Politics & Government
LeBoeuf Confirms 2022 Run As Challenger Michelle Keane Emerges
Keane will force a Democratic primary in the 17th Worcester District following Rep. David LeBoeuf's drunken driving arrest.
WORCESTER, MA — A former Worcester library trustee and campaign worker will challenge state Rep. David LeBoeuf in the race for the 17th Worcester state House seat in 2022.
Worcester resident Michelle Keane will run for the seat as a Democrat, according to paperwork filed with the state on Tuesday. LeBoeuf, also a Democrat, was arrested in April after he was caught driving under the influence along Route 93 in Quincy, according to state police.
After Keane's filing became public Tuesday, LeBoeuf reaffirmed that he will run for reelection in 2022, and is continuing to work while he attends addiction treatment.
"I recognize I will have to work extensively to rebuild people's trust. I am committed to doing that. I love this community and the district I represent, and I hope I will be judged by the totality of my character. This office is not just a job for me; it is a vocation of service," the statement said.
Keane previously worked as a campaign manager for Democrat Paul DePalo's 2020 run for the District 7 Governor's Council seat representing central Massachusetts. DePalo is listed on Keane's filing papers as the chair of her campaign committee.
LeBoeuf had previously been considered a contender for state Sen. Harriette Chandler's seat after she announced her retirement in January. LeBoeuf opted to run for reelection to his House seat, and was facing no opposition from either another Democrat or Republicans until his drunken driving arrest.
Keane, a 4th grade teacher at Hildreth Elementary in Harvard, was among several people who considered challenging LeBoeuf in the days after the arrest, but the only one to get the required signatures by the filing deadline earlier in May. The 2022 statewide primary election will be held on Sept. 6.
