Massachusetts State Senate elections, 2010

2012 → ← 2008

Massachusetts State House elections, 2010

Majority control • Campaign contributions

Qualifications • Competitiveness analysis

State Legislative Election Results

List of candidates Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklink District • Bristol and Norfolk District • First Bristol and Plymouth District • Second Bristol and Plymouth District • Cape and Islands District • First Essex District • Second Essex District • First Essex and Middlesex District • Second Essex and Middlesex District • Third Essex and Middlesex District • Hampden District • First Hampden and Hampshire District • Second Hampden and Hampshire District • Hampshire and Franklin District • First Middlesex District • Second Middlesex District • Third Middlesex District • Fourth Middlesex District • Middlesex and Essex District • First Middlesex and Norfolk District • Second Middlesex and Norfolk District • Middlesex and Worcester District • Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex District • Norfolk and Plymouth District • Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District • Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth District • Plymouth and Barnstable District • First Plymouth and Bristol District • Second Plymouth and Bristol District • Plymouth and Norfolk District • First Suffolk District • Second Suffolk District • First Suffolk and Middlesex District • Second Suffolk and Middlesex District • Suffolk and Norfolk District • First Worcester District • Second Worcester District • Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin District • Worcester and Middlesex District • Worcester and Norfolk Worcester District

Massachusetts State Senate State legislative elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Massachusetts State Senate were held in Massachusetts on November 2, 2010. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 4, 2010, for partisan and August 3 for independents. The primary election day was on September 14, 2010.

Democrats gained one seat in the Massachusetts Senate in the 2010 election, giving them a 9/10 majority in the chamber.

See also: Massachusetts State Senate and State legislative elections, 2010

November 2 General Election Results

The following candidates won election on November 2, 2010:

1. Steven Baddour
2. Anthony Petruccelli
3. Barry Finegold
4. Benjamin Downing
5. Brian Joyce
6. Bruce Tarr
7. Cynthia Stone Creem
8. Daniel Wolf (Massachusetts)
9. Michael Moore (Massachusetts)
10. Eileen Donoghue
11. Gale Candaras
12. Harriette Chandler
13. Jack Hart (Massachusetts)
14. James Eldridge
15. James Timilty
16. James Welch
17. Jennifer Flanagan
18. John Keenan (Massachusetts State Senate)
19. Karen Spilka
20. Katherine Clark
21. Kenneth Donnelly
22. Marc Pacheco
23. Mark Montigny
24. Michael Knapik
25. Michael Rodrigues
26. Michael Rush
27. Patricia Jehlen
28. Robert Hedlund
29. Richard Ross (Massachusetts)
30. Richard Moore (Massachusetts)
31. Sal DiDomenico
32. Sonia Chang-Diaz
33. Stanley Rosenberg
34. Stephen Brewer
35. Steven Tolman
36. Susan Fargo
37. Therese Murray
38. Thomas McGee
39. Thomas Kennedy (Massachusetts)
40. Frederick Berry

Majority control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 2 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Massachusetts State Senate:

Massachusetts State Senate
Party		As of November 1, 2010	After the 2010 Election
	Democratic Party	35	36
	Republican Party	5	4
Total		40	40

Campaign contributions

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

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.

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 who ran for the state Senate raised a total of $8,982,549 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:

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

Incumbency

Unopposed incumbents

13 incumbents (41%) faced no competition in the November 2 general election.

• 9 Democratic incumbents faced no November challenger.
• 4 GOP incumbents faced no November challenger.

Primary challenges

Four incumbents faced competition in the September 14 primary.

• First Middlesex and Norfolk District: Incumbent Democratic candidate Cynthia Stone Creem
• Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex: Incumbent Democratic candidate Sal DiDomenico
• Second Suffolk: Incumbent Democratic candidate Sonia Chang-Diaz
• Second Suffolk and Middlesex: Incumbent Democratic candidate Steven Tolman

Retiring incumbents

Eight incumbent representatives did not run for re-election, while 32 incumbents (91%) ran for re-election. Of the 8 incumbents who did not seek re-election, 7 were Democrats and 1 was a Republican.

