Democrat Sweep Across North Shore District Races

SALEM, MA — There was little drama in district races across the North Shore on Tuesday night as State Sens. Joan Lovely and Brendan Crighton were well ahead in apparent victories in their respective re-election bids and the remaining area races were uncontested in the general election.

Lovely (D-Salem) won by about 23,000 in the Second Essex District against Republican Damian Anketell. Lovely was at 67.6 percent with Anketell at 32.4 percent with 100 percent of precincts reporting Wednesday morning.

Crighton withstood a challenge from Independent Annalisa Sulustri in the Third Essex District with 71.2 percent of the vote to 28.8 percent for Sulustri.

The two newest State House representatives from the North Shore — Salem Democrat Manny Cruz in the Seventh Essex District and Marblehead Democrat Jenny Armini in the Eighth Essex District — had no general election challenger after they each won primary campaigns for the open seats.

State Rep. Sally Kerans (D-Danvers) in the 13th Essex District, Thomas Walsh (D-Peabody) in the 12th Essex District and Jerry Parisella (D-Beverly) in the Sixth Essex District ran unopposed.

Paul Tucker (D-Salem), the current Seventh Essex Representative, ran uncontested in the general election for District Attorney and Kevin Coppinger was unopposed for Essex County Sheriff in the general election after they both won contested primaries in September.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)