10 candidates vie to fill US Rep. Kennedy’s seat in Congress

By Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — The Democratic primary contest between U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III may be the most closely watched campaign on the Massachusetts ballot this year, but it’s far from the most crowded.

That distinction goes to the race for the state’s 4th Congressional District seat — the seat Kennedy is vacating.

Ten candidates — eight Democrats and two Republicans — are vying to represent the district that winds from the Boston suburbs of Newton and Brookline south through Attleboro, Taunton and Fall River. It was previously represented by former Democratic Rep Barney Frank.

Democratic candidates include Jake Auchincloss, Becky Grossman, Alan Khazei, Natalia Linos, Isshane Lecky, Jesse Mermell, Ben Sigel and Chris Zannetos. A ninth Democrat, Dave Cavell, suspended his campaign Thursday.

Whoever wins the Democratic primary will be considered the favorite in the November general election in the heavily Democratic district.

Two Republicans are also running — Julie Hall and David Rosa.

The candidates hail from a range of backgrounds. They include former members of the military, immigrants, political veterans, entrepreneurs and those with backgrounds in the nonprofit sector.

The race is also the first for an open seat in Congress in Massachusetts since the surprise win by Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley in 2018, who defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano.

All the Democratic candidates live in the northern, wealthier tip of the district, with two hailing from Newton, one from Wellesley and five from Brookline.

Auchincloss served as a captain in the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan in 2012 and led an anti-narcotics platoon in Panama in 2014. He was elected to the Newton City Council in 2015.

Auchincloss has said he wants to help rebuild the country that sent his grandfather — “a poor Jewish kid” — to college during WWII. As of June 30, Auchincloss reported raising nearly $1.4 million with more than $1.1 million left in his account.

Mermell is a former Brookline select board member and one-time aide to former Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick. She’s won Pressley’s endorsement.

Mermell has also worked at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts where she said providers had to navigate complex federal rules to provide care. “If that isn’t the definition of inequity, I don’t know what is,” she said recently. As of June 30, Mermell reported raising about $834,000 with $448,000 left in her account.

©The Associated Press 2020