Garcia Wins Democratic State Representative Primary

Two city councilors are set to square off in the race for State Representative in the 11th Suffolk District.

District 5 Councilor Judith Garcia won a three-way race against Councilor-At-Large Leo Robinson and School Committee member Roberto Jimenez-Rivera in Tuesday’s Democratic state primary. District 1 Councilor Todd Taylor ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Democratic State Representative nominee Judith Garcia (center) was at Equinia Mariachi celebrating with her supporters after her Tuesday Night Primary win for the newest seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa, with Democratic State Representative nominee Judith Garcia.
Democratic State Representative nominee Garcia with Regional Manager Rich Pedi from Boston Carpenters Union 328 and Chelsea Council President Roy Avellaneda.

“I’m so proud to be the first Latina, the first woman, and the first woman of color (to win the nomination in Chelsea),” Garcia told supporters at Esquina Mariachi Tuesday night. 

Garcia thanked her volunteers and the voters and said it would be an honor for her to be the next representative for Chelsea and Everett.

“We are going to continue doing the work,” Garcia said. “We have a general election, so now let’s do it and let’s make a difference at the State House.”

Garcia got 1,012 votes to 757 for Jimenez-Rivera and 666 for Robinson in the unofficial results for Chelsea.

Taylor said his campaign, and the position of state representative, is not about being a Republican or Democrat, and that he is building a bipartisan coalition that will put the residents of Chelsea first.

“I think the main thing for the people to understand is that this race is not really about Republicans and Democrats, it is really about Chelsea, and what I intend to do is really assemble a bipartisan coalition … from almost every political faction in the city,” said Taylor.

Taylor, who ran unopposed, tallied 280 votes.

While Taylor said that number looks small compared to the votes tallied in the Democratic primary, he said he actually has a healthy base of Democratic supporters he expects to turn out for him in the general election. If elected, Taylor said his allegiance will be with the people of Chelsea above his party.

“With me, you get someone who is smart, hardworking, and tirelessly working with the people to make good things happen in Chelsea,” said Taylor.

After being split into two districts for decades, Chelsea was brought together in a brand-new district through the 2020 redistricting process. Because the federal census count for Chelsea was not enough for a Chelsea-only district, the district also includes one precinct from Everett.

In other races, Chelsea voters largely fell in line with the statewide results, with the exception of the contentious Suffolk County District Attorney’s race.

County-wide, current DA Kevin Hayden was projected to defeat Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. In Chelsea, Arroyo finished ahead of Hayden, 1,204 to 967.

Maura Healey topped Sonia Chang-Diaz, who withdrew from the race in June, on the Democratic ballot for governor, 1,444 to 834, although Diaz’s percentage of the votes was more than twice as high in Chelsea as it was statewide.

Salem mayor Kim Driscoll easily topped the Democratic ticket for lieutenant governor in Chelsea and across the state. Healey and Driscoll will face Trump-backed former state representative Geoff Diehl in the general election on Nov. 8.

Diehl outpaced Chris Doughty in Chelsea 222 to 116. In the race for lieutenant governor, Leah Allen tallied 180 votes to 131 for Kate Campanale in Chelsea. Statewide, Allen was leading the race by about 10,000 votes as of Wednesday morning.

In Chelsea, Andrea Campbell finished ahead of Shannon Liss-Riordan in the Democratic Attorney General race, and long-time Secretary of State William Galvin topped challenger Tanisha Sullivan. Diana DiZoglio topped the Democratic ticket for Auditor statewide and in Chelsea.

On the Republican side, James McMahon ran unopposed for Attorney General, Rayla Campbell for Secretary of State, and Anthony Amore for Auditor. State Senator Sal DiDomenico ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and will have no opponent on the ballot in the general election.

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