Massachusetts House
Filing Deadline: May 6, 2008 • Primary Date: Sept. 16, 2008 • General Election: Nov. 4, 2008District Profile: The 1st is the state's largest congressional district, bordering four states and covering about 40 percent of the land area of Massachusetts. Full Profile
2006 results: John Olver (D) defeated William Szych (I) by 76-23%.
Incumbent
John Olver (D)
Elected in June 1991; Seeking ninth full term; Olver was nominated with 79% in a two-way primary.
District Profile: This was a Yankee Republican district for much of the 20th century. Now it is more diverse culturally, and solidly Democratic. Full Profile
2006 results: Richard Neal (D) was unopposed.
Incumbent
Richard Neal (D)
Elected in 1988; Seeking 11th term; Neal was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
District Profile: In national elections, the 3rd District has been solidly Democratic since 1992. In gubernatorial elections, however, the district vote has been mixed. Full Profile
2006 results: Jim McGovern (D) was unopposed.
Incumbent
Jim McGovern (D)
Elected in 1996; Seeking seventh term; McGovern was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
District Profile: This is a very Democratic district, although a handful of the suburban towns voted for Republican Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey for governor in 2006 over Democrat Deval Patrick. Full Profile
2006 results: Barney Frank (D) was unopposed.
Incumbent
Barney Frank (D)
Elected in 1980; Seeking 15th term; Frank was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Earl Sholley (R)Sholley, a businessman, was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: In the 1980s and 1990s, the 5th District went Republican in national and even statewide elections. But that changed in the past few elections. Full Profile
2006 results: Martin Meehan (D) was unopposed.
2007 special election: Meehan resigned in July 2007 to become chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Niki Tsongas (D) defeated Jim Ogonowski (R) in a special election by 51-45%.
Incumbent
Niki Tsongas (D)
Elected in Oct. 2007; Seeking first full term; Tsongas was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
District Profile: While this is the site of the original gerrymander -- named after Elbridge Gerry -- the current 6th's boundaries are hardly grotesque by current national standards. Full Profile
2006 results: John Tierney (D) defeated Rick Barton (R) by 70-30%.
Incumbent
John Tierney (D)
Elected in 1996; Seeking seventh term; Tierney was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
Richard Baker Jr. (R)Baker, an intellectual property executive, was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: Many towns in the district were Yankee GOP through the 1950s; the high-tech suburbs trended GOP again in the 1980s but swung against Republicans in the 1990s. Full Profile
2006 results: Edward Markey (D) was unopposed.
Incumbent
Edward Markey (D)
Elected in 1976; Seeking 17th term; Markey was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
John Cunningham (R)Cunningham, a businessman, was unopposed in the primary.
District Profile: The 8th District, with MIT and the software concentration in Cambridge, is one of the high-tech capitals of the country. It is by far the most Democratic district in the state. Full Profile
2006 results: Michael Capuano (D) defeated Laura Garza (SW) by 91-9%.
Incumbent
Michael Capuano (D)
Elected in 1998; Seeking sixth term; Capuano was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
District Profile: Ethnically, the 9th is the nation's second-most heavily Irish district. Only the neighboring 10th District has more residents of Irish ancestry. Full Profile
2006 results: Stephen Lynch (D) defeated Jack Robinson (R) by 78-22%.
Incumbent
Stephen Lynch (D)
Elected in Oct. 2001; Seeking fourth full term; Lynch was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
District Profile: Liberal politics, well-established on the Vineyard and Nantucket, have spread inland as well. The South Shore is generally Democratic territory. Full Profile
2006 results: Bill Delahunt (D) defeated Jeffrey Beatty (R) by 64-29%.
Incumbent
Bill Delahunt (D)
Elected in 1996; Seeking seventh term; Delahunt was unopposed in the primary.
Challengers
None
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Race Rankings
Based on likelihood of seat switching party control
1.
N.Y.-13
(Open-R)2.
N.Y.-25
(Open-R)3.
Ariz.-01
(Open-R)4.
Va.-11
(Open-R)5.
Fla.-16
(Mahoney-D)6.
Ill.-11
(Open-R)7.
Ohio-16
(Open-R)8.
Texas-22
(Lampson-D)9.
Alaska-AL
(Young-R)10.
Fla.-24
(Feeney-R)11.
N.J.-03
(Open-R)12.
Colo.-04
(Musgrave-R)13.
Mich.-09
(Knollenberg-R)14.
N.J.-07
(Open-R)15.
Minn.-06
(Bachmann-R)Previous Coverage
Check out National Journal's coverage of previous Massachusetts house races.
