Two local state rep seats won't be going to incumbents. Here's why.

Frank Mulligan, The Standard-Times

Candidates are emerging for two local state representatives' seats that have opened up after two longtime incumbents opted not to seek re-election.

Three candidates have returned nomination papers for the 10th Bristol District state representative's seat currently held by William Straus, D-Mattapoisett.

They are:

  • Joseph Pires, Republican, 8 Wamsutta Lane in Rochester, who is a member of the Old Rochester District School Committee;

  • Robert McConnell, Republican, 32 Abbey St. in Fairhaven, who chairs the Fairhaven Republican Town Committee and was defeated in the primary for this seat in the last election;

  • Mark Sylvia, Democrat, 38 Oliver St., in Fairhaven, who is the Fairhaven town moderator.

Straus, who has held the seat since 1993, announced in March that he was not seeking re-election.

The 10th Bristol District includes Precincts 1, and 2A, of the town of Acushnet, the town of Fairhaven, Ward 1 Precincts A, B, and C1, of the city of New Bedford, all in the county of Bristol, and the towns of Marion, Mattapoisett, and Rochester, all in the county of Plymouth.

Five candidates have returned nomination papers for the 8th Bristol state representative's seat currently held by Paul A. Schmid III, D-Westport.

They are:

  • Manuel Soares Jr., Independent, of 316 Gifford Road in Westport, who is a Westport select board and planning board member;

  • Laura Hadley, Independent, of 1 Narrow Ave. in Westport;

  • Gabriel Amaral, Republican, of 901 Indian Town Road in Fall River, who ran an unsuccessful race for Fall River City Council in 2023;

  • Steven J. Ouellette, Democrat, of 25 Maple St. in Westport, who is a Westport select board member;

  • Jesse W. St. Gelais, Independent of 32 Gammons Road in Acushnet.

The 8th Bristol District includes Precincts 2, and 3, of the town of Acushnet, Ward 1 Precinct A and Ward 6 Precincts A, B, of the city of Fall River, Precincts 2, 3, of the town of Freetown, and Ward 1 Precinct B1, and C, of the city of New Bedford, and the town of Westport, all in the county of Bristol.

Schmid announced he was not seeking re-election in February.

If all move forward there will be a Republican primary in the 10th

Local officials have until May 21 to certify signatures in the nomination papers to make the candidacies official. Candidates must provide at least 150 signatures from registered voters within the district.

If all the candidacies move forward there would be a Republican primary for the 10th Bristol where two Republicans are running.

There would be no primary in the 8th Bristol where three of the candidates are running as independents, and a Democrat and Republican round out the list. All five would be on the state election ballot.

The primary is Sept. 3 and the general election is Nov. 5.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: New blood coming to two local state rep districts

Advertisement