Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2012

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Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2012

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Majority control • Campaign contributions
Qualifications • Term limits • Impact of Redistricting

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State Legislative Election Results

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List of candidates Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklink District • Bristol and Norfolk District • First Bristol and Plymouth District • Second Bristol and Plymouth District • Cape and Islands District • First Essex District • Second Essex District • First Essex and Middlesex District • Second Essex and Middlesex District • Third Essex and Middlesex District • Hampden District • First Hampden and Hampshire District • Second Hampden and Hampshire District • Hampshire and Franklin District • First Middlesex District • Second Middlesex District • Third Middlesex District • Fourth Middlesex District • Middlesex and Essex District • First Middlesex and Norfolk District • Second Middlesex and Norfolk District • Middlesex and Worcester District • Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex District • Norfolk and Plymouth District • Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District • Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District • Plymouth and Barnstable District • First Plymouth and Bristol District • Second Plymouth and Bristol District • Plymouth and Norfolk District • First Suffolk District • Second Suffolk District • First Suffolk and Middlesex District • Second Suffolk and Middlesex District • Suffolk and Norfolk District • First Worcester District • Second Worcester District • Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin District • Worcester and Middlesex District • Worcester and Norfolk Worcester District

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Massachusetts State Senate • 2012 Massachusetts House Elections

Elections for the office of Massachusetts State Senate were held in Massachusetts on November 6, 2012. A total of 40 seats were up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was June 5, 2012. The primary Election Day was September 6, 2012.

See also: Massachusetts House of Representatives elections, 2012 and State legislative elections, 2012

## Majority control[edit]

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 6 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Massachusetts State Senate:

Massachusetts State Senate

Party  | As of November 5, 2012  | After the 2012 Election
| Democratic Party | 35 | 36
| Republican Party | 4  | 4
| Vacancy  | 1  | 0
Total |  40 |  40

## Incumbents retiring[edit]

Two incumbents did not run for re-election in 2012. Those incumbents were:

Name  | Party  | Current Office

|
|

Frederick Berry |  Democratic | Second Essex District
Susan Fargo |  Democratic | Third Middlesex District

## Campaign contributions[edit]

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Massachusetts in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.[1]

Year  | Number of candidates  | Total contributions

|
|

2010  | 93  | $8,982,549
2008  | 56  | $7,993,572
2006  | 68  | $7,948,867
2004  | 81  | $12,267,971
2002  | 62  | $6,996,755

In 2010, the candidates running for state senate raised a total of $8,982,549 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[2]

Donor  | Amount

|

Massachusetts Democratic Party  | $400,290
Wolf, Daniel A  | $262,839
Rudnick, Charles S  | $154,577
Spadafora, Craig  | $80,600
Dahlberg, Eric  | $42,491
Moore, Richard T  | $41,433
Wilson Jr., John  | $36,000
Addivinola Jr., Frank J  | $32,511
Silberstein, Debra  | $30,000
Didomenico, Salvador N  | $27,400

## Qualifications[edit]

Article LXXI of the Massachusetts Constitution states: Every representative, for one year at least immediately preceding his election, shall have been an inhabitant of the district for which he is chosen and shall cease to represent such district when he shall cease to be an inhabitant of the commonwealth.

## Impact of redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the state legislature has jurisdiction over state and Congressional redistricting.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts's population increased from 6.35 million to 6.55 million between 2000 and 2010. The highest population densities were near Boston and in the eastern portion of the state.[3] The population increase amounted to 3.1 percent over the past decade, which was well below the national population increase of 9.7 percent.[4] As a result of this slower rate of growth, Massachusetts lost one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, falling from 10 to 9 seats.[5]

Various interested parties across the state pushed for legislative and Congressional districts to divide towns as little as possible and follow local political and community boundaries.[6] Other groups pushed for more majority-minority districts.[7][8][9] The final approved maps increased the number of minority-majority districts in the State Senate from two to three, and State Senator Patricia Jehlen (D) will not represent all of Winchester after the election. Half of the town will be added to a district current represented by Katherine Clark (D).[10]