Incumbents who retired were:

• First Bristol and Plymouth: Incumbent Democratic candidate Joan Menard.
• Cape and Island: Incumbent Democratic candidate Robert O’Leary.
• Second Essex and Middlesex: Incumbent Democratic candidate Susan Tucker.
• Hampden: Incumbent Democratic candidate Stephen Buoniconti.
• First Middlesex: Incumbent Democratic candidate Steven Panagiotakos.
• Middlesex and Essex: Incumbent Republican Richard Tisei.
• Norfolk and Plymouth: Incumbent Democratic candidate Michael Morrissey.
• Suffolk and Norfolk: Incumbent Democratic candidate Marian Walsh.

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.

List of candidates

Partisan dominance in state senates heading into the 2010 state legislative elections

Berkshire, Hampshire and Franklin District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Benjamin Downing Incumbent Downing, a Democrat, was first elected in 2006. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Benjamin Downing 41,627

Bristol and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• James Timility Incumbent Timility, a Democrat, was first elected in 2004. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

James Timility 42,911

First Bristol and Plymouth District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Michael Coogan 3,456
• Lorne Lawless 2,087
• John Mitchell 5,102
• Michael Rodrigues 7,132 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Derek Maksy a

November 2 General election candidates:

Michael Rodrigues 29,994

Derek Maksy 18,260

Second Bristol and Plymouth District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Mark Montigny Incumbent Montigny, a Democrat, was first elected in 1992. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Mark Montigny 38,367

Cape and Islands District

2010 State senate elections
AL • AK • AR • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KY • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • WA • WV • WI • WY
Parties with candidates
Impact of term limits
Successful challengers
Defeated incumbents
State house elections
State senate elections
State legislative elections

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Sheila Lyons 6,282
• Daniel Wolf 11,844 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• James H. Crocker, Jr. 9,733 a
• Eric Steinhelber 4,660

November 2 General election candidates:

Daniel Wolf 44,886

James H. Crocker, Jr. 33,247

First Essex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Steven Baddour Incumbent Baddour, a Democrat, was first elected in January 2002. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Stephen Cole 3,295 a
• Sean Downing 3,009

November 2 General election candidates:

Steven Baddour 34,474

Stephen Cole 23,981

Second Essex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Frederick Berry Incumbent Berry, a Democrat, was first elected in 1982. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Richard Jolitz a

November 2 General election candidates:

Frederick Berry 37,072

Richard Jolitz 18,969

Matthew Fraser 4,230

First Essex and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• No Democrat filed to run for this seat.

September 14 Republican primary:

• Bruce Tarr Incumbent Tarr, a Republican, was first elected in 1994. a

November 2 General election candidates:

Bruce Tarr 58,565

Second Essex and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Barry Finegold 4,256 a
• John Kelly 912
• Debbie Silberstein 3,193
• John J. Wilson, Jr. 2,904

September 14 Republican primary:

• Patrick Rahilly 2,358
• Jamison Tomasek 3,507 a

November 2 General election candidates:

Barry Finegold 25,385

Jamison Tomasek 19,939

Jodi Oberto 2,535

Third Essex and Middlesex District

2010 State senate elections
AL • AK • AR • AR • CA • CO • CT • DE • FL • GA • HI • ID • IL • IN • IA • KY • ME • MD • MA • MI • MN • MO • MT • NE • NV • NH • NY • NC • ND • OH • OK • OR • PA • RI • SD • TN • TX • UT • VT • WA • WV • WI • WY
Parties with candidates
Impact of term limits
Successful challengers
Defeated incumbents
State house elections
State senate elections
State legislative elections

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Thomas McGee : Incumbent McGee was first elected in May 2002. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Christopher Dent a

November 2 General election candidates:

Thomas McGee 32,835

Christopher Dent 15,786

Hampden District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Susan Dawson 1,508
• Ronald Patenaude 1,361
• James Welch 5,845 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Kenneth Condon 1,319
• Robert Magovern 1,441 a

November 2 General election candidates:

James Welch 21,567

Robert Magovern 13,824

First Hampden and Hampshire District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Gale Candaras Incumbent Candaras was first elected in 2006. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Thomas McCarthy a

November 2 General election candidates:

Gale Candaras 30,122

Thomas McCarthy 21,645

Second Hampden and Hampshire District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• No Democratic candidate filed to run for this seat.

