Complete Election Results for Senate Primary in Melrose

Republican candidate Gabriel Gomez, a former Navy SEAL, and longtime Democratic Congressman Ed Markey will face off June 25 to fill John Kerry's former U.S. Senate seat.

Following the state's lead, Republican Gabriel Gomez and Democrat Ed Markey tallied the most votes in Melrose in the U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the City Clerk's office. Gomez, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, and Markey, a longtime Congressman, will square off June 25 to fill John Kerry's former U.S. Senate seat. In the Democratic race, Markey earned 2,510 votes, followed by Stephen Lynch with 1,239. On the Republican side, Gomez collected 511 votes, ahead of Michael Sullivan (358 votes) and third-place finisher Daniel Winslow with 95. Here are the complete unofficial voting results for Melrose: Democrats - Senator in Congress [Editor's note: An asterisk (*) indicates the winner.]

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Patch Interviews U.S. Senate Candidates

We gathered questions from editors across Patch’s coverage area in Massachusetts.

U.S. Senate Candidates Face Off in Debate Wednesday Night

The forum will feature Democratic and Republican challengers in Needham at WCVB.

Five candidates seeking the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by John Kerry will debate for the first time in one place Wednesday night in Needham. The two Democrats and three Republicans vying for the vacated position will face each other in two separate, 30-minute debates in an event sponsored by the Boston Media Consortium and held at the Channel 5 studios. The debate will air live from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be moderated by R.D. Sahl. Patch will be among the media organizations covering the event. The primary election is April 30. On the Democratic side, U.S. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Malden), who represents Melrose, will square off against U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston). In the latest UMass Lowell poll, Markey leads Lynch 50 …

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Markey, Sullivan Leading New WBUR Senate Poll

Over 40 percent of likely voters in both primaries yet to make up their minds for the special election.

Congressman Edward Markey and former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan are leading their respective Democratic and Republican primary fields for the upcoming U.S. Senate special election, according to a new WBUR poll. Markey, a Malden Democrat, has an 11-point edge (35 percent to 24 percent) over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch of South Boston. Markey represents Melrose. Sullivan, of Abington, leads the Republican candidates with 28 percent followed by Norfolk Rep. Dan Winslow at 10 percent and former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez of Cohasset with 8 percent. Both races have a high number of undecided voters. According to the poll, 41 percent of likely Democratic voters have not made up their minds. That number is even bigger among likely GOP…

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Letter to the Editor: Brett Rhyne on Why He's Running for Senate

A letter to the editor from Brett Rhyne.

[Editor's note: The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by U.S. Senate candidate Brett Rhyne.] To the Editor: My name is Brett Rhyne, and I’m running as a write-in candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in the April 30 primary. Why? Because I need a job. That’s only a little facetious. Since I stopped teaching at Salem State College in 2009, I’ve been unemployed or underemployed two-thirds of the time. Put another way, I haven’t been able to provide for my five-year-old boys for half their lives. Thankfully, family, friends, our community and the state have helped greatly, and for that, I’m extremely grateful. As a teacher and a journalist, I’ve always worked to make the world a better place. Now I’d like to be …

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Who’s the Frontrunner in GOP Senate Primary?

One candidate has name recognition, but experts say no one has separated themselves from the field yet.

The window for the three combatants for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate special election to make a name for themselves is a small one, with the April 30 primary just seven weeks away. Observers don’t believe there is a clear frontrunner at this point among the field of State Rep. Dan Winslow (R-Norfolk), former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan and former Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez. But strong fundraising, advertising and ground operations could change that quickly. Frank Talty, co-director of the UMass-Lowell Center For Public Opinion, believes Sullivan has a “slight advantage” at the moment because of his previous job, but not enough to pull away from Winslow and Gomez at the moment. “He had received some media attention in that …

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You Ask, Patch Answers

You Ask, Patch Answers: Cost to Melrose For Upcoming Special Election

With a primary on April 30 and a final election on June 25, Melrose gets ready for a special election to fill the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry.

With a special election slated for this spring to fill the Senate seat formerly occupied by Secretary of State John Kerry, local election departments across the state are scrambling to organize. Some have asked how much the special election will cost Melrose. I asked Melrose City Clerk Mary Rita O'Shea about the situation in Melrose. O'Shea said special elections cost the city about $31,500. So, with a primary scheduled for April 30 and the state election scheduled for June 25, this year's special election will cost Melrose about $63,000. That money pays for things like staffing the polls, police details, supplies and printing the ballots, according to O'Shea. O'Shea said her department is busy handling several tasks at the moment, …

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Markey, Lynch Agree to Six Debates Before Primary

Locations include Boston, Lowell, New Bedford, Worcester and Springfield.

Congressmen Edward Markey and Stephen Lynch, the two Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate, have agreed to participate in six debates between now and the April 30 primary, according to the Boston Herald. The Boston Herald’s Chris Cassidy Tweeted that three of the debates will be general format, with the remaining three focusing on jobs, domestic issues and foreign policy. One of the debates will be held in Boston, and others will be held in Lowell, New Bedford, Worcester and Springfield. The location of the sixth debate has not been determined. Markey, who represents Melrose, and Lynch are facing off to see who will take on the winner of the Republican primary in the June 25 special election to fill the seat vacated by John Kerry’s …

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Lynch, Markey Hit the Road, Republicans Get Started

Nomination papers deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 27.

With only days to go before nomination papers are due in the race for U.S. Senate, last week was a busy one for announced and potential candidates looking to fill the seat left vacant by John Kerry’s appointment to Secretary of State. The Republican field lost one prominent candidate, and another generated a bit of controversy. On the Democratic side, Congressmen Edward Markey (D-Malden) and Stephen Lynch (D-South Boston) have been working through their pre-primary debate schedule and campaigning across the state.  Democrats Markey, Lynch Hit The Road Both Democratic candidates hit the road again last week from Pittsfield to Salem, meeting with residents and attending fundraisers.  Markey, who represents Melrose, had campaign stops in …

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