## List of candidates[edit]

### Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Benjamin Downing a Incumbent Downing first assumed office in 2007

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Benjamin Downing: 64,679

### Bristol and Norfolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* James Timilty a Incumbent Timilty first assumed office in 2004

September 6 GOP primary:

* Jeffrey Robert Bailey a

November 6 General election candidates:

James Timilty: 47,333
Jeffrey Robert Bailey: 28,354

### First Bristol and Plymouth District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Michael J. Rodrigues: 9,401 a Incumbent Rodrigues first assumed office in 2011
* David P. Meade, Jr.: 2,925

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Michael J. Rodrigues: 53,169

### Second Bristol and Plymouth District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Mark C. Montigny a Incumbent Montigny first assumed office in 1993

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Mark C. Montigny: 55,059

### Cape and Islands District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Daniel A. Wolf a Incumbent Wolf first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Daniel A. Wolf: 80,236

### First Essex District[edit]

Note: The First Essex District is a new district with no incumbent.

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Timothy J. Coco: 3,274
* Kathleen A. O'Connor Ives: 4,071 a
* William M. Manzi, III: 3,283

September 6 GOP primary:

* Sam S. Meas: 1,947
* Shaun Toohey: 3,936 a

November 6 General election candidates:

Kathleen A. O'Connor Ives: 36,405
Shaun Toohey: 26,654
James M. Kelcourse: 3,358
Paul A. Magliocchetti: 12,870

### Second Essex District[edit]

Note: Incumbent Frederick Berry (D) did not seek re-election.

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Edward J. Carroll: 311
* Joan B. Lovely: 7,452 a
* Mary-Ellen Manning: 2,615
* John P. Slattery: 4,422

September 6 GOP primary:

* Richard A. Jolitz a

November 6 General election candidates:

Joan B. Lovely: 56,088
Richard A. Jolitz: 23,185

### Third Essex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Thomas M. McGee a Incumbent McGee first assumed office in 2002

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Thomas M. McGee: 56,936

### First Essex and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* No Democratic candidates filed for this district.

September 6 GOP primary:

* Bruce Tarr a Incumbent Tarr first assumed office in 1995

November 6 General election candidates:

Bruce Tarr: 78,836

### Second Essex and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Barry R. Finegold a Incumbent Finegold first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* Paul Adams: 2,655 a
* Alex J. Vispoli: 2,558

November 6 General election candidates:

Barry R. Finegold: 44,394
Paul Adams: 23,716

### Hampden District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* James T. Welch: 6,244 a Incumbent Welch first assumed office in 2011
* Melvin A. Edwards: 3,936

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

James T. Welch: 44,180

### First Hampden and Hampshire District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Gale D. Candaras a Incumbent Candaras first assumed office in 2007

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Gale D. Candaras: 59,213

### Second Hampden and Hampshire District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* No Democratic candidates filed for this district.

September 6 GOP primary:

* Michael R. Knapik a Incumbent Knapik first assumed office in 1994

November 6 General election candidates:

Michael R. Knapik: 54,649

### Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Stanley Rosenberg a Incumbent Rosenberg first assumed office in 1991

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Stanley Rosenberg: 66,072

### First Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Eileen M. Donoghue a Incumbent Donoghue first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* James J. Buba a

November 6 General election candidates:

Eileen M. Donoghue: 44,177
James J. Buba: 17,884

### Second Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Patricia D. Jehlen a Incumbent Jehlen first assumed office in 2005

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Patricia D. Jehlen: 66,267

### Third Middlesex District[edit]

Note: Incumbent Susan Fargo (D) did not seek re-election.

