Election: Xiarhos Wins 5th Barnstable District Over Dever

BARNSTABLE, MA — Republican Steven Xiarhos edged Democrat James Dever by 1,167

The open race to replace Republican state Rep. Randy Hunt saw Dever jump into the race, but Xiarhos kept the seat red.

Xiarhos, who spent 40 years as a Yarmouth police officer, including time as the police chief, said his campaign boiled down to allowing businesses to reopen safely and offering them support throughout the pandemic. He said he opposes new taxes and tolls and will advocate for fiscal responsibility at the state level.

"This is a race not only for the heart and soul of the 5th Barnstable District, but also a campaign to help ensure the future of the people who live and work on Cape Cod," Xiarhos said in a statement following his primary victory. "People here are depending on our next state representative to help them achieve the American Dream of making a better life for their family. To me, the formula for that success is simple: reopen our economy, let our businesses get back to work, and get our students back to school safely, and quickly."

Dever, a labor attorney from Sandwich, tried to position himself as a strong environmental candidate. He said he's a supporter of the Green New Deal because he sees green energy as a way to bring more money into the district.

"When I talk about the Green New Deal, I see the green as money for our district because we have so much untapped potential in the area of environmental sciences," Dever said during a virtual debate last month.

Unofficial Election Results

83.3 percent of the vote in

James Dever, D - 12,217

Steven Xiarhos, R - 13,384

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