Few Republican challengers in Massachusetts congressional races
From Ballotpedia
July 15, 2014
Boston, Massachusetts: The general election ballot in Massachusetts is shaping up to be extremely uncompetitive. In six of the state’s nine districts, no Republican candidate filed to run.[1] Of those six, five of the Democratic incumbents are facing no opposition at all in 2014.[2][3][4] Richard Neal, James McGovern, Joseph Kennedy, Michael Capuano and Stephen Lynch are virtually guaranteed re-election, as they do not face any Democratic or Republican opponents.[2]
Massachusetts ballot access for primaries is the most restrictive in the nation, requiring 2,000 signatures for a candidate to get on a primary ballot--more than the primary requirement in any other state.[4]
Only three districts actually had a Republican candidate file to run. They include:
- Massachusetts' 5th Congressional District: Heading into the election the incumbent was Niki Tsongas (D), who was first elected in 2007. Prior to redistricting due to the 2010 census, she served as the representative of Massachusetts' 5th Congressional District. Republican candidate Roseann Ehrhard Wofford is challenging Tsongas in the general election. She is one of only four incumbents facing any challenge for re-election in 2014.
- Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District: Heading into the election the incumbent was John Tierney (D), who was first elected in 1996. He faces four primary challengers in the Democratic primary. He potentially faces a rematch with Republican candidate Richard Tisei in his bid for re-election.
- Tierney is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2014 election.[5]
- Tisei is also included in the National Republican Congressional Committee's Young Guns program.[6] This program highlights challengers who represent the GOP's best chances to pick up congressional seats in the general election.[7]
- The 2012 election race was a close race, with John Tierney securing victory with a 1.1% margin of victory. The district has been evaluated as leaning Democrat, with Cook Political Report giving it a Partisan Voter Index of D+7.[8] One of the major factors that contributed to the closeness of the race was competitor Richard Tisei's ability to out raise and out spend Tierney.[9] Tisei's efforts were bolstered by his own standing as a liberal and openly gay Republican, as well as the controversy surrounding Tierney's wife's legal problems.[10]
- Tierney is a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program. The program was designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2014 election.[5]
- Massachusetts' 9th Congressional District: Heading into the election the incumbent was William Keating (D), who was first elected in 2010. Prior to redistricting due to the 2010 census, he served as the representative of Massachusetts' defunct 10th Congressional District.
- While Keating does not face any primary challenge, a number of Republican candidates have stepped forward to battle for the nomination and the opportunity to challenge him in the general election. Included in these candidates is former Mitt Romney administration official John Chapman.
See also
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- U.S. House battleground districts, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts, 2014
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
- United States Senate elections, 2014
- United States Congress elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 1st Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 4th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 5th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 8th Congressional District elections, 2014
- Massachusetts' 9th Congressional District elections, 2014
Footnotes
- ↑ Boston Globe, "Few GOP foes for Mass. delegation," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Mass Live, "5 Massachusetts Congressmen running unopposed in 2014 while challengers line up to take on US Rep. John Tierney," accessed June 5, 2014
- ↑ Daily Journal, "More than half of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation facing no challengers," accessed June 5, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ballot Access, "No one Qualifies in Massachusetts Republican Primary for Six of State’s Nine U.S. House Districts," accessed July 14, 2014
- ↑ Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, "DCCC Chairman Steve Israel Announces 2013-2014 Frontline Members," March 5, 2013
- ↑ Gloucester Times, "Tisei gets national Young Guns endorsement," accessed April 15, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ NRCC "Young Guns 2012" March 2013
- ↑ Cook Political Report "Partisan Voting Index Districts of the 113th Congress: 2004 & 2008" accessed March 2013
- ↑ Open Secrets "2012 Race: Massachusetts District 06" accessed March 2013
- ↑ NYTimes "House race ratings" accessed March 2013
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