Worcester voters largely followed the statewide verdict in Tuesday’s primary, giving decisive victories to U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Republican gubernatorial nominee Michael Minogue while favoring incumbent lawmakers in the city’s two contested Democratic state House races.
With all 62 Worcester precincts counted, Markey received 10,132 votes, or 70.4%, to U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton’s 4,208, or 29.2%, according to unofficial final results released by the city.
The result closely tracked Markey’s decisive victory statewide. The Associated Press called the Democratic Senate primary for the 80-year-old incumbent Tuesday night, sending him to the November election against Republican John Deaton.
Moulton, 47, had sought to unseat the longtime senator with a campaign centered heavily on generational change. Markey, who has served in the Senate since 2013 after more than three decades in the U.S. House, successfully turned back a younger Democratic challenger for the second time in six years.
In a statement Tuesday night, Moulton acknowledged the loss and said he had spoken with Markey and pledged to support his reelection in November.
“We entered this race as an underdog and know the outcome tonight might not be what we had hoped for,” Moulton said in the statement. “We ran a race that stood on principle – that wasn’t just about politics as usual – and that elevated the voices of Massachusetts citizens who have been left behind by the status quo in Washington.”
“I spoke to Senator Markey tonight and pledged that I will do everything I can to help him win re-election in November, to ensure a Democrat represents the state we both love,” Moulton said.
Minogue wins Worcester and statewide GOP vote
Worcester Republicans also sided overwhelmingly with the eventual statewide winner in the gubernatorial primary.
Minogue received 2,451 votes in Worcester, or 70.3%, compared with 1,013 votes, or 29.1%, for Brian Shortsleeve, according to the city’s unofficial final results.
The Associated Press called the statewide race for Minogue Tuesday night. The former medical device executive and political newcomer will face Democratic Gov. Maura Healey in the Nov. 3 general election. Healey was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Keefe wins 15th Worcester District primary
State Rep. Mary Keefe secured the Democratic nomination for another term representing the 15th Worcester District, defeating challenger Ronald Waddell Jr.
With all 14 precincts in the district counted, Keefe received 1,285 votes, or 64.6%, compared with 696, or 35%, for Waddell, according to the city’s unofficial results.
The final numbers were nearly identical to the margin Keefe held in partial returns Tuesday night.
O’Day carries Worcester portion of 14th District
State Rep. James O’Day also won the Worcester portion of the Democratic primary for the 14th Worcester District by a substantial margin over challenger Barur Rajeshkumar.
With all 10 Worcester precincts in the district reporting, O’Day received 2,090 votes, or 63.7%, to Rajeshkumar’s 1,182, or 36%, according to the city’s unofficial results.
The 14th Worcester District also includes West Boylston, meaning the Worcester totals alone do not represent the complete districtwide result.
Other Worcester incumbents faced no Democratic primary opponent Tuesday, including U.S. Rep. James McGovern and state Reps. John Mahoney, Daniel Donahue and David LeBoeuf.
State Sens. Robyn Kennedy and Michael Moore were also unopposed in the Democratic primaries for the 1st and 2nd Worcester districts, respectively. Shannon Teabo was the sole Democratic candidate in the Worcester & Hampshire Senate District, while Republican Sen. Peter Durant was unopposed for his party’s nomination in that district.
District Attorney Joseph Early Jr. was also unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
Worcester turnout tops 15%
A total of 18,238 ballots were cast in Worcester Tuesday, representing turnout of 15.2% among the city’s 119,806 registered voters, according to the unofficial final results.
Democratic ballots accounted for 14,688, or about 81%, of those cast, while 3,550 Republican ballots were cast.
The results remain unofficial pending certification.
