A week after former Senator Anthony Galluccio was incarcerated and stepped down from his senate seat for violating probation terms, State Senate President Therese Murray is preparing to call a special election. Multiple candidates have already begun positioning themselves for the race to fill the vacant seat.
Cambridge Attorney Tim Flaherty, former Norfolk County district attorney, has declared his candidacy. Chelsea real estate broker Michael Albano is also officially running. Everett city councilor Sal DiDomenico, who previously served as Galluccio’s chief of staff, is exploring a bid but has not yet made a formal announcement. Charlestown attorney Dan Hill announced his candidacy several months before Galluccio’s resignation. Cambridge city councillor Marjorie Decker, serving her sixth term, is also in the race. According to State Senator Anthony Petruccelli, the senate president is considering scheduling a special election with a primary in late April and a general election in May. Murray has until January 20 to announce the election date, with an official announcement expected next week.
The sprawling district encompasses Allston, Brighton, Cambridge, Somerville, Everett, Chelsea, a portion of Revere, Charlestown and Saugus. In his previous run against Galluccio, Flaherty gained significant name recognition throughout the area. Cambridge and Everett represent major voting centers where Galluccio performed well in the last election. DiDomenico believes he can win Everett, positioning himself as a candidate to monitor. “I believe I will have the support of the entire Everett city council,” he told the Chelsea Record. The DiDomenico family has operated a flour business in Cambridge for many years.
Flaherty has established a campaign organization with a functioning public relations operation. Earlier this week, he released a statement announcing the endorsement of former Chelsea city councilor Paul Nowicki. Nowicki, who competed against Flaherty in the previous special election for the Middlesex, Suffolk and Essex seat, shared his perspective with the Chelsea Record. “He’s a person of tremendous integrity and the best person for the job,” Nowicki said.
Albano, a real estate broker from a Somerville political family whose father served as a state senator, is mounting a comprehensive campaign effort. “I am totally committed to this effort,” he said. The vacant seat has attracted considerable interest from potential candidates.