September 14 Republican primary:

• Michael Knapik Incumbent Knapik was first elected in 1994. a

November 2 General election candidates:

Michael Knapik 38,886

Hampshire and Franklin District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Stanley Rosenberg Incumbent Rosenberg, a Democrat, was first elected in February 1991. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Stanley Rosenberg 46,448

First Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Christian Doherty 3,949
• Eileen Donoghue 6,339 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• James Buba a

November 2 General election candidates:

Eileen Donoghue 24,549

James Buba 16,335

Patrick O'Connor 4,158

Second Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Patricia Jehlen Incumbent Jehlen was first elected in September 2005. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• David Carnevale a

November 2 General election candidates:

Patricia Jehlen 32,923

David Carnevale 16,153

Third Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Susan Fargo Incumbent Fargo was first elected in 1996. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Eric Dahlberg 3,245
• Sandra Martinez 4,523 a

November 2 General election candidates:

Susan Fargo 36,047

Sandra Martinez 27,182

Fourth Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Kenneth Donnelly Incumbent Donnelly, a Democrat, was first elected in December 2007. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Kenneth Donnelly 45,583

Middlesex and Essex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Katherine Clark 8,470 a
• Michael Day 4,773

September 14 Republican primary:

• Craig Spadafora a

November 2 General election candidates:

Katherine Clark 30,492

Craig Spadafora 27,790

First Middlesex and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Cynthia Stone Creem Incumbent Creem, a Democrat, was first elected in 1998. 12,607 a
• Charles Rudnick 4,898

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Cynthia Stone Creem 45,982

Second Middlesex and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Karen Spilka Incumbent Spilka was first elected in 2004. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Edward McGrath a

November 2 General election candidates:

Karen Spilka 34,499

Edward McGrath 23,707

Middlesex and Worcester District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• James Eldridge Incumbent Eldridge was first elected in 2006. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• George Thompson a

November 2 General election candidates:

James Eldridge 37,482

George Thompson 28,133

Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Sal DiDomenico Incumbent DiDomenico was first elected in 2010. 7,009 a
• Timothy Flaherty 6,819

September 14 Republican primary:

• Barbara Bush a

November 2 General election candidates:

Sal DiDomenico 29,472

Barbara Bush 8,494

Norfolk and Plymouth District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• John Keenan 9,535 a
• Arthur Tobin 8,140

September 14 Republican primary:

• Daniel Dewey a

November 2 General election candidates:

John Keenan 29,982

Daniel Dewey 18,582

Laura Innis 5,152

Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• No Democrat filed to run for this seat.

September 14 Republican primary:

• Richard Ross Incumbent Ross was first elected in May 2010. a

November 2 General election candidates:

Richard Ross 48,824

Norfolk, Bristol, and Plymouth District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Brian Joyce Incumbent Joyce was first elected in January 1998. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Robert Burr, Jr. 2,903 a
• Richard Livingston 1,704

November 2 General election candidates:

Brian Joyce 38,314

Robert Burr, Jr. 22,575

Plymouth and Barnstable District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Therese Murray Incumbent Murray was first elected in 1992. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Thomas Francis Keyes a

November 2 General election candidates:

Therese Murray 38,852

Thomas Francis Keyes 35,242

First Plymouth and Bristol District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Marc Pacheco Incumbent Pacheco was first elected in 1992 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• David Pottier a

November 2 General election candidates:

Marc Pacheco 34,124

David Pottier 24,653

Second Plymouth and Bristol District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Thomas Kennedy Incumbent Kennedy, a Democrat, was first elected in 2008. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Thomas Kennedy 34,832

Plymouth and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

No Democrat filed to run for this seat.

September 14 Republican primary:

• Robert Hedlund Incumbent Hedlund had represented this district from 1990-1992 and was again elected in 1994. a

November 2 General election candidates:

Robert Hedlund 52,617

Paul Kearny 17,884

First Suffolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• John Hart Incumbent Hart was first elected in February 2002. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

John Hart 35,651

Second Suffolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Sonia Chang-Diaz Incumbent Chang-Diaz was first elected in 2008. 10,018 a
• Hassan Williams 3,131

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Sonia Chang-Diaz 38,997

First Suffolk and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Anthony Petruccelli Incumbent Petruccelli was first elected in 2007. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Frank Addivinola, Jr. a

November 2 General election candidates:

Anthony Petruccelli 29,559

Frank Addivinola, Jr. 9,800

Second Suffolk and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• William Feegbeh 741
• Steven Tolman Incumbent Tolman was first elected in 1998. 8,797 a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Steven Tolman 37,458

Suffolk and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Michael Rush 10,051 a
• Michael Walsh 7,758

Note: Democratic incumbent Marian Walsh did not run for re-election.

