Westborough Rep. Donaghue May Face Boyd Conklin In 2024 Election

WESTBOROUGH, MA — The 2024 presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump will be the marquee race this November, but voters in Massachusetts will also be voting to elect (or re-elect) state House and Senate candidates.

The deadline to file to run for legislative seats passed on Tuesday, offering a glimpse into the races that will be on the ballot in November. Most state senators and representatives will coast to reelection unchallenged.

In the Westborough area, those unchallenged candidates include Republican state Rep. Hannah Kane of the 11th Worcester District and Democratic state Sen. Michael Moore.

First term state Rep. Kate Donaghue, D-Westborough, however, may face a challenge from Boyd Conklin, who has run for office in Westborough to "put woke to sleep," and has referred to members of the LGBTQ+ community as "the abc peoples." On state paperwork, Conklin is listed as running unenrolled, but under a section that asks candidates for a political designation, Conklin wrote, "Massachusetts Great Again."

Donaghue was first elected in 2022 to represent the newly-formed 19th Worcester District. The district covers most of Westborough and Northborough, plus sections of Southborough and Framingham.

Although the candidate filing deadline passed on Tuesday, candidates have until 5 p.m. Friday to withdraw from the 2024 election.