Republicans will hang on to one of their few seats in the Massachusetts legislature. That’s after Don Humason of Westfield won a special election for state Senate Tuesday.

Humason, a state representative, was up against Holyoke City Councilor David Bartley. Bartley and Humason exchanged voicemails Tuesday night, the end of an election Humason says was one if the nicest he’s ever been involved in.

“As a candidate running against another candidate, it’s always refreshing to see a race run on issues instead of on dirty tricks and sneaky politics and things like that,” he said.

Humason is former aide to Mike Knapik, the Republican who held this Senate seat until resigning in August to take a job at Westfield State University.

This is a much-needed win for the Massachusetts Republican Party. Once Humason is sworn in, the GOP will hold just 4 seats in the 40-member state Senate.

He says his priorities include boosting state funding for Western Mass communities, and also making volleyball, which was invented in Holyoke, the official team sport of the commonwealth.

Photo courtesy of The Republican and MassLive.