Hotly Contested Race for Congress to Pick Tierney's Successor Tuesday

Voters will decide Tuesday who will be the new U.S. representative from the Sixth Congressional District.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. John Tierney, D-Salem, was ousted in the Democratic Party primary in September by Seth Moulton. Moulton, of Salem, faces Republican Richard Tisei of Wakefield and independent Chris Stockwell of Marblehead in Tuesday’s general election. It is Moulton and Stockwell’s first run for publicly elected office. Tisei is a former state representative and state Senator who lost to Tierney by about 4,000 votes for the sixth district seat in 2012.

The sixth district is made up of 39 cities and towns north of Boston, including Swampscott, and stretches from Salisbury and Newburyport in the north to Lynn in the south and from east to west, it stretches from Rockport to Bedford and includes Beverly, Danvers, Gloucester, Peabody and Salem.

The sixth district race is one of only three contested races in the state’s nine Congressional districts.

The race has attracted more out-of-state attention - and money - than any other race for Congress in Massachusetts this year. If Tisei wins, it will be the first time a Republican has been elected to the U.S. House from Massachusetts in 20 years. It is also the only seat that is guaranteed to go to a newcomer.

The race has been close, according to recent polls, which show Tisei with a slight edge, but within the margin of error.