Who's In the Race

Rep. Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA) faces Republican Robert Burke and independent Rasheed Nicholas Walters in Massachusetts' 8th Congressional District on Nov. 3. ​

Lynch has served in Congress since 2001. A former structural ironworker, president of Ironworkers Local 7 and labor attorney, he defeated Patrick Roath in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary. Lynch received 57,823 votes to Roath's 45,946, or approximately 56% to 44% of votes cast for the two candidates.

Burke, a retired videographer who previously worked in telecommunications and operated a cleaning business, won the Republican nomination. Walters is running as an independent.

What They Stand For

Lynch's campaign website emphasizes higher education funding, housing assistance, fair wages, and economic security for working families. He also supports preserving Social Security, environmental protections, and health care that is "affordable and accessible."

Burke supports citizenship verification and voter identification requirements, including the SAVE America Act, according to his campaign website. He also advocates pausing immigration, stronger border security, tax cuts, domestic manufacturing, measures to combat inflation, and stricter criminal law enforcement.

Walters says government should serve working people and families, not "corrupt politicians, foreign interests, corporate donors, or government elites," according to his campaign website.

The Money Behind the Race

Through Aug. 12, Lynch had raised about $910,000 and had about $642,000 in cash on hand, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Outside groups spent about $214,000 opposing Lynch, with Leaders We Deserve accounting for all of it, according to FEC outside spending records.

Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets

All three major race-rating services view this contest as firmly in Democratic hands. Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Democratic" as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats a 95.4% chance of winning as of Oct. 15.

The district's history supports that outlook. Lynch won the seat with about 67% of the vote in both 2022 and 2024. Democrats won all nine of Massachusetts's U.S. House seats in both 2022 and 2024. In the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris carried Massachusetts with about 61% of the vote.

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