
This program aired on September 7, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.