State Rep. Durant Will Run For Anne Gobi's Senate Seat: Filing

WORCESTER, MA — A Charlton Republican will run for the seat vacated by former state senator Anne Gobi, who is joining Gov. Maura Healey's administration as the state rural affairs director.

On Monday, state Rep. Peter Durant changed his campaign purpose to run for Gobi's Worcester and Hampshire state Senate seat, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Durant is the second state representative to step into a forthcoming special election. Democratic state Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik on May 23 switched his campaign purpose to run for Gobi's seat, which covers Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Gardner, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, Ware, West Brookfield, Westminster and southwestern Worcester.

The special election to replace Gobi will be set by the state senate at a later date.

Gobi, a Spencer resident, will become the state's first rural affairs director, a new position inside the governor's economic development office. Gobi was set to begin in that role on Monday, according to the Healey administration.