September 14 Republican primary:

• Brad Williams a

November 2 General election candidates:

Michael Rush 36,986

Brad Williams 17,634

First Worcester District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Harriette Chandler Incumbent Chandler was first elected in 2000. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• William Higgins, Sr a

November 2 General election candidates:

Harriette Chandler 32,293

William Higgins, Sr 19,601

Second Worcester District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Michael Moore Incumbent Moore was first elected in 2004. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• No Republican candidates filed to run for this seat.

November 2 General election candidates:

Michael Moore 38,685

Worcester, Hampden, Hamphsire and Franklin District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Stephen Brewer Incumbent Brewer was first elected in 1996. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Daniel Dubrule a

November 2 General election candidates:

Stephen Brewer 38,951

Daniel Dubrule 19,848

Worcester and Middlesex District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Jennifer Flanagan Incumbent Flanagan was first elected in 2008. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Neal Heeren a

November 2 General election candidates:

Jennifer Flanagan 30,524

Neal Heeren 21,278

Worcester and Norfolk District

September 14 Democratic primary:

• Richard Moore Incumbent Moore was first elected in April 1996. a

September 14 Republican primary:

• Kim Roy a

November 2 General election candidates:

Richard Moore 31,602

Kim Roy 27,415

See also

• Massachusetts State Senate
• Massachusetts State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2010
• Primary election dates in 2010

External links

• Massachusetts Official Election Results
• Boston Globe Election Results
• Follow the Money, Massachusetts Senate 2010
• Massachusetts State, Elections Division 2010 State Primary Candidates
• Project Vote Smart list of candidates for Massachusetts State Senate in the November 2, 2010 election

Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Massachusetts State Senate

Senators

Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire District

Paul Mark (D)

Bristol and Norfolk District

Paul Feeney (D)

Cape and Islands District

Julian Cyr (D)

Hampden District

Adam Gomez (D)

Hampden and Hampshire District

John Velis (D)

Hampden, Hampshire, and Worcester District

Jacob Oliveira (D)

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District

Jo Comerford (D)

Middlesex and Norfolk District

Karen Spilka (D)

Middlesex and Suffolk District

Sal DiDomenico (D)

Middlesex and Worcester District

James Eldridge (D)

Norfolk and Middlesex District

Cynthia Creem (D)

Norfolk and Plymouth District

John Keenan (D)

Norfolk and Suffolk District

Michael Rush (D)

Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol District

William Driscoll (D)

Norfolk, Worcester, and Middlesex District

Becca Rausch (D)

Plymouth and Barnstable District

Dylan Fernandes (D)

Suffolk and Middlesex District

William Brownsberger (D)

Worcester and Hampden District

Ryan Fattman (R)

Worcester and Hampshire District

Peter Durant (R)

Worcester and Middlesex District

John Cronin (D)

1st Bristol and Plymouth District

Michael Rodrigues (D)

1st Essex District

Pavel Payano (D)

1st Essex and Middlesex District

Bruce Tarr (R)

1st Middlesex District

Edward Kennedy (D)

1st Plymouth and Norfolk District

Patrick O'Connor (R)

1st Suffolk District

Nick Collins (D)

1st Worcester District

Robyn Kennedy (D)

2nd Bristol and Plymouth District

Mark Montigny (D)

2nd Essex District

Joan Lovely (D)

2nd Essex and Middlesex District

Barry Finegold (D)

2nd Middlesex District

Patricia Jehlen (D)

2nd Plymouth and Norfolk District

Michael Brady (D)

2nd Suffolk District

Liz Miranda (D)

2nd Worcester District

Michael Moore (D)

3rd Bristol and Plymouth District

Kelly Dooner (R)

3rd Essex District

Brendan Crighton (D)

3rd Middlesex District

Mike Barrett (D)

3rd Suffolk District

Lydia Edwards (D)

4th Middlesex District

Cindy Friedman (D)

5th Middlesex District

Jason Lewis (D)

Democratic Party (35)

Republican Party (5)