Region's Vacant Gov Council Seat Attracts Full Field

Besides a stiff rematch between Governor's Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney and fellow Democrat Mara Dolan, incumbent state councilors don't seem to be drawing too much heat early in the election year.

Some councilors hold onto their seats for decades on the lesser-known panel, which has final approval power over new judges and Parole Board members, along with approval over pardons and commutations. And active fundraising can help hold opponents at bay.

But, as first reported by State House News Services Wednesday morning in MASSterList, a crowded field has lined up in Council District 2, which spans more than 30 towns and cities from Attleboro to Milton and from Ashland to Brockton, including Franklin. That council seat has been vacant for more than a year, since Councilor Bob Jubinville departed to take a clerk magistrate job only weeks after defeating Franklin candidate, Dashe Videira.

Six candidates now appear to have launched campaigns in recent months for the District 2 seat that represents more than 870,000 constituents, according to campaign finance records. Council candidates still need to gather 1,000 nomination signatures and turn those in to local officials by April 30.

Republican Francis Crimmins Jr. of Stoughton, who campaigned in Franklin earlier this week, and Democrats Sean Murphy of Bridgewater, David Reservitz of Needham, Muriel Kramer of Hopkinton, and Tamisha Civil of Stoughton filed paperwork with OCPF between last July and as recently as last week. Civil filed paperwork on Feb. 7 to change her campaign account purpose for the council run. She previously ran primary challenges in 2020 and 2022 against Rep. William Galvin of Canton.

Elsewhere, four Governor's Council members appear to not yet have drawn any opposition as they cruise toward another term: Councilors Joseph Ferreira of Swansea, Terrence Kennedy of Lynnfield, Paul DePalo of Worcester and Tara Jacobs of North Adams. There did not appear to be any other active candidates for their seats with open fundraising accounts, according to a review of state campaign finance data.

Jacobs emerged from a four-way Democratic primary two years ago and is seeking her second term in office. Around $100-700 per month recently, plus more than $2,000 in December, has buoyed her warchest and pumped it almost up to $8,000.

DePalo, who is running for a third term, brought in more than $2,000 in December and again in January, and now has $11,500 in the bank.

A well-connected criminal defense attorney, Kennedy hauled in $25,000 in December alone, and his total cash on hand is now up to $125,000.

The council's new fundraising leader is Ferreira, a lawyer and former Somerset police chief. He raked in $42,500 in November, $6,000 in December, and now has $135,000 in the bank, according to his most recent report to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Jamaica Plain Councilor Chris Iannella hasn't done much serious fundraising since 2022, when he hauled in $34,800 in one month. But his bank account rests above $128,000, and as recently as January he reported a $1,000 donation. He's the dean of the council, first elected in 1984.

Fellow Democrat Stacey Borden of Dorchester appears to be challenging the 40-year council veteran. Borden filed organizational paperwork with campaign finance regulators last June, though has been slow to build up her coffers. After raising $150 in January, she had $567 on hand, OCPF data showed.

North of Boston in District 5, Councilor Eileen Duff's decision to seek an open Registry of Deeds post is opening up another council seat. Democrat Eunice Zeigler of Methuen, a former Methuen City Council president, is running there with the support of Auditor Diana DiZoglio and Sen. Lydia Edwards of Boston.

The stiffest challenge to a council incumbent this cycle is looking like public defender Dolan's Democratic primary rematch against Devaney, who has held the District 3 seat since 1999.

Devaney lost her home city of Watertown to Dolan by 61 votes in 2022, though prevailed district-wide with a campaign that has been largely self-funded for years. In the 2022 election year, two individuals and two public employee unions (PFFM and NAGE) gave Devaney's campaign a combined $1,300, while she loaned her own campaign $21,500. She poured in another $6,400 of her own money last year.

Dolan, of Concord, has been touting endorsements from the likes of Senate President Pro Tempore Will Brownsberger and House Majority Leader Mike Moran, and hasn't let up on fundraising since her 2022 loss to Devaney. Since last April, she's hauled in more than $1,000 per month, including $10,500 reported in January alone.

Dolan now has $21,000 on hand compared to Devaney's $500, according to OCPF reports.