By Beth David, Editor
With 16.6% of the voters in Acushnet, and about 18% of the voters in Fairhaven showing up to the polls, the two towns mostly aligned with the rest of the state in the primary election on Tuesday, 9/4.
In an upset close to home, 30-year state Representative Robert Koczera lost his seat to newcomer Christopher Hendricks in the 11th District, which includes Acushnet and parts of New Bedford.
In New Bedford, Hendricks beat out the incumbent 690 to 681; in Acushnet voters chose Hendricks 355 to 339.
Republican Governor Charlie Baker easily beat challenger Scott Lively statewide to face Democrat Jay Gonzalez in November.
In Acushnet, voters squeaked out a win for Baker, 257 to 247 for Lively; in Fairhaven Lively beat out Baker, 424 to 407.
On the Democratic side, Acushnet chose Jay Gonzalez to face Baker, over Bob Massie, 346 to 186. In Fairhaven, Democrats agreed that Gonzalez would be their candidate with 598 votes for him and 311 for Massie.
For Lt. Governor, incumbent Karen Polito (R) was unopposed in the primary. She will face Democrat Quentin Palfrey. Acushnet voters agreed with that choice, with 362 for Palfrey and 178 for Jimmy Tingle. In Fairhaven, voters concurred, giving 561 votes to Palfrey and 357 to Tingle.
Secretary of State William F. Galvin (D) fended off a challenge by Josh Zakim and will face Republicatn Anthony Amore in November. In Acushnet, Democratic voters chose Glavin over Zakim 486 to 166. In Fairhaven, voters chose Galvin 822 to 308.
US Representative in Congress Bill Keating also fended off a primary challenge, beating Bill Cimbrelo. In Acushnet, voters chose Keating 532 to 113. In Fairhaven Keating also won big, receiving 937 votes to Cimbrelo’s 190.
In the general election, Keating will face Republican Peter Tedeschi, who did not have a primary challenger.
For County Commissioner, John Saunders easily beat out challenger Frank Durant. In Acushnet, Saunders received 517 to Durant’s 129. In Fairhaven, the count was 880 for Saunders and 200 for Durant. Saunders faces D. Rosa in the general election.
Incumbent Attorney General Maura Healey did not have a primary challenger. She will face Republican James McMahon, III, who won the nomination over Daniel Shores. In Acushnet, McMahon received 325 votes to 126 for Shores. In Fairhaven, McMahon received 546 with Shores receiving 185.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren did not face a challenger in the Democratic primary. She will square off against Republican Geoff Diehl in the general election in November, and the contrast is as stark as it gets. Diehl ran Donald Trump’s campaign in Massachusetts; Warren is regularly singled out and targeted by Trump.
In Acushnet, voters agreed with the Republican statewide choice by a wide margin, with 304 for Diehl, 120 for John Kingston, and 66 for Beth Joyce Lindstrom. In Fairhaven, voters also chose Diehl, with 540 votes to Kingston’s 172 and Lindstrom’s 99.
In a race that was closely watched nationwide, Ayanna Pressley defeated 10-term incumbent Mike Capuano for a seat in Congress as the US Representative in the 7th Congressional District, which includes parts of Boston, Somerville, Randolph and Everett.
The stunning upset puts Pressley, 44, in the seat since there is no Republican candidate. She will be the first African American from Mass. to serve in Congress.
Other primary races on the local ballots were uncontested. The general election is November 6.
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