2013 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts

The 2013 United States Senate