New faces challenge sitting DAs across four Mass. counties
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Massachusetts district attorney races in 2026 are pulling in fresh faces and familiar names, with contested races in four counties testing whether voters want change in local prosecutions.
Why it matters: These races will decide how prosecutors approach criminal diversion, police accountability and victim advocacy for the remainder of the decade.
- They will also test whether voters still want progressive reformers in some of the state's top law enforcement positions.
In Suffolk County, incumbent Kevin Hayden faces a three-way primary against former DA Rachael Rollins and newcomer Linda Champion.
- Hayden is still dealing with the political fallout from a State Ethics Commission fine tied to his 2022 campaign conduct.
- Rollins is banking that her old coalition of voters will still show up for her after her resignation as U.S. attorney.
- Champion, meanwhile, has picked up major police union endorsements that Hayden lost.
In Middlesex, 2025 Prosecutor of the Year David Solet is challenging longtime DA Marian Ryan, arguing she relies on outdated tactics to run a throwback DA's office.
- Solet is pointing to a steep drop in gun-trafficking convictions despite hundreds of illegal firearms being recovered annually. He's also pointing to a 71% dismissal rate on OUI-drug cases.
- He's pledging a dedicated crime gun unit and tougher pretrial detention rules for child-rape suspects.
- Ryan is defending her record as a "proven progressive," touting cash-bail reform for low-level offenses, juvenile and drug diversion programs, and her refusal to back mandatory minimums.
In Norfolk, a seven-candidate Democratic field is running to replace retiring DA Michael Morrissey.
- The race comes amid fallout from the Karen Read case and the Sandra Birchmore investigation.
- The sensational murder cases raised questions about how the office handles law enforcement misconduct.
- An independent bid from Joe Pagliarulo may also complicate the general election.
In Bristol, Democrat Chris Markey, a state representative and former assistant district attorney, may face a general-election threat from Republican challenger Seth Aitken, endangering Democrats' hold on a county they've controlled for 50 years.
Between the lines: A Republican win in Bristol isn't a far-flung scenario for an area that's seen the GOP perform better each cycle in the Trump era.
What we're watching: The ACLU's "What a Difference a DA Makes" campaign has spent years spotlighting how much discretion DAs actually hold over sentencing and diversion.
- The ACLU's efforts and those of other third parties could sway turnout in these primaries.
The bottom line: Every eastern Massachusetts county's race turns on a version of the same question: Do voters want continuity or a reset in how justice gets prosecuted?