Tucker To Replace Retiring Blodgett As Essex County DA

ESSEX COUNTY, MA —In August, Essex County district attorney candidate Paul Tucker received an endorsement from longtime Essex County DA Jon Blodgett, who is retiring after 20 years in office.

On Wednesday, Tucker learned he will be Blodgett's successor after Tucker won the Democratic primary for Essex County district attorney.

There were no candidates in the Republican primary.

With 99.2 percent of the precincts reporting Wednesday, Tucker had 44,781 votes (54.6 percent), while James O'Shea, a practicing attorney from Middleton, had 37,228 votes (45.4 percent), according to the Associated Press.

Tucker, from Salem, 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.

On his campaign website, Tucker said he shared Blodgett's strong commitment to "holding criminals accountable, securing justice for victims of crime, providing services and drug treatment to non-violent offenders, and engaging the community in crime prevention."