One of the two Congressional districts in Western Massachusetts is in play for today's election. Democrat Jim McGovern has represented the Second District since the boundaries were re-drawn in 2012. Overall, McGovern has been a congressman in the commonwealth for 23 years. Republican Tracy Lovvorn who lost in 2018, is once again the challenger. First District Congressman Richard Neal won a primary race against Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse in September and is unopposed on the ballot today.
There will be two state Senate races in Western Massachusetts today. In the Second Hampden and Hampshire District, Democrat John Velis [[ VEE-liss ]] faces the same Republican challenger he beat in a special election earlier this year, John Cain. And the Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex District features incumbent Democrat Anne Gobi vs Republican Steven Hall, who previously lost this matchup two years ago.
Western Mass has six races for the state House of Representatives today, all but one of which are in Hampden County. The Fourth Hampden District had a vacancy when John Velis jumped to the Senate. In the Seventh and Ninth Hampden Districts, Thomas Petrolati and Jose Tosado are retiring and their seats are being contested. The other Hampden districts in play today are the Third and the Eleventh.
And. former Hampden County Commissioner Abraham Kasparian is running for the same role on Cape Cod this year. The independent candidate is one of four running for two available seats on the Barnstable County Commission. Kasparian was released from prison in 2016 after serving over thirteen years for the attempted murder of his wife at a pizza parlor in Agawam. The independent candidate told the Cape Cod Times in April religion has helped him move on from his criminal history.
(Photo Credit: John Baibak/WHYN News)