Auchincloss scores open House seat, Markey reelected; Biden wins Massachusetts

BOSTON — Democrat Joe Biden won Massachusetts, Democratic U.S. Sen. Edward Markey was reelected for another six-year term and Democrat Jake Auchincloss was voted into the state’s open U.S. House seat as voting concluded Tuesday.

Massachusetts residents faced a lot of choices: They voted to fill the open seat, approved a statewide ballot question expanding the state’s “right to repair” law, weighed a second ballot question on ranked choice voting and decided whether to reelect some longtime incumbents to Congress. A record number of voters cast ballots early or by mail, changing the complexion of Tuesday’s election.

Markey fended off a challenge from Republican Kevin O’Connor, a lawyer from Dover who’s pitched himself as a candidate who could help clean house in Washington. The 74-year-old Markey has served for decades in Congress, first in the House and later in the Senate.

Markey rebuffed a high-profile primary challenge from Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in September.

In a live video address Tuesday night, Markey thanked his supporters and vowed to fight for action around climate change, racial justice and immigration reform. He credited the victory in large part to young activists who have organized around progressive ideals.

“Massachusetts voted to affirm our movement’s mandate for change, and I am grateful for that,” Markey said. “The age of incrementalism is over. The time to be timid is over. Now is our moment to think big, build big, be big.”

Voters approved expanding the state’s “Right to Repair” law by giving car owners and independent auto shops greater access to data related to vehicle maintenance and repair.

Car repair shops and auto parts suppliers said the measure would guarantee car owners access to the repair information needed to bring their cars to auto shops. Automakers cast the question as a data grab by third parties who want to gather personal vehicle information.

Tommy Hickey, director of the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition, credited voters with updating the state’s right to repair law “for the modern age of connected cars.” while opponents said the new measure will “grant real time, two-way access” to cars.

Supporters of a second ballot question that would would make major changes to the way ballots are cast and tallied in future elections in Massachusetts by introducing ranked choice voting conceded defeat early Wednesday. The Associated Press has not called the referendum.

“We came up short in this election, and we are obviously deeply disappointed,” campaign manager Cara Brown McCormick said in a statement.

Under that system, voters would be given the option of ranking candidates in order of their preference — one for their top choice, two for their second choice, and so on.

If no candidate received a majority of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes would be eliminated. Voters who ranked the eliminated candidate as their first choice would have their votes counted instead for their second choice. The process would repeat until one candidate receives a majority of the vote and wins.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is among the opponents of ranked choice voting, calling it complicated and costly. Supporters included Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey.

Four of the state’s remaining eight Democratic House incumbents defeated their Republican challengers.

Rep. Jim McGovern, who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District, fended off GOP challenger Tracy Lovvorn, while 5th Congressional District Rep. Katherine Clark defeated a challenge from Republican Caroline Colarusso. Former presidential candidate Rep. Seth Moulton, who represents the 6th Congressional District, beat GOP challenger John Paul Moran, while Rep. William Keating, who represents the 9th Congressional District, fended off a challenge from Republican Helen Brady and independent Michael Manley.

Two Democratic incumbents — 1st Congressional District Rep. Richard Neal and 3rd Congressional District Rep. Lori Trahan — ran unopposed. 7th Congressional District Rep. Ayanna Pressley defeated independent Roy Owens to win a second term. 8th Congressional District Rep. Stephen Lynch defeated independent challenger Jonathan Lott.

Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is among the opponents of ranked choice voting, calling it complicated and costly. Polls suggested a close race between the “yes” and “no” camps.

Four of the state’s remaining eight Democratic House incumbents are facing Republican challengers.

Rep. Jim McGovern, who represents the state’s 2nd Congressional District, is hoping to fend off GOP challenger Tracy Lovvorn, while 5th Congressional District Rep. Katherine Clark is trying to defeat a challenge from Republican Caroline Colarusso. Former presidential candidate Rep. Seth Moulton, who represents the 6th Congressional District, is hoping to defeat GOP challenger John Paul Moran, while Rep. William Keating, who represents the 9th Congressional District, is hoping to beat back a challenge from Republican Helen Brady and independent Michael Manley.

Two Democratic incumbents — 1st Congressional District Rep. Richard Neal and 3rd Congressional District Rep. Lori Trahan — ran unopposed. Two others — 7th Congressional District Rep. Ayanna Pressley and 8th Congressional District Rep. Stephen Lynch — faced little-known independent challengers.

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