Rep. Sean Garballey Announces Run for State Senate Seat

BEACON HILL, MA – The special election to name Sen. Ken Donnelly's successor is in full swing, with the first official candidate announcing his run Tuesday. State Rep. Sean Garballey of the 23rd Middlesex District formally announced his candidacy for the 4th Middlesex District seat in an email to Arlington residents, according to Wicked Local.

Donnelly, an Arlington Democrat who represented the 4th Middlesex District's Arlington, Billerica, Burlington, Woburn, and parts of Lexington, died last Sunday following an eight-month battle with a brain tumor. He was 66.

A special election will be held July 25 to fill his vacant seat.

In addition to Garballey, State House sources told the State House News Service that Senate President Stanley Rosenberg's chief policy advisor Jim DiTullio and Donnelly's chief of staff Cindy Friedman, both of Arlington, were exploring possible campaigns.

On the Republican side, Billerica Rep. Marc Lombardo has been urged to consider running for the seat, but declined to discuss the possibility when asked shortly after Donnelly's death out of respect for the senator and his family.

According to Secretary of State William Galvin, whose office oversees elections, nomination papers are due by May 23. Candidates must gather at least 300 certified signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Nomination papers will be available at the city and town halls of the communities in the district and at the state elections division, located in Room 1705 of the McCormack State Office Building, One Ashburton Place, Boston. The elections division may be reached at 1-800-462-VOTE.

Materials from the State House News Service were used in this report

Image via malegislature.gov