The Winner

If you live in Massachusetts’ 8th Congressional District, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) will keep representing you. Voters sent him back to the House for a 13th full term, and the Associated Press called the race for him on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 3. ​

Lynch won 69.4% of the vote. Republican Robert Burke) took 26.9% and independent Rasheed Nicholas Walters took 3.8%, according to NBC News election results. Those results count 280,922 votes, about 99% of the expected total.

The Race

This was the third straight general election between Lynch and Burke, a Dedham videographer who ran unopposed in the Sept. 1 Republican primary. Lynch is a moderate who has been in Congress since 2001. To reach November, he first beat attorney Patrick Roath, who ran to his left in that day’s Democratic primary.

Lynch won by more than 40 points, close to his 2024 win over Burke, 70.4% to 29.4%. Before Election Day, Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rated the seat Solid Democratic and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated it Safe Democratic, according to race ratings compiled by Ballotpedia.

The district covers parts of Boston and communities south of the city, including Quincy, Brockton, Weymouth and Braintree, in parts of Bristol, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties, according to Lynch’s congressional office. It has about 781,300 residents, a median household income of $118,600 and a median age of 39. About 53% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree, unemployment is 5% and 8.5% of residents live in poverty.

What’s Next

Lynch’s new term begins Sunday, Jan. 3. He told GBH News that House Democrats plan to “restore trust in government” through oversight hearings and subpoenas, and he named Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as possible subjects.

Lynch credited Democrats who ran as moderates for the party’s wins in Republican-leaning states. He also said he will vote for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for speaker.

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