Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2012
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Massachusetts's 2012 elections U.S. Senate • U.S. House • State Senate • State House • State ballot measures • Candidate ballot access |
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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.
Majority control
- 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
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
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
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
- 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 average 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]
The final approved maps increased the number of minority-majority districts in the State Senate from two to three. With the new district lines, State Senator Patricia Jehlen (D) would no longer represent all of Winchester because part of the town was added to a district represented by Katherine Clark (D) at the time.[6]
List of candidates
Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin & Hampden District
September 6 Democratic primary:
- Benjamin Downing
Incumbent Downing first assumed office in 2007
- Benjamin Downing
September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Benjamin Downing: 64,679
Bristol and Norfolk District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- James Timilty Incumbent Timilty first assumed office in 2004
- James Timilty
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- James Timilty: 47,333
- Jeffrey Robert Bailey: 28,354
First Bristol and Plymouth District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Michael J. Rodrigues: 9,401 Incumbent Rodrigues first assumed office in 2011
- David P. Meade, Jr.: 2,925
- Michael J. Rodrigues: 9,401
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Mark C. Montigny Incumbent Montigny first assumed office in 1993
- Mark C. Montigny
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Daniel A. Wolf Incumbent Wolf first assumed office in 2011
- Daniel A. Wolf
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Daniel A. Wolf: 80,236
First Essex District
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
- William M. Manzi, III: 3,283
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Sam S. Meas: 1,947
- Shaun Toohey: 3,936
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
Note: Incumbent Frederick Berry (D) did not seek re-election.
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Edward J. Carroll: 311
- Joan B. Lovely: 7,452
- Mary-Ellen Manning: 2,615
- John P. Slattery: 4,422
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Joan B. Lovely: 56,088
- Richard A. Jolitz: 23,185
Third Essex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Thomas M. McGee Incumbent McGee first assumed office in 2002
- Thomas M. McGee
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- No Democratic candidates filed for this district.
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Bruce Tarr Incumbent Tarr first assumed office in 1995
- Bruce Tarr
November 6 General election candidates:
- Bruce Tarr: 78,836
Second Essex and Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Barry R. Finegold Incumbent Finegold first assumed office in 2011
- Barry R. Finegold
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Paul Adams: 2,655
- Alex J. Vispoli: 2,558
- Paul Adams: 2,655
November 6 General election candidates:
- Barry R. Finegold: 44,394
- Paul Adams: 23,716
Hampden District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- James T. Welch: 6,244 Incumbent Welch first assumed office in 2011
- Melvin A. Edwards: 3,936
- James T. Welch: 6,244
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Gale D. Candaras Incumbent Candaras first assumed office in 2007
- Gale D. Candaras
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- No Democratic candidates filed for this district.
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Michael R. Knapik Incumbent Knapik first assumed office in 1994
- Michael R. Knapik
November 6 General election candidates:
- Michael R. Knapik: 54,649
Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Stanley Rosenberg Incumbent Rosenberg first assumed office in 1991
- Stanley Rosenberg
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Stanley Rosenberg: 66,072
First Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Eileen M. Donoghue Incumbent Donoghue first assumed office in 2011
- Eileen M. Donoghue
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Eileen M. Donoghue: 44,177
- James J. Buba: 17,884
Second Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Patricia D. Jehlen Incumbent Jehlen first assumed office in 2005
- Patricia D. Jehlen
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Patricia D. Jehlen: 66,267
Third Middlesex District
Note: Incumbent Susan Fargo (D) did not seek re-election.
