Incumbent Gov. Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) has secured another term, defeating Republican opponent Charlie Baker in yesterday's gubernatorial election.
The Democratic governor faced a serious electoral challenger in Baker, with polling at times putting the two candidates in a statistical dead heat. Patrick ultimately won with 49 percent of the vote.
Massachusetts voters also rendered decisions on three ballot questions, approving Question 1, which will repeal the state tax on alcohol sales.
Question 2, which would have ended the comprehensive building permit exemption for low- and moderate-income housing, was rejected. Question 3, which proposed lowering the state sales tax to 3 percent, was also voted down.
As was widely predicted, Republicans nationwide made significant gains in Congress. Republicans picked up over 50 seats in the House of Representatives. They now control the House, but the Senate will remain in Democratic hands.
U.S. Representatives Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.), who represent Congressional districts covering Somerville and Medford, respectively, both secured re-election. Capuano ran unopposed, while Markey defeated Republican candidate Gerry Dembrowski.
Attorney General Martha Coakley — who unsuccessfully ran in this year's Massachusetts special U.S. Senate election against Republican Scott Brown (LA ‘81) — also won re-election.
Mass. State Rep. Carl Sciortino (D-Medford/Somerville, LA ‘00) defeated independent candidate Richard Cannava to win another term.
