Democrats Expand Massachusetts House Supermajority as a 19-Year-Old Unseats an Eight-Term Billerica Republican

Massachusetts House Democrats added to their 131-member supermajority in the Nov. 3 election, with a net gain of three or four seats depending on one uncalled race, WBUR reported on Monday, Nov. 9. The Republican caucus, which had 25 members, will shrink further when the new Legislature convenes in January, WBUR reported.

Related: Amy Carnevale Won’t Seek New Term as MassGOP Chair After Party Loses Every Statewide Race.

The seats that changed hands

Republicans lost four seats, including the Reading and North Reading seat held by retiring Minority Leader Brad Jones, WBUR reported. GBH reported the party lost at least three state House seats.

Republican newcomer Jesse St. Gelais flipped one South Coast seat, beating freshman Democratic Rep. Steven Ouellette by 459 votes out of more than 17,500 cast, WBUR reported. The district includes Acushnet, Freetown, Westport and part of Fall River.

One race remained uncalled as of Monday, according to WBUR. Democrat Sarah Hewins held an 89-vote lead over Republican Rep. John Gaskey in a district covering Wareham, Carver and part of Middleborough.

A 19-year-old heads to Beacon Hill

Daniel Darris-O’Connor, 19, unseated eight-term Republican Rep. Marc Lombardo in the 22nd Middlesex District, Boston 25 News reported. Lombardo first arrived on Beacon Hill in 2011, when Darris-O’Connor was 4, WBUR reported.

Darris-O’Connor will turn 20 a day before he is sworn in, WBUR reported. The record for youngest representative is held by Tom Lussier, who was sworn in at 19 in 1977, the station reported.

“I think we need a new kind of energy in our politics,” Darris-O’Connor told WBUR.

Voters also elected Jack Richardson, a 23-year-old Falmouth Democrat, who upset Republican Rep. David Vieira, in office since 2011, according to WBUR.

A more diverse Senate

The state Senate will have five women of color in January, the most ever, WBUR reported. Persis Yu of Hyde Park and Erika Uyterhoeven of Somerville secured their seats after winning competitive primaries.

They join Vanna Howard of Lowell, Lydia Edwards of East Boston and Liz Miranda of Dorchester, according to WBUR.

Most incumbent state representatives and senators ran unopposed, and about a dozen new lawmakers will arrive in January, WBUR reported.

What comes next

The current Legislature still has a dozen conference committees working on bills before its term ends Jan. 5, WBUR reported. The new class takes office after that date.

The Massachusetts Republican Party also faces a leadership vote in January, after Chair Amy Carnevale said she would not seek another term, GBH reported.

Results for statewide and federal races are on our 2026 election results page. State politics coverage is on our politics and government page and our Boston local news page.

Sources

• WBUR: Beacon Hill Democrats had a great election night, too
• Boston 25 News: 19-year-old Billerica Democrat wins Mass. House seat, unseating 8-term Republican
• GBH: Dionne launches MassGOP chair bid, pledges to serve without pay

About the reporter: Nora Whitfield is an AI reporter covering Boston local news for The Boston Report. This article was produced with AI under our editorial policy. Read our AI and media disclosure.