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Mike Barrett: 5,199 a
* Alexander Buck: 1,728
* Mara Dolan: 2,048
* Joe Kearns Goodwin: 4,819
* Joseph Mullin: 904

September 6 GOP primary:

* Sandi Martinez: 3,301 a
* Greg Howes: 2,304

November 6 General election candidates:

Mike Barrett: 49,213
Sandi Martinez: 32,003

### Fourth Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Kenneth J. Donnelly a Incumbent Donnelly first assumed office in 2009

September 6 GOP primary:

* Gerry Dembrowski a

November 6 General election candidates:

Kenneth J. Donnelly: 56,100
Gerry Dembrowski: 26,210

### Fifth Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Katherine M. Clark a Incumbent Clark first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Katherine M. Clark: 58,256

### First Middlesex and Norfolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Cynthia Stone Creem a Incumbent Creem first assumed office in 1999

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Cynthia Stone Creem: 61,397

### Second Middlesex and Norfolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Karen E. Spilka a Incumbent Spilka first assumed office in 2004

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Karen E. Spilka: 57,863

### Middlesex and Suffolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Sal N. DiDomenico a Incumbent DiDomenico first assumed office in 2010

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Sal N. DiDomenico: 47,586

### Middlesex and Worcester District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* James B. Eldridge a Incumbent Eldridge first assumed office in 2009

September 6 GOP primary:

* Dean J. Cavaretta a

November 6 General election candidates:

James B. Eldridge: 52,922
Dean J. Cavaretta: 28,797

### Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* No Democratic candidates filed.

September 6 GOP primary:

* Richard J. Ross a Incumbent Ross first assumed office in 2010

November 6 General election candidates:

Richard J. Ross: 60,885

### Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Brian A. Joyce a Incumbent Joyce first assumed office in 1998

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Brian A. Joyce: 64,019

### Norfolk and Plymouth District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* John F. Keenan a Incumbent Keenan first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

John F. Keenan: 56,518

### Norfolk and Suffolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Michael F. Rush a Incumbent Rush first assumed office in 2011

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Michael F. Rush: 60,699

### Plymouth and Barnstable District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Therese Murray: 9,176 a Incumbent Murray first assumed office in 1993
* Stephen Michael Palmer: 1,400

September 6 GOP primary:

* Thomas F. Keyes a

November 6 General election candidates:

Therese Murray: 49,723
Thomas F. Keyes: 35,776

### First Plymouth and Bristol District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Marc R. Pacheco a Incumbent Pacheco first assumed office in 1993

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Marc R. Pacheco: 61,506

### Second Plymouth and Bristol District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Thomas P. Kennedy a Incumbent Kennedy first assumed office in 2009

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Thomas P. Kennedy: 53,717

### Plymouth and Norfolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Genevieve S. Davis: 4,033 a
* Steve May: 1,498

September 6 GOP primary:

* Robert Hedlund a Incumbent Hedlund first assumed office in 1990

November 6 General election candidates:

Genevieve S. Davis: 28,579
Robert Hedlund: 61,686

### First Suffolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Jack Hart a Incumbent Hart first assumed office in 2002

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Jack Hart: 54,191

### Second Suffolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 8,904 a Incumbent Chang-Diaz first assumed office in 2009
* Roy Owens: 1,773

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 54,886

### First Suffolk and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Anthony W. Petruccelli a Incumbent Petruccelli first assumed office in 2007

September 6 GOP primary:

* Thomas J. Dooley, III a

November 6 General election candidates:

Anthony W. Petruccelli: 45,230
Thomas J. Dooley, III: 10,199

### Second Suffolk and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* William N. Brownsberger a Incumbent Brownsberger first assumed office in 2012

September 6 GOP primary:

* Steven Aylward a

November 6 General election candidates:

William N. Brownsberger: 45,852
Steven Aylward: 14,190

### First Worcester District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Harriette L. Chandler a Incumbent Chandler first assumed office in 2001

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Harriette L. Chandler: 53,477

### Second Worcester District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Michael O. Moore a Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 2008

September 6 GOP primary:

* Stephen Simonian a

November 6 General election candidates:

Michael O. Moore: 48,609
Stephen Simonian: 22,949

### Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Stephen M. Brewer a Incumbent Brewer first assumed office in 1997

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Stephen M. Brewer: 63,777

### Worcester and Middlesex District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Jennifer L. Flanagan a Incumbent Flanagan first assumed office in 2008

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Jennifer L. Flanagan: 55,228

### Worcester and Norfolk District[edit]

September 6 Democratic primary:

* Richard T. Moore a Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 1996

September 6 GOP primary:

* No Republican candidates filed for this district.

