Voters Choose Martinez Over Dahlberg

Chelmsford's Sandi Martinez will take on incumbent Sen. Susan Fargo (D-Lincoln) in the November general election after beating challenger Chelmsford Selectman Eric Dahlberg for the Republication nomination for the Third Middlesex District in the State Senate. 

Martinez said she received a phone message from Dahlberg at about 10:51 p.m., after reports he had conceded in front of his staff.

Martinez said she's confident she'll top Susan Fargo in November.

"(It's different now) with the advent of the Tea Party, which I am a part of, and voters are angry about what's going on in Beacon Hill and in Washington," she said. "People are coming across party lines."

Martinez said this time she hopes voters will get more involved in her campaign and instead of just going to the polls, help by making phone calls and holding signs.

"It'll take a woman to beat (Susan Fargo)," she said.

Martinez said she will refine her campaign strategies from her last two bids at the state senate, and grow her campaign "from the grassroots."

"We will continue to expose (Fargo's) voting record," she said. "It's too late to change 14 years of voting."

Martinez swept all precincts in Chelmsford and Concord. Martinez beat Dahlberg 1,696 to 1,099 in Chelmsford. 

Dahlberg reportedly won Lincoln 125 to 101. Lincoln is the hometown of the current senator, who Martinez will take on in November.  

Dahlberg said he will not run again for a seat in the legislature.

""I'm looking forward to helping the Republican party get elected in November," he said. "I want to congratulate (Martinez) on her for a hard-fought campaign."

Dahlberg thanked his volunteers and donors.

"We campaigned the way we wanted to. I can't take anything away from us. We kept the campaign positive; I'm thrilled with how we ran the race," he said.

"Everything that went right was because of these folks," he said, pointing to his staff." Everything that went wrong was because of this guy," he said, pointing to himself.

Dahlberg was not happy with number of voters, he said.

"It seemed to be unbelievably low; there were long stretches when no one showed up, " he said of Chelmsford. "It's disappointing people don't exercise their right to vote. We expected a much greater turnout, but the economy is in the toilet and people have other things to worry about."