Q&A #4: Who Wants to Be a Massachusetts State Representative Now?

“Downtown Schools for Boston” asks:

What do we know as of now about the contenders in the special elections to fill the State Representative seats?

Well, we know there are a bunch of them interested.

For the 13th Suffolk—previously occupied by one Martin J. Walsh, who sought and gained other employment—we’ve got Liam Curran, a young attorney; Vietnamese-American MBTA police officer Tony Dang; filmmaker and Emerson lecturer Gene Gorman; another young attorney, Dan Hunt; Savin Hill activist William Lynch;  and P.J. McCann, who is another young attorney. So far. Some are saying that the race is being wired for Hunt, who is politically well-connected, but I wouldn’t take anything for granted in a multiple-split race (all in the Democratic primary) in a still hyper-politicized district.

In the 2nd Suffolk—where Eugene O’Flaherty is leaving to work for the above-named Walsh—Chris Remmes of Chelsea, a realtor, got a head start by launching a campaign before O’Flaherty was known to be leaving. Jack Kelly of Charlestown, fresh off a run for city council, says he’s in. Mike Capuano staffer Dan Ryan, also of Charlestown, looks like he’s in too. Chelsea City Councilors Matt Frank and Leo Robinson are looking at it, as is former Chelsea Councilor Roy Avellaneda. I’ve heard other names too, on both the Charlestown and Chelsea side, but let’s start with those six for now. The big question might be how many strong candidates get in from each side—look for Chelsea to self-narrow its numbers.

Oh, but wait, there’s also a special election coming in the 16th Suffolk, where Kathi-Anne Reinstein is vacating her seat. On this one I’m going to point you to the Revere Journal’s wrap; it sees Reinstein’s chief of staff Roselee Vincent, former city councilor Linda Rosa, and City Councilors Stephen Reardon, Bob Haas, Jessica Giannino on the Revere side; and Housing Authority’s Paul Nowicki and attorney Josh Monahan on the Chelsea side.

I’m not even going to try to get into the special election for state rep out west for Donald Humason’s seat.

Oh and by the way, before a bunch of you chastise me, I know that I’m not using the multiple-L convention that Chelsea and Revere use to spell city councilor. I’m a one-L councilor guy, and you can’t change me.

Read more from today’s Ask Bernstein Anything >>