Veteran Massachusetts Democratic congressman loses to challenger
BOSTON (Reuters) - Democratic 10-term U.S. Representative Michael Capuano conceded defeat to Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley on Tuesday in the race for the party’s nomination to represent the liberal city in the U.S. Congress.
Incumbent U.S. Representative Mike Capuano (D-MA) speaks to reporters after voting in the Massachusetts Primary Election in Somerville, Massachusetts, U.S., September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
“Clearly the district wanted a lot of change,” Capuano told supporters on Tuesday as he conceded to Pressley. “I’m sorry that this didn’t work out.”
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The outcome was the latest win for a progressive challenger against a veteran politician. With no Republicans on the ticket in Tuesday’s nominating primary, Pressley is all but certain to succeed Capuano in Washington in November’s congressional elections.
Polls and political analysts predict the state’s nine House of Representatives seats will remain in Democratic hands, along with the seat held by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, a leading liberal voice often cited as a possible 2020 White House contender.
Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican who regularly shows up in polls as one of the most popular U.S. governors, is also expected to be re-elected.
Democrats need to pick up 23 seats in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate nationwide in the Nov. 6 general election to gain a majority that could allow them to counter Republican President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and and Peter Cooney
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