A special election for

Massachusetts's 5th congressional district Massachusetts's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in eastern Massachusetts. The district is represented by Katherine Clark. Massachusetts congressional redistricting after the 2010 census has changed the borders of the distr ...

took place on December 10, 2013, due to the resignation of Democratic Congressman

Ed Markey Edward John Markey (born July 11, 1946) is an American lawyer, politician, and former Army reservist who has served as the junior United States senator from Massachusetts since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the U.S. representa ...

following his election to the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

in a

special election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, a bye-election in Ireland, a bypoll in India, or a Zimni election (Urdu: ضمنی انتخاب, supplementary election) in Pakistan, is an election used to f ...

on June 25, 2013. Primary elections were held on October 15, in which Democratic state senator

Katherine Clark Katherine Marlea Clark (born July 17, 1963) is an American politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 5th congressional district since 2013. She has been Assistant House Democratic Leader (officially Assistant Spea ...

and Republican Frank Addivinola won their party nominations. State law required that

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Deval Patrick call a special election between 145 and 160 days after the vacancy became official. On December 10, Clark easily defeated Addivinola with almost 2/3 of the vote, holding the seat for the Democrats. Clark's win marked the 92nd consecutive U.S. House loss by Republicans in Massachusetts since 1996.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

* Will Brownsberger, state senator *

, state senator *

Peter Koutoujian Peter John Koutoujian (born September 17, 1961) is an American politician who is the current Sheriff of Middlesex County, Massachusetts and a former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Massachusetts House of Representatives Kou ...

, Sheriff of Middlesex County and former state representative * Martin Long, former member of the Lexington School Committee * Paul Maisano *

Carl Sciortino Carl Michael Sciortino Jr. ( ; born July 6, 1978) is an American politician serving as executive director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. A Democrat from Massachusetts, he represented the 34th Middlesex district in the Massachusett ...

, state representative *

Karen Spilka Karen Eileen Spilka (born January 11, 1953) is an American politician and attorney serving as a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate. She represents the 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk district, which includes the towns of Ashland, Framingha ...

, state senator

Declined

Warren Tolman Warren Eugene Tolman (born October 23, 1959 in Boston, Massachusetts) is an American politician who has served as a member of both houses of the Massachusetts General Court. He was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts ...

, former state senator

Endorsements

Polling

* * Internal poll for Katherine Clark Campaign *^ Internal poll for Karen Spilka Campaign

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

* Frank Addivinola, lawyer and candidate for the 5th congressional district in 2012 * Mike Stopa, physicist and candidate for

Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district Massachusetts's 3rd congressional district is located in northeastern and central Massachusetts. Massachusetts congressional redistricting after the 2010 census has greatly changed the borders of this congressional district, largely dividing it ...

in 2010 * Tom Tierney, actuary and nominee for the 5th congressional district in 2012

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

Declined

Endorsements

Polling

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Polling

Results

General election

References

External links