U.S. REP. MICHAEL CAPUANO
U.S. Congressman Michael Capuano will keep Chelsea in his district, which will now be the 7th Congressional District under the new redistricting plan released this week by the Massachusetts House’s Special Joint Committee on Redistricting.
Capuano will pick up the working class city of Everett, Milton and Randolph but lose the North End, parts of Jamaica Plain and half of Cambridge—three Capuano strongholds.
“I did not want to lose an inch of my district,” admitted Capuano during a phone interview Monday. “But I understand why this has to be done. I would have gladly added the new cities and towns to my district but would have liked to retain North Jamaica Plain and Cambridge.”
Capuano will take over Everett from Congressman Ed Markey but said it’s a place similar to Chelsea, Somerville, and East Boston so it makes a lot of sense that would be moved into the 7th Congressional.
“I know Everett very well and have a lot of good friends there,” said Capuano. “It’s a working class city with a diverse population like Chelsea and Somerville so I look forward to working there on many of the same issues residents in other parts of my district face.”
There were some rumors floating that Capuano might lose Chelsea to Markey or gain Revere and Winthrop. In the end he said he was glad the neighborhood remained in his district.
“We have done a lot of work in Chelsea with, federally funded construction projects like the new bypass road and Chelsea Street Bridge so I’m glad the city remains in the district,” he said.