Clark and Addivinola Secure Their Party’s Nomination

The race for the Democratic nomination on Tuesday, tantamount to a special election victory in the Boston suburban 5th Congressional District, was projected to finish within a razor-thin margin.  It didn't. State Sen. Katherine Clark, riding a large turnout from her Malden-Melrose political base, pulled away from Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian when the last quarter of the vote was counted to clinch the Democratic nomination with 32 percent of the vote.  Koutoujian finished ten points behind at 22 percent.  In third, exceeding his polling expectations, was state Rep. Carl Sciortino notching 16 percent.  State Sens. Will Brownsberger and Karen Spilka brought up the rear with 15 and 13 percents, respectively.  Spilka was the most disappointing performer based upon previous polling releases.  Her own two Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Group surveys both showed her in second place, just a single point behind the leader. On the Republican side, attorney Frank Addivinola easily claimed his party's nomination, securing 49 percent of the vote as compared to physicist Mike Stopa's 26 percent, and former U.S. Marine Tom Tierney's 25 percent.  Sen. Clark and Mr. Addivinola now advance to the Dec. 10 special general election, but that vote will not likely be much of a contest as Clark is now the prohibitive favorite to win the seat. Democratic turnout dwarfed that of Republicans, as 69,525 members of their party cast ballots within the crowded field of candidates.  The GOP turnout only reached 9,692 voters, a testament more to the low number of registered Republicans as opposed to an abnormally low participation rate. The 5th District is vacant because 37-year congressional veteran Ed Markey (D) was elected to the Senate back in June. For more information, please contact David Ashinoff at (202) 547-5013 or ashinoffd@agc.org.