Politics & Government

State Sen. Karen Spilka Kicks Off Campaign for Congress

The state senator for Holliston and Hopkinton said the person who "can deliver results" will win the congressional seat. She is running for Edward Markey's seat.

By Susan Petroni

State Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) kicked off her run for Congress Monday night before hundreds of supporters at her new campaign headquarters on Route 9 in Framingham.

Spilka announced on her personal Facebook page last month she would run for the congressional seat if Ed Markey won the U.S. Senate race.

Spilka is the Majority Whip of the Massachusetts Senate.

"I spent the last 12 years on Beacon Hill taking on the challenges no one else would and I’m ready to do the same thing in Congress," she said. 

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Spilka said the person who "can deliver results" will win the seat.

Supporters in the crowd Monday included state Rep. Chris Walsh, Framingham Selectmen Laurie Lee and Dennis Giombetti, Framingham School Committee Chair Beverly Hugo, Health Board Chair Michael Hugo, Framingham Planning Board members Tom Mahoney, Stephanie Mercandetti and Lewis Colton, former State Senator David Magnani and former State Rep. John Stefanini. The crowd also included supporters from Ashland, Natick, Holliston Hopkinton, Medway, Franklin and other communities

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Spilka is among five Democrats who seek to be elected to the 5th Congressional seat. 

On Monday, Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian announced he would run. Other Democrats in the race include state Sens. Will Brownsberger and Katherine Clark and State Rep. Carl Sciortino. No Republicans have officially announced.

Spilka told her crowd of supporters she has "worthy opponents," calling them "friends of mine."

The primary election date has yet to be set. It will determined once Markey officially resigns his congressional seat. He was elected U.S. senator on June 25.

Democrats assembled to support Spilka Monday night, said the primary election will likely be held in October with the final election in December.

In January, Spilka was sworn in to serve her fifth term as the senator to the Second Middlesex and Norfolk District, representing the communities of  Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway and Natick.

Earlier this year, Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, advanced Spilka to serve as Majority Whip of the Massachusetts Senate. Previously, Spilka served as Assistant Majority Whip.

Spilka serves as Senate chairman of the BioTech Legislative Caucus and Tech Hub Legislative Caucus.

She is also currently on the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and STEM Goddard Council. She was instrumental in the passage of legislation on clean energy and broadband and is the chief author of major economic development and regulatory reform legislation. She also recently served as Senate Chair of the Jobs Creation Commission and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies. 


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