Boldyga takes a rare Mass. GOP victory to keep his House seatDate: 11/16/2022 SOUTHWICK – Incumbent state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga won reelection on Nov. 8 with 60 percent of the vote against his opponent, Agawam City Councilor Anthony Russo.
With more than 95 percent of votes tallied, Boldyga led Russo 11,076 to 7,466 across the whole district. A redrawing of legislative maps this year expanded the district from Agawam, Southwick and Granville to also include Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Russell and Tolland.
Though results from the smaller towns took longer to come in, Boldyga’s victory was apparent on Election Night when he won large majorities in the two biggest communities, with 56.5 percent of the vote in Agawam and 67.7 percent in his hometown of Southwick.
Boldyga will now have a seventh consecutive term, having first been elected in 2010, beating incumbent Rosemary Sandlin in his first win. He remains one of the few Republicans on Beacon Hill, as nearly every single incumbent Democrat in the state House of Representatives won reelection this year, and Democrats flipped a handful of seats to increase their majority.
Boldyga cited inflation and the related economic issues as a number one issue with his voters on the campaign trail.
“That is all I heard, going door to door, and all I heard from people calling into the office,” said Boldyga.
He said he was the only representative in Massachusetts to have filed amendments for cutting the gas tax, helping senior citizens with prescription drugs and a diesel fuel tax credits for farmers during the budget process in April.
“I think people appreciate that,” said Boldyga.
There was excitement within the Russo camp as the minutes ticked toward polls closing in Massachusetts, but that excitement tapered slowly as the first results came in and showed Boldyga consistently ahead.
Russo will remain on Agawam’s City Council. He congratulated Boldyga, and said he looks forward to working with him on local issues. Though he lost the race, he said he enjoyed making connections throughout the region.
“Losing a race is never a good thing, but we find the good in it. In this race I made friends, and met people I never would have otherwise met,” said Russo the day after the election.
|
