Politics & Government
Republicans Gain In MA Senate After Special Election In Worcester & Hampshire District
Spencer Republican Peter Durant will join a state Senate that's still almost completely controlled by Democrats.
WORCESTER, MA — Massachusetts Democrats lost a state Senate seat on Election Day after state Rep. Peter Durant won a special election in a race against state Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik in a district covering Worcester and Hampshire counties.
Durant's win won't change much in the Senate: he will only be the fourth Republican member with Democrats holding all 36 other seats.
"It's good to be winning again," the state Republican party posted in a tweet on X Tuesday night.
Durant, who was first elected to represent the Spencer area in 2011, defeated Zlotnik 11,985 to 9,813 for a seat representing a wide part of central Massachusetts roughly spanning the southwest side of Worcester west to the north end of the Quabbin Reservoir.
State Rural Affairs Director Anne Gobi, a Democrat, left the seat in June after being picked for the job by Gov. Maura Healey.
"To all those across the Worcester & Hampshire District, I want to thank you for your trust and support in today’s Special Election. I look forward to representing your values and interests on Beacon Hill," Durant said in a Facebook post.
Durant's new seat will border Republican state Sen. Ryan Fattman's Worcester & Hampden District, making central Massachusetts' representation in the chamber solidly Republican.
