Senate Republicans are in line to see yet another member added to their ranks this session after Rep. Peter Durant declared victory Tuesday night time in a particular election for a Central Massachusetts seat that features Gardner and a sliver of Worcester.
Political onlookers have largely considered the race between Durant and Democratic Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik as a check of the MassGOP’s new management’s capacity to develop the get together’s legislative power within the wake of former Chairman Jim Lyons’ departure.
The check proved profitable on this election, the place a Democratic seat was flipped to the Republican column.
Durant declared victory simply after 9 p.m. at an election night time get together in Rutland.
Unofficial outcomes poured in quick after polls closed at 8 p.m. with Durant profitable most of the municipalities within the district, together with his personal hometown of Spencer by greater than 520 votes.
But it was the important thing cities of Gardner and Worcester that gave the impression to be the nail within the coffin. While Durant misplaced each to Zlotnik, the distinction in votes was sufficient to assist Durant carry the remainder of the Senate district.
Durant managed 1,511 in Gardner in comparison with Zlotnik’s 1,869, and 1,056 in Worcester in comparison with Zlotnik’s 1,572, in accordance with knowledge from each clerks’ workplaces.
Durant succeeds Anne Gobi, a Democrat who left the Legislature earlier this yr to function the director of rural affairs within the Healey administration.
The Spencer Republican defeated Bruce Chester in a particular major election final month, and with Tuesday’s win, Durant will face reelection subsequent fall.
Durant centered a lot of his marketing campaign on the inflow of migrants arriving in Massachusetts, the pressure on the emergency shelter system, and a name to repeal a decades-old regulation that requires the state to offer momentary housing to homeless households with kids and pregnant ladies.
But he mentioned financial growth within the Senate district additionally proved to be an vital challenge amongst voters.
“We have old mill towns like a lot of Massachusetts,” he instructed the Herald earlier within the day. “We have a large number of farms here in the district. So those kinds of issues come up, as well as regional school issues that we see. It’s one of the largest districts with regional school districts covering most of those towns.”
Durant additionally obtained endorsements from former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
Zlotnik mentioned rural growth and housing points additionally performed a big position in his marketing campaign.
“That’s been the top thing said,” he mentioned. “It’s kind of an umbrella term because some of that has delved more into economic issues or the underlying infrastructure issues that come into place with that.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”