Brady, Fattman Keep Seats: State Senate Results 2018

No one expected today's election to change party control of the Massachusetts State Senate, where Democrats hold a 34-6 majority. But Republicans hoped to flip enough seats -- they needed eight -- to break the Democrats' veto-proof majority.

Races Patch covered Tuesday night included the Second Senate District for Plymouth and Bristol, with incumbent Democratic State Sen. Michael Brady facing off against Republican candidate Scott Hall. Controversy has followed Brady this year after he was arrested in March on drunken driving charges on Route 18 in Weymouth.

John Flores, a fourth-generation Cape Codder and current Barnstable town councilor, looked to unseat Sen. Julian Cyr in the Cape & Islands District.

Republican Ryan Fattman was fighting to hang on to his Worcester and Norfolk District seat against challenger Democrat Thomas Merolli, an assistant treasurer for the town of Mendon, and did just that.

Politico, in a post on "The Democrats coming for the Beacon Hill GOP," called Becca Rausch, who challenged incumbent Republican Richard Ross for the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District Senate seat, "one to watch." But by late Tuesday night, it looked like Ross was going to keep the lead.

Check back with Patch throughout the evening for updates on the following races:

BRISTOL AND NORFOLK DISTRICT

Bernie Sanders fan and Democrat Paul Feeney takes on Republican Jacob Ventura from Attleboro to fill the seat vacated by former state Sen. James Timilty.

Both won in the primary by a clear margin.

"Proud to have earned the endorsement of the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund, Sierra Club and MA Clean Water Action!" wrote Feeney on his Facebook page. "In my first year in office, I stood up for environmental protection, supported investments in climate change adaptation and championed clean energy. This will continue to be a priority for me and our district next term."

• With 38 percent reporting, Feeney leads with 61 percent at 11:45 p.m.

CAPE AND ISLANDS DISTRICT

The incumbent, Democrat Julian Cyr, was elected in 2016 and is the youngest member of the 40-person state senate. During his time in office he has put forth legislation designed to improve affordable housing opportunities for young residents and senior citizens on Cape Cod; extend veterans' privileges to members of the National Guard and reserves; protect against public health risks and more.

Republican Challenger John Flores says he truly understands the "social and economic issues we collectively face on the Cape & Islands."

Read more here.

• With 63 percent reporting, Cyr leads with 59 percent at 10:30 p.m.

FIFTH MIDDLESEX DISTRICT

Democrat Incumbent Jason Lewis challenges Republican Eric Calvo-Bacci. Lewis was elected to the State Senate in 2014 after five years in the state House. Calvo-Bacci is a business owner in Reading.

MIDDLESEX AND WORCESTER DISTRICT

A Harvard Business School graduate who now works as an administrator for the school is trying to unseat the longtime state senator from Acton, who is considered one of the state's most progressive Democrats.

Margaret Busse, a Republican from Acton, is running for the Middlesex & Worcester District Senate seat held by Sen. Jamie Eldridge for the last 10 years.

While both candidates cite education as a pressing concern for the district and the state, Eldridge and Busse emphasize different aspects of the issue. Busse sees the overarching concern as too much governmental intrusion: "Our communities and schools are currently burdened by many unfunded mandates and other regulations."

Eldridge says education should receive more support from the government.
"While the state has increased funding for Chapter 70 education aid over the past 10 years, we need to do more for Special Education Circuit Breaker, regional school transportation and schools, English Language Learner (ELL) students, healthcare costs, and low-income children," he said.

Read more here.

• With 62 percent reporting, Eldridge leads with 63 percent at 11:30 p.m.

NORFOLK, BRISTOL AND MIDDLESEX DISTRICT

In one of the more hotly contested legislative primary races for the Democrats, Rebecca Rausch won 53 percent of the vote, winning the right to take on incumbent Republican Richard Ross for the state senate seat representing Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex. The district includes part or all of Natick, Wayland, Franklin, Wellesley, Millis, Attleboro, Needham, Norfolk, North Attleborough, Plainville, Sherborn and Wrentham.

Rausch, of Needham, graduated with a B.A. from Brandeis University in 2001, received a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law in 2004 and an LL.M from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2011. Rausch is a Town Meeting member since 2017 in Needham. She's been a licensed attorney for 14 years and a law professor for two years.

Ross, who attended American University and the New England School of Anatomy, has owned the RJ Ross Funeral Home for the last 40 years. He's been a state senator since 2010, and previously was a state representative from 2004 to 2010. He was a member of the Wrentham Board of Selectmen from 1999 to 2003.

Read more here.

• Rausch declared the winner.

PLYMOUTH AND BARNSTABLE DISTRICT

Plymouth resident Deb Rudolf is looking to unseat a four-year state senator and 19-year veteran of the State House. Rudolf, a Democrat, is challenging Republican State Sen. Vinny deMacedo for the district, which includes Falmouth and Plymouth.

Rudolf has served as clerk, treasurer and president of First Parish Church in Plymouth, has been a member of the Board of Mass National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MNAELA) and served as the liaison to the Mass Bar Taskforce on Same Sex Marriage.

According to her campaign website, Rudolf promises to work toward a fair fiscal policy that creates opportunities for everyone; help communities and local businesses thrive; and establish education and health care systems that meet the needs of all.

deMacedo, a Cape Verde native, moved to the United States when he was six months old. He lives in Plymouth and has owned and operated RWA Mobil on Rt. 3A in South Plymouth since 1991.

On his campaign website, deMacedo says he is especially concerned about the opioid epidemic in Massachusetts and serves on the Senate'Special Commission on the Opioid Epidemic. He also advocates for making the state more business-friendly and has fought to preserve regional tourism funding.

Read more here.

• With 50 percent reporting, Vinny deMacedo leads with 53 percent at 10 p.m.

PLYMOUTH AND NORFOLK DISTRICT

Sen. Patrick O'Connor of Weymouth, a Republican, challenges Democrat Kati McBrine, a pediatrician from Scituate who lives in Hingham. Independent Stephen Gill, a Navy veteran, is also on the ballot.

• With 23 percent reporting, O'Connor leads with 50 percent of the vote at 11:30 p.m.

SECOND ESSEX AND MIDDLESEX DISTRICT

Barry Finegold gave up his state Senate seat in 2014 to run for the Democratic nomination for Treasurer and Receiver-General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, losing that race to Deb Goldberg. Now Finegold is trying to reclaim that seat representing Andover, Dracut, Lawrence and Tewksbury, which is currently held by Barbara L'Italien, who opted to not run for reelection as she ran an unsuccessful primary campaign for Congress.

Finegold, 47, is a attorney specializing in real estate law. He is a former Andover Selectman and also was a state rep from 1997 to 2011.

Joe Espinola, a retired police officer and chairman of the school committee in Lowell, said on his campaign website, "Like most of you I’m an average working Joe who understands the needs of working middle class families. From health care, education, security and everything in between, I understand all the day-to-day struggles we face. I want to take my life experiences as retired decorated police officer, school committee member, and small business owner and bring some common-sense to Beacon Hill and fight for the rights of taxpayers in Andover, Dracut, Lawrence and Tewksbury."

Read more here.

• With 6 percent reporting, Espinola leads with 52 percent at 11:45 p.m.

SECOND PLYMOUTH AND BRISTOL DISTRICT

The Second Senate District for Plymouth and Bristol features incumbent Democratic State Sen. Michael Brady facing off against Republican candidate Scott Hall.

Before serving in the state senate, Brady was a four-term state representative in the Ninth Plymouth District. Brady is seeking re-election for his third term. The district represents Brockton, parts of Easton, Plympton, Halifax, Hanson, Whitman, Brockton, and parts of East Bridgewater.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Revenue, Brady has worked to provide funding for the district for education, public safety, infrastructure, seniors and veterans, according to a statement from his campaign.

One accomplishment the campaign highlighted was the Champion Plan legislation, which according to Brady's campaign, has created a program that involves local law enforcement helping families with recovery from drug addiction.

Challenger Scott Hall has kept a relatively low profile this election season, not using a Facebook page, or social media to promote his campaign.

His website focuses on cutting costs in public safety and schools by investing in more software that can automate and integrate certain departmental tasks.

"Harnessing the power of predictive analytics and other business intelligence solutions would be most effective towards becoming more proactive and less reactive," his campaign website said.

Read more here.

• With 83 percent reporting, Brady is declared the winner with 73 percent of the vote at 11:50 p.m.

WORCESTER AND NORFOLK DISTRICT

Mendon Democrat Tom Merolli is taking on two-term incumbent Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Webster, for the Worcester-Norfolk District State Senate seat.

The Worcester-Norfolk District includes Blackstone, Douglas, Dudley, Hopedale, Mendon, Milford, Millville, Northbridge (precincts 1 and 3), Oxford, Southbridge, Sutton, Uxbridge and Webster in the county of Worcester; and the town of Bellingham in the county of Norfolk.

Merolli currently serves as assistant treasurer of Mendon and chair of the town's Economic Development Committee. He also holds a degree in political science from Westfield State University and is proud to have been an Eagle Scout.

Fattman, R-Sutton, was elected to State Senate in 2014 after after serving two terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and two terms as a selectman in the town of Sutton. He is the first Republican to win an election to the Worcester-Norfolk Senate seat since 1938, when Dr. Wilfred Bazinet was elected from Webster.

Fattman, on his official website, said when first running for the seat that he "vowed to bring Massachusetts in a new direction: away from the 'Taxachusetts' mentality that drives people and jobs to other states, and toward a Massachusetts that is more accountable and affordable."

Read more here.

• With 41 percent reporting, Fattman leads with 61 percent at 11:30 p.m.

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