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Mike Barrett: 5,199
- Alexander Buck: 1,728
- Mara Dolan: 2,048
- Joe Kearns Goodwin: 4,819
- Joseph Mullin: 904
- Mike Barrett: 5,199
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Sandi Martinez: 3,301
- Greg Howes: 2,304
- Sandi Martinez: 3,301
November 6 General election candidates:
- Mike Barrett: 49,213
- Sandi Martinez: 32,003
Fourth Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Kenneth J. Donnelly Incumbent Donnelly first assumed office in 2009
- Kenneth J. Donnelly
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Kenneth J. Donnelly: 56,100
- Gerry Dembrowski: 26,210
Fifth Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Katherine M. Clark Incumbent Clark first assumed office in 2011
- Katherine M. Clark
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Cynthia Stone Creem Incumbent Creem first assumed office in 1999
- Cynthia Stone Creem
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Karen E. Spilka Incumbent Spilka first assumed office in 2004
- Karen E. Spilka
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Sal N. DiDomenico Incumbent DiDomenico first assumed office in 2010
- Sal N. DiDomenico
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- James B. Eldridge Incumbent Eldridge first assumed office in 2009
- James B. Eldridge
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Dean J. Cavaretta
- Dean J. Cavaretta
November 6 General election candidates:
- James B. Eldridge: 52,922
- Dean J. Cavaretta: 28,797
Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- No Democratic candidates filed.
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Richard J. Ross Incumbent Ross first assumed office in 2010
- Richard J. Ross
November 6 General election candidates:
- Richard J. Ross: 60,885
Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Brian A. Joyce Incumbent Joyce first assumed office in 1998
- Brian A. Joyce
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- John F. Keenan Incumbent Keenan first assumed office in 2011
- John F. Keenan
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Michael F. Rush Incumbent Rush first assumed office in 2011
- Michael F. Rush
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Therese Murray: 9,176 Incumbent Murray first assumed office in 1993
- Stephen Michael Palmer: 1,400
- Therese Murray: 9,176
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Therese Murray: 49,723
- Thomas F. Keyes: 35,776
First Plymouth and Bristol District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Marc R. Pacheco Incumbent Pacheco first assumed office in 1993
- Marc R. Pacheco
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Thomas P. Kennedy Incumbent Kennedy first assumed office in 2009
- Thomas P. Kennedy
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Genevieve S. Davis: 4,033
- Steve May: 1,498
- Genevieve S. Davis: 4,033
- September 6 GOP primary:
- Robert Hedlund Incumbent Hedlund first assumed office in 1990
- Robert Hedlund
November 6 General election candidates:
- Genevieve S. Davis: 28,579
- Robert Hedlund: 61,686
First Suffolk District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Jack Hart Incumbent Hart first assumed office in 2002
- Jack Hart
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Jack Hart: 54,191
Second Suffolk District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 8,904 Incumbent Chang-Diaz first assumed office in 2009
- Roy Owens: 1,773
- Sonia Rosa Chang-Diaz: 8,904
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Anthony W. Petruccelli Incumbent Petruccelli first assumed office in 2007
- Anthony W. Petruccelli
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Anthony W. Petruccelli: 45,230
- Thomas J. Dooley, III: 10,199
Second Suffolk and Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- William N. Brownsberger Incumbent Brownsberger first assumed office in 2012
- William N. Brownsberger
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- William N. Brownsberger: 45,852
- Steven Aylward: 14,190
First Worcester District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Harriette L. Chandler Incumbent Chandler first assumed office in 2001
- Harriette L. Chandler
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Harriette L. Chandler: 53,477
Second Worcester District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Michael O. Moore Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 2008
- Michael O. Moore
- September 6 GOP primary:
November 6 General election candidates:
- Michael O. Moore: 48,609
- Stephen Simonian: 22,949
Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex District
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Stephen M. Brewer Incumbent Brewer first assumed office in 1997
- Stephen M. Brewer
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Jennifer L. Flanagan Incumbent Flanagan first assumed office in 2008
- Jennifer L. Flanagan
- 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
- September 6 Democratic primary:
- Richard T. Moore Incumbent Moore first assumed office in 1996
- Richard T. Moore
- September 6 GOP primary:
- No Republican candidates filed for this district.
November 6 General election candidates:
- Richard T. Moore: 59,561
See also
External links
- 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
- ↑ Follow the Money, Massachusetts
- ↑ Follow the Money: "Massachusetts Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions"
- ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "2010 Census: Massachusetts Profile," accessed August 27, 2012
- ↑ Belmont Citizen-Herald, "Census preparing to deliver redistricting data to states," January 13, 2011
- ↑ Boston Globe, "Legislative redistricting may be a tough task," December 23, 2010
- ↑ Winchester Patch, "Half of Winchester Could Get New State Senator," October 20, 2011
