Veteran US Rep. Edward Markey of Massachusetts last night won the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry and helped Democrats maintain their majority in the chamber.
Markey claimed victory in a post on his official campaign Twitter page, saying, “Thank you Massachusetts! I am deeply honored for the opportunity to serve you in the United States Senate.”
Local cable station NECN said Markey secured 55 percent of the vote with nearly 100 percent of districts reporting. The win caps a campaign that Markey began in December after President Obama tapped Kerry to be secretary of state.
Markey ran an aggressive campaign, painting GOP rival Gabriel Gomez, a private-equity executive and ex-Navy SEAL, as out of touch with voters in the liberal-leaning state.