BOSTON (WHDH) - Ayanna Pressley, fresh off her historic primary win Tuesday night, was the unexpected star of the Democratic ticket Wednesday after beating 10-term congressman Michael Capuano by a significant margin.
The 44-year-old Boston city councilor recalled the emotional moment when she learned she had won and acknowledged that her unexpected victory was probably just as stunning for many political insiders.
David A. Hopkins, a political science professor at Boston College who has written several books about political elections agreed, saying, “Whenever an incumbent loses a primary, there’s a lot of surprise all around.”
He went on to say that Pressley’s victory is part of a nationwide trend of democrats electing women for Congress at a record rate, while pointing out that this vote also says a lot about the 7th Congressional District.
“I also think there’s a Boston story here, and a Cambridge story, and a Somerville story, about the changes in our own community, and not only an increase in racial diversity, but also the old working-class, white population that used to be the heart of this district,” Hopkins said. “When it used to be JFK’s district and Tip O’Neil’s district, is now being replaced, in some respects, by a more white collar, highly educated, cosmopolitan population that sort is more attune to Pressley’s style of politics. And I think as the city changes around us, we’re gonna see that reflected in the kind of candidates winning elections here.”
Meanwhile, in the hotly contested race for the 3rd Congressional District, the two top candidates are separated by just 52 votes, and Lori Trahan is declaring victory, even though it’s still too close to call.
“Now that 100 percent of the votes have been counted, I’m confident that I am your democratic nominee,” she said.
But her opponent, Dan Koh, isn’t conceding, and in a statement says his campaign is reviewing the process for a recount, adding, “If at the end of this process Lori is declared the winner, Dan will offer his enthusiastic support for her in the general election.”
Both Democrats are vying to fill the seat left open by retiring Congresswoman Niki Tsongas.
Trahan made it clear she’s already looking to get on with the race against the Republican nominee, rather than be delayed by a recount., saying, “There are only 62 days until the general election and we cannot afford to wait a single day to start this campaign.”
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