Democrat Forry Wins State Senate Seat
Democratic state Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry was victorious in Tuesday's special election for the First Suffolk seat. Forry easily won the election with over 80 percent of the vote against Republican Joseph Ureneck. The election was held to replace Jack Hart who resigned for a private sector job.
Endorsed by MassEquality, Forry is an advocate for LGBT civil rights. In March, Forry asked the organizers of the traditional South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade to allow LGBT groups to march. The organizers, the Allied War Veteran's Council, have have consistently rejected applications of LGBT groups. Forry will become the first elected official representing South Boston to ask organizers to allow gay groups to march.
Forry will be the first woman to hold this seat which has long been held by men from South Boston, including Hart, current U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, and former state Senate President William Bulger.
Forry is from Dorchester and is of Haitian descent.
In another special election, Jay Livingstone won the Democratic primary for a state representative which includes Beacon Hill, Back Bay and part of Cambridge. Livingston beat Josh Dawson, taking 69 percent of the vote. The seat was held by Martha Walz, who left earlier this year to head up Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts.
The general election is on June 25. No Republican was on the primary ballot.