Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2014

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Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2014

Majority control • Qualifications

List of candidates Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin District • Bristol and Norfolk District • First Bristol and Plymouth District • Second Bristol and Plymouth District • Cape and Islands District • First Essex District • Second Essex District • First Essex and Middlesex District • Second Essex and Middlesex District • Third Essex and Middlesex District • Hampden District • First Hampden and Hampshire District • Second Hampden and Hampshire District • Hampshire and Franklin District • First Middlesex District • Second Middlesex District • Third Middlesex District • Fourth Middlesex District • Middlesex and Essex District • First Middlesex and Norfolk District • Second Middlesex and Norfolk District • Middlesex and Worcester District • Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex District • Norfolk and Plymouth District • Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District • Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District • Plymouth and Barnstable District • First Plymouth and Bristol District • Second Plymouth and Bristol District • Plymouth and Norfolk District • First Suffolk District • Second Suffolk District • First Suffolk and Middlesex District • Second Suffolk and Middlesex District • Suffolk and Norfolk District • First Worcester District • Second Worcester District • Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin District • Worcester and Middlesex District • Worcester and Norfolk Worcester District

State Legislative Election Results

Massachusetts State Senate • 2014 Massachusetts House Elections

State legislative elections in 2014

Elections for the Massachusetts State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election was held on September 9, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014.

Following the general election, there was no change to the majority control of the Massachusetts State Senate. The Republican Party chipped away at the Democratic Party's control of the chamber, but the latter party maintained a sizable advantage. The Democrats fell from 36 to 34 seats, while the Republicans picked up those two seats to increase their seats from four to six.

Incumbents retiring

A total of four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2014. Those incumbents were:

Name	Party	Current Office
Barry Finegold	Democratic	Senate, Second Essex and Middlesex
Gale Candaras	Democratic	Senate, First Hampden and Hampshire
Therese Murray	Democratic	Senate, Plymouth and Barnstable
Stephen Brewer	Democratic	Senate, Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

Majority control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 4 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Massachusetts State Senate:

Massachusetts State Senate
Party		As of November 3, 2014	After November 4, 2014
	Democratic Party	36	34
	Republican Party	4	6
Total		40	40

Qualifications

Article LXXI of the Massachusetts Constitution states: Every representative, for one year at least immediately preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen and shall cease to represent such district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the commonwealth.

2014 Competitiveness Overview
Primary competition (state comparison)
Incumbents defeated • Victorious challengers • Primary competitiveness
Major party challengers (state comparison)
Candidates with no challenges at all in 2014
Open seats (state comparisons)
Impact of term limits on # of open seats Long-serving senators • Long-serving reps
Chart Comparing 2014 Results
Chart Comparing 2014 Results • Comparisons Between Years
Competitiveness Index • Absolute Index
2014 State Legislative Elections State legislative incumbent turnover in 2014
Competitiveness Studies from Other Years
2007 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013

Competitiveness

Candidates unopposed by a major party

In 20 of the 40 districts up for election in 2014, one major party candidate ran unopposed in the general election. A total of 18 Democrats and two Republicans were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.

Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 20 of the 40 districts up for election. No Senate districts held competitive or mildly competitive elections in 2012.

Primary challenges

A total of three incumbents, all Democrats, faced primary competition on September 9. Four incumbents did not seek re-election and another 33 incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition. Incumbents facing opposition included:

• First Essex District: Incumbent Kathleen O'Connor Ives defeated Jessica Finocchiaro in the Democratic primary.
• Second Suffolk District: Incumbent Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz defeated Roy Owens in the Democratic primary.
• First Worcester District: Incumbent Harriette Chandler defeated William Feegbeh and Sean Maher in the Democratic primary.

Retiring incumbents

Four incumbent senators did not run for re-election, while 36 incumbents (90.0%) ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, all Democrats, can be found above.

List of candidates

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Benjamin Downing a - Incumbent Downing first assumed office in 2007.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

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Benjamin Downing: 40,795

Bristol & Norfolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• James Timilty a - Incumbent Timilty first assumed office in 2004.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

James Timilty: 38,762

First Bristol & Plymouth District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Michael Rodrigues a - Incumbent Rodrigues first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Derek Maksy a

November 4 General election candidates:

Michael Rodrigues: 26,022

Derek Maksy: 13,787

Second Bristol & Plymouth District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Mark Montigny a - Incumbent Montigny first assumed office in 1993.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Mark Montigny: 29,945

Cape & Islands District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Dan Wolf a - Incumbent Wolf first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Ronald Beaty, Jr.: 5,439 a
• Allen Waters: 4,186

November 4 General election candidates:

Dan Wolf: 46,960

Ronald Beaty, Jr.: 27,902

Allen Waters (write-in): 360

First Essex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Kathleen O'Connor Ives: 9,052 a - Incumbent O'Connor Ives first assumed office in 2013.
• Jessica Finocchiaro: 4,229

September 9 Republican primary:

• Shaun Toohey a

November 4 General election candidates:

Kathleen O'Connor Ives: 30,107

Shaun Toohey: 25,830

Second Essex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Joan B. Lovely a - Incumbent Lovely first assumed office in 2013.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Joan B. Lovely: 44,386

Third Essex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Thomas McGee a - Incumbent McGee first assumed office in 2002.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Thomas McGee: 39,528

First Essex & Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Bruce Tarr a - Incumbent Tarr first assumed office in 1995.

November 4 General election candidates:

Bruce Tarr: 57,641

Second Essex & Middlesex District

Note: Incumbent Barry Finegold (D) ran for state Treasurer.

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Barbara L'Italien: 6,757 a
• Pavel Payano: 4,541
• Doris Rodriguez: 1,306

September 9 Republican primary:

• Alex Vispoli a

November 4 General election candidates:

Barbara L'Italien: 24,559

Alex Vispoli: 21,529

Hampden District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• James Welch a - Incumbent Welch first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

James Welch: 25,271

First Hampden & Hampshire District

Note: Incumbent Gale Candaras (D) did not run for re-election.

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Timothy Allen: 5,182
• James Harrington: 4,189
• Thomas Lachiusa: 430
• Eric Lesser: 5,374 a
• Aaron Saunders: 1,406

September 9 Republican primary:

• Debra Boronski a

Independent candidate:

• Michael Franco

November 4 General election candidates:

Eric Lesser: 28,153

Debra Boronski: 24,964

Michael Franco (America First): 2,705

Second Hampden & Hampshire District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Christopher Hopewell: 2,716
• Patrick Leahy: 6,589 a

September 9 Republican primary:

• Donald Humason, Jr. a - Incumbent Humason first assumed office in 2013.

November 4 General election candidates:

Patrick Leahy: 21,275

Donald Humason, Jr.: 27,817

Hampshire, Franklin & Worcester District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Stanley Rosenberg a - Incumbent Rosenberg first assumed office in 1991.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Stanley Rosenberg: 44,012

First Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Eileen Donoghue a - Incumbent Donoghue first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Eileen Donoghue: 32,835

Second Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Patricia Jehlen a - Incumbent Jehlen first assumed office in 2005.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Robert Cappucci, Jr. a

November 4 General election candidates:

Patricia Jehlen: 41,685

Robert Cappucci, Jr.: 13,406

Third Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Mike Barrett a - Incumbent Barrett first assumed office in 2013.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Sandi Martinez a

November 4 General election candidates:

Mike Barrett: 34,750

Sandi Martinez: 23,911

Fourth Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Kenneth Donnelly a - Incumbent Donnelly first assumed office in 2009.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Kenneth Donnelly: 45,974

Fifth Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Jason Lewis a - Incumbent Lewis first assumed office in 2014.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Monica Medeiros a

November 4 General election candidates:

Jason Lewis: 32,143

Monica Medeiros: 24,406

First Middlesex & Norfolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Cynthia Stone Creem a - Incumbent Creem first assumed office in 1999.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Cynthia Stone Creem: 43,655

Second Middlesex & Norfolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Karen Spilka a - Incumbent Spilka first assumed office in 2004.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Karen Spilka: 38,191

Middlesex & Suffolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Sal DiDomenico a - Incumbent DiDomenico first assumed office in 2010.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Sal DiDomenico: 31,575

Middlesex & Worcester District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• James Eldridge a - Incumbent Eldridge first assumed office in 2009.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

Note: Paul Ferro did not gain enough write-in votes to win the nomination.

November 4 General election candidates:

James Eldridge: 45,379

Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Dylan Hayre: 4,710 a
• Sara Lynn Reynolds: 4,434

September 9 Republican primary:

• Richard Ross a - Incumbent Ross first assumed office in 2010.

November 4 General election candidates:

Dylan Hayre: 22,267

Richard Ross: 34,952

Norfolk, Bristol & Plymouth District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Brian Joyce a - Incumbent Joyce first assumed office in 1998.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Brian Joyce: 41,348

Norfolk & Plymouth District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• John Keenan a - Incumbent Keenan first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Leslie Gosule a

November 4 General election candidates:

John Keenan: 32,679

Leslie Gosule: 16,786

Norfolk & Suffolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Michael Rush a - Incumbent Rush first assumed office in 2011.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Michael Rush: 42,954

Plymouth & Barnstable District

Note: Incumbent Therese Murray (D) did not run for re-election.

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Matthew Patrick a

September 9 Republican primary:

• Vinny deMacedo a

Libertarian candidate:

• Heather Mullins

November 4 General election candidates:

Matthew Patrick: 22,053

Vinny deMacedo: 38,250

Heather Mullins: 2,272

First Plymouth & Bristol District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Marc Pacheco a - Incumbent Pacheco first assumed office in 1993.

September 9 Republican primary:

• David Rosa a

November 4 General election candidates:

Marc Pacheco: 31,538

David Rosa: 20,174

Second Plymouth & Bristol District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Thomas Kennedy a - Incumbent Kennedy first assumed office in 2009.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Viola Ryerson a

November 4 General election candidates:

Thomas Kennedy: 29,522

Viola Ryerson: 14,883

Plymouth & Norfolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Robert Hedlund a - Incumbent Hedlund first assumed office in 1990.

November 4 General election candidates:

Robert Hedlund: 55,294

First Suffolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Linda Dorcena Forry a - Incumbent Forry first assumed office in 2013.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

Independent candidate:

• Robert Powers

November 4 General election candidates:

Linda Dorcena Forry: 32,298

Robert Powers: 6,119

Second Suffolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 10,900 a - Incumbent Chang-Diaz first assumed office in 2009.
• Roy Owens: 2,584

September 9 Republican primary:

• David Wyatt a

November 4 General election candidates:

Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 33,742

David Wyatt: 3,733

First Suffolk & Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Anthony Petruccelli a - Incumbent Petruccelli first assumed office in 2007.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Anthony Petruccelli: 30,523

Second Suffolk & Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• William Brownsberger a - Incumbent Brownsberger first assumed office in 2012.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

William Brownsberger: 30,514

First Worcester District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Harriette Chandler: 8,366 a - Incumbent Chandler first assumed office in 2001.
• William Feegbeh: 427
• Sean Maher: 2,351

September 9 Republican primary:

• Paul Franco a

November 4 General election candidates:

Harriette Chandler: 27,576

Paul Franco: 18,179

Second Worcester District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Michael Moore a - Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 2008.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Michael Moore: 37,909

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire & Middlesex District

Note: Incumbent Stephen Brewer (D) did not run for re-election.

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Anne Gobi a

September 9 Republican primary:

• James Ehrhard: 3,104
• Michael Valanzola: 4,601 a

November 4 General election candidates:

Anne Gobi: 27,847

Michael Valanzola: 27,449

Worcester & Middlesex District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• No candidates filed.

Note: Incumbent Jennifer Flanagan did not qualify for the primary due to a filing error; she was placed on the November ballot after mounting a successful sticker campaign. Republican candidate Richard Bastien also found placement through a sticker campaign. Steven Cote and Aaron Arsenault ran write-in campaigns as independents.

September 9 Republican primary:

• No candidates filed.

November 4 General election candidates:

Jennifer Flanagan: 29,133

Richard Bastien: 19,074

Steven Cote (write-in): No votes reported

Aaron Arsenault (write-in): No votes reported

Worcester & Norfolk District

September 9 Democratic primary:

• Richard Moore a - Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 1996.

September 9 Republican primary:

• Ryan Fattman a

November 4 General election candidates:

Richard Moore: 23,662

Ryan Fattman: 29,774

See also

• Massachusetts State Senate
• Massachusetts State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2014

External links

Suggest a link

• Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Return of Votes For Massachusetts State Election November 4, 2014"
• Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Massachusetts 2014 Election"
• Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "2014 State Election Candidates"
• Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "2014 State Primary Candidates"

Footnotes

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Current members of the Massachusetts State Senate

Senators

Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District

Paul Mark (D)

Bristol and Norfolk District

Paul Feeney (D)

Cape and Islands District

Julian Cyr (D)

Hampden District

Adam Gomez (D)

Hampden and Hampshire District

John Velis (D)

Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester District

Jacob Oliveira (D)

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District

Jo Comerford (D)

Middlesex and Norfolk District

Karen Spilka (D)

Middlesex and Suffolk District

Sal DiDomenico (D)

Middlesex and Worcester District

James Eldridge (D)

Norfolk and Middlesex District

Cynthia Creem (D)

Norfolk and Plymouth District

John Keenan (D)

Norfolk and Suffolk District

Michael Rush (D)

Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol District

William Driscoll (D)

Norfolk, Worcester, and Middlesex District

Becca Rausch (D)

Plymouth and Barnstable District

Dylan Fernandes (D)

Suffolk and Middlesex District

William Brownsberger (D)

Worcester and Hampden District

Ryan Fattman (R)

Worcester and Hampshire District

Peter Durant (R)

Worcester and Middlesex District

John Cronin (D)

1st Bristol and Plymouth District

Michael Rodrigues (D)

1st Essex District

Pavel Payano (D)

1st Essex and Middlesex District

Bruce Tarr (R)

1st Middlesex District

Edward Kennedy (D)

1st Plymouth and Norfolk District

Patrick O'Connor (R)

1st Suffolk District

Nick Collins (D)

1st Worcester District

Robyn Kennedy (D)

2nd Bristol and Plymouth District

Mark Montigny (D)

2nd Essex District

Joan Lovely (D)

2nd Essex and Middlesex District

Barry Finegold (D)

2nd Middlesex District

Patricia Jehlen (D)

2nd Plymouth and Norfolk District

Michael Brady (D)

2nd Suffolk District

Liz Miranda (D)

2nd Worcester District

Michael Moore (D)

3rd Bristol and Plymouth District

Kelly Dooner (R)

3rd Essex District

Brendan Crighton (D)

3rd Middlesex District

Mike Barrett (D)

3rd Suffolk District

Lydia Edwards (D)

4th Middlesex District

Cindy Friedman (D)

5th Middlesex District

Jason Lewis (D)

Democratic Party (35)

Republican Party (5)