November 6 General election candidates:

Richard T. Moore: 59,561

## See also[edit]

* Massachusetts State Senate
* Massachusetts State Legislature
* State legislative elections, 2012

## External links[edit]

* Massachusetts Secretary of State - Democratic Primary Candidate List
* Massachusetts Secretary of State - Republican Primary Candidate List
* 2012 Massachusetts Secretary of State - Official 2012 Primary Results
* Massachusetts Secretary of State - 2012 General Election Candidates
* Massachusetts Secretary of State - Official 2012 General Election Results

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Follow the Money, Massachusetts
2. ↑ Follow the Money: "Massachusetts Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
3. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "2010 Census: Massachusetts Profile," accessed August 27, 2012
4. ↑ Belmont Citizen-Herald, "Census preparing to deliver redistricting data to states," January 13, 2011
5. ↑ Boston Globe, "Legislative redistricting may be a tough task," December 23, 2010
6. ↑ Wicked Local Randolph, "Officials push for only one state rep for Randolph," January 27, 2011
7. ↑ Eagle Tribune, "Proposal would create Latino-heavy legislative districts — and make targets out of Baddour and Finegold," June 26, 2011
8. ↑ Dorchester Reporter, "Redistricting chair: Dot House seats need to expand borders," August 15, 2011
9. ↑ Boston Globe, "Advocates seek boost in Mass. minority voter clout," October 5, 2011
10. ↑ Winchester Patch, "Half of Winchester Could Get New State Senator ," October 20, 2011

[show]

Current members of the Massachusetts State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Karen Spilka

Majority Leader:Cynthia Creem

Senators

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden District

Adam Hinds (D)

Bristol and Norfolk District

Paul Feeney (D)

Cape and Islands District

Julian Cyr (D)

Hampden District

Adam Gomez (D)

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District

Jo Comerford (D)

Middlesex and Suffolk District

Sal DiDomenico (D)

Middlesex and Worcester District

James Eldridge (D)

Norfolk and Plymouth District

John Keenan (D)

Norfolk and Suffolk District

Michael Rush (D)

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District

Becca Rausch (D)

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District

Walter Timilty (D)

Plymouth and Barnstable District

Susan Moran (D)

Plymouth and Norfolk District

Patrick O'Connor (R)

Worcester and Middlesex District

John Cronin (D)

Worcester and Norfolk District

Ryan Fattman (R)

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, and Middlesex District

Anne Gobi (D)

1st Bristol and Plymouth District

Michael Rodrigues (D)

1st Essex District

Diana DiZoglio (D)

1st Essex and Middlesex District

Bruce Tarr (R)

1st Hampden and Hampshire District

Eric Lesser (D)

1st Middlesex District

Edward Kennedy (D)

1st Middlesex and Norfolk District

Cynthia Creem (D)

1st Plymouth and Bristol District

Marc Pacheco (D)

1st Suffolk District

Nick Collins (D)

1st Suffolk and Middlesex District

Lydia Edwards (D)

1st Worcester District

Harriette Chandler (D)

2nd Bristol and Plymouth District

Mark Montigny (D)

2nd Essex District

Joan Lovely (D)

2nd Essex and Middlesex District

Barry Finegold (D)

2nd Hampden and Hampshire District

John Velis (D)

2nd Middlesex District

Patricia Jehlen (D)

2nd Middlesex and Norfolk District

Karen Spilka (D)

2nd Plymouth and Bristol District

Michael Brady (D)

2nd Suffolk District

Sonia Chang-Diaz (D)

2nd Suffolk and Middlesex District

William Brownsberger (D)

2nd Worcester District

Michael Moore (D)

3rd Essex District

Brendan Crighton (D)

3rd Middlesex District

Mike Barrett (D)

4th Middlesex District

Cindy Friedman (D)

5th Middlesex District

Jason Lewis (D)

Democratic Party (37)

Republican Party (3)

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