Essex Democratic Primary: Tucker And Coppinger Declared Winners

ESSEX COUNTY, MA — The Associated Press on Wednesday declared Paul Tucker, from Salem, the winner in the Democratic primary for Essex County district attorney.

With 95.3 percent of the precincts reporting, Tucker had 43,127 votes (55.1 percent), while James O'Shea, a practicing attorney from Middleton, had 35,208 votes (44.9 percent).

With no candidates in the Republican primary, Tucker now is expected to be the successor to Jonathan Blodgett, who did not seek re-election as Essex County D.A. Blodgett endorsed Tucker during the campaign.

Tucker currently represents the 7th Essex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He also is a practicing attorney and the former Salem chief of police.

"Thank you to my family, friends and supporters for showing up for me in the campaign the last eight months." Tucker said in a statement on social media. "I am grateful to be able to continue my public service as your next Essex County District Attorney.

Meanwhile, Kevin Coppinger, the current Essex County sheriff, will remain in the job after he defeated Virginia Leigh, also of Lynn, in the Democratic primary. There was no candidate running on the Republican side.

With 95.35 percent of precincts reporting, Coppinger had 43,238 votes (52.9 percent), while Leigh had 37,661 votes (47.1 percent).

Coppinger has served as the Essex County sheriff since 2017. He previously was the chief of police in Lynn from 2009 to 2017.

Coppinger ran on his record of having taken the politics out of the Essex County Sheriff's Department, saying he has not accepted campaign donations from employees and that hiring and promotions have been based on merit.

Leigh was looking to bring a clinical approach to the office. She is a clinical social worker with over 12 years of experience working in community health centers, detention centers and schools.