New England Public Radio

No Replacement Democratic Candidate In 2nd Franklin District

Only Two Contested State Representative Races in Western Mass. On November Ballot

The Massachusetts Democratic Party will not put forward a replacement candidate in the Second Franklin District state representative race.

Democrat Denise Andrews pulled out of the election last weekend, only days after she ran unopposed in the primary. Facing a Wednesday deadline to replace her, the party issued a statement which said one potential candidate stepped forward, but later withdrew his name.

Republican incumbent Susannah Whipps Lee will now run unopposed in the district that covers eastern Franklin and western Worcester Counties.

This means in the four western counties of the state, there will be just two contested state representative seats in November:

  • The Ninth Hampden District in Springfield where Democratic incumbent Jose Tosado will face independent Robert Underwood.
  • The Third Berkshire District in Pittsfield features Democrat Tricia Farley-Bouvier running for re-election against independent Chris Connell.

Help Wanted: A New State Representative Candidate

Mass. Democrats Scramble after 2nd Franklin District Candidate Drops Out

The state representative race for the Second Franklin District in Massachusetts has been thrown into a state of flux. The Democratic candidate dropped out, and now party officials are scrambling to replace her.

Denise Andrews was to challenge Republican incumbent Susannah Whipps Lee for the seat that covers eastern Franklin and western Worcester counties. But several media outlets report Andrews quit the race to take a job in the private sector.

A spokesperson for the Massachusetts Democratic Party said they are seeking candidates and are forming a committee to recommend a replacement for Andrews.

But time is short. The deadline for parties to replace candidates is Wednesday afternoon.

The incumbent, Whipps Lee, said in a statement she will continue campaigning as planned leading up to November.

Republicans In 2nd Franklin Race Differ On Proposed Gas Pipeline

Two Republican candidates for Massachusetts state representative disagree on a proposed natural gas pipeline that would cut through their Franklin and Worcester County district.

MORE: New England Public Radio’s voter guide for primary elections in western and central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut

Karen Anderson and Susannah Whipps-Lee both strongly support Second Amendment rights, and want fewer taxes on businesses. But they differ on a proposed natural gas pipeline. In a candidate roundtable, Anderson said she hasn’t yet made up her mind on the issue, still she said the region will need to make up for the loss of energy sources like the closing Vermont Yankee nuclear plant.

“Who is going to replace that energy need? We all have cell phones, we all have computers, and we charge them every day,” says Anderson. “So we need to find out what exactly is going on, what nature is going to actually be removed, and we don’t have those answers yet.”

Whipps-Lee opposes the pipeline, partly because of the nature of the land it would pass through.

“It’s ledgy and boney, the people up there are ledgy and boney too, and pretty tough,” says Whipps-Lee. “They’re not in favor of it. They’re not in favor of the plan at all.”

The winner of the primary will face Democratic incumbent Denise Andrews in November.

Candidate roundtables are part of a collaboration between The Republican newspaper, CBS3 and New England Public Radio.