Primary upsets send a warning to Mass. Democrats
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
A sluggish primary election where only a few elected officials faced challenges turned into something of a warning shot for House members after a lethargic lawmaking session.
Why it matters: Two sitting House members in Lowell and Wareham were defeated at the polls and a veteran progressive Democrat faces a potential recount after a neck-and-neck finish with a democratic socialist challenger.
- With only 16% of lawmakers facing opponents, voters didn't have many choices Tuesday — but in districts where they did, many expressed their dissatisfaction with the status quo.
The intrigue: According to a preliminary vote count, Cambridge Rep. Marjorie Decker lost to graduate student Evan MacKay, a democratic socialist, by just 40 votes, a margin that could trigger a recount.
- Decker chairs the House's public health committee and is a top point-person for Speaker Ron Mariano.
- MacKay's campaign focused on the Legislature's lack of transparency and failure to pass major bills this session. They linked Decker to the House vs. Senate squabbles that prevent progressive laws from passing.
In Lowell, Rep. Rady Mom lost to Democrat Tara Hong in a district at the heart of the city's Cambodian community.
- And a Republican, 11-termer Rep. Susan Gifford, was ousted by partymate John Gaskey from Carver, who attacked Gifford's record from the right.
Flashback: The General Court's 2023–2024 session ended in disarray last month when many of the major pieces of legislation they promised never materialized.
Between the lines: Primary challengers needed to declare a campaign long before the July 31 end of the legislative session, so anyone riled up about the lack of action will have to wait until 2026 run.
The bottom line: The House and Senate feud that kept the Democratic Party's agenda from being fully taken up is still fresh in the minds of voters.
- In some districts where they had a choice, Democrats voted to shake things up on Beacon Hill.