The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts were held on November 6, 2018, electing the nine U.S. representatives from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including a gubernatorial election, other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The primary election for contested nominations was held on September 4, 2018.
On the night of the election, all nine races were declared in favor of the Democratic Party candidates. Seven seats went to incumbents seeking re-election: Richard Neal (1st District), Jim McGovern (2nd), Joseph Kennedy III (4th), Katherine Clark (5th), Seth Moulton (6th), Stephen F. Lynch (8th), and Bill Keating (9th). In the 7th District, Ayanna Pressley ran unopposed after defeating the incumbent in the primary election. In the 3rd District, where the incumbent did not seek re-election, Lori Trahan was declared the winner.
Statewide
By district
Results of the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Massachusetts by district:
District 1
The 1st congressional district is located in western and Central Massachusetts. The largest Massachusetts district in area, it covers about 1/3 of the state and is more rural than the rest. It includes the state's highest point, Mount Greylock. The district includes the cities of Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, Holyoke, and Westfield. The district had a PVI of D 12. The incumbent was Democrat Richard Neal, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013. He was re-elected with 73% of the vote in 2016. For the fourth election cycle in a row, no Republicans filed to run in this district.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 2
The 2nd congressional district is located in central Massachusetts. It contains the cities of Worcester, which is the second-largest city in New England after Boston, and Northampton in the Pioneer Valley. The district had a PVI of D 13. The incumbent was Democrat Jim McGovern, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 3rd district from 1997 to 2013. He was re-elected unopposed with 98% of the vote in 2016.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 3
The 3rd congressional district is located in northeastern and central Massachusetts. It contains the Merrimack valley including Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. The district had a PVI of D 9. The incumbent was Democrat Niki Tsongas, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 5th district from 2007 to 2013. She was re-elected with 69% of the vote in 2016.
Tsongas did not seek re-election in 2018.
General election
Predictions
Debates
Results
District 4
The 4th congressional district is located mostly in southern Massachusetts. It contains Bristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester counties. The district had a PVI of D 9. The incumbent was Democrat Joe Kennedy III, who had represented the district since 2013. He was re-elected with 70% of the vote in 2016.
Kennedy was running for re-election. No Republicans filed to run.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 5
The 5th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It contains Middlesex, Suffolk and Worcester counties. The district had a PVI of D 18. The incumbent was Democrat Katherine Clark, who had represented the district since winning a special election in 2013. She was re-elected unopposed with 99% of the vote in 2016.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 6
The 6th congressional district is located in northeastern Massachusetts. It contains most of Essex County, including the North Shore and Cape Ann. The district had a PVI of D 6. The incumbent was Democrat Seth Moulton, who had represented the district since 2015. He was re-elected unopposed with 98% of the vote in 2016.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 7
The 7th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It contains the northern three-quarters of the city of Boston, the city of Somerville and parts of the city of Cambridge. The district had a PVI of D 34. The incumbent was Democrat Mike Capuano, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 8th district from 1999 to 2013. He was re-elected unopposed with 99% of the vote in 2016.
In his bid for re-nomination by the Democratic Party, Capuano was defeated by Boston city councillor Ayanna Pressley. The primary victory was a surprise, as the last poll before the election showed Capuano with a significant lead, 48% to 35%. Part of the reason the polls may have been inaccurate was a surge in the number of primary voters. 24% of District 7 voters in the 2018 primary had not voted in the five previous primaries, and that percentage was disproportionately of Hispanic and Asian ethnicities.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 8
The 8th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts. It contains the southern quarter of the city of Boston and many of its southern suburbs. The incumbent was Democrat Stephen Lynch, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 9th district from 2001 to 2013. The district had a PVI of D 10. He was re-elected with 72% of the vote in 2016.
Lynch was running for re-election. No Republicans filed to run.
General election
Predictions
Results
District 9
The 9th congressional district is located in eastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod and the South Coast. It contains all of Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket counties and parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties. The district had a PVI of D 4. The incumbent was Democrat Bill Keating, who had represented the district since 2013, and previously represented the 10th district from 2011 to 2013. He was re-elected with 56% of the vote in 2016.
General election
Predictions
Results
References
Further reading
- Seelye, Katharine Q. (September 18, 2018). "Could the 10-person 3rd District primary push Mass. toward ranked choice voting?". Boston.com. New York Times News Service. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
External links
- Candidates at Vote Smart
- Candidates at Ballotpedia
- Campaign finance at FEC
- Campaign finance at OpenSecrets
Official campaign websites for first district candidates
- Richard Neal (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for second district candidates
- Paul V. Grady (I) for Congress Archived April 16, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- Tracy Lovvorn (R) for Congress
- Jim McGovern (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for third district candidates
- Rick Green (R) for Congress
- Lori Trahan (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for fourth district candidates
- Joe Kennedy (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for fifth district candidates
- Katherine Clark (D) for Congress
- John Hugo (R) for Congress
Official campaign websites for sixth district candidates
- Joe Schneider (R) for Congress Archived June 16, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- Seth Moulton (D) for Congress
- Samson Racioppi (L) for Congress
Official campaign websites for seventh district candidates
- Ayanna Pressley (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for eighth district candidates
- Stephen F. Lynch (D) for Congress
Official campaign websites for ninth district candidates
- Bill Keating (D) for Congress
- Peter Tedeschi (R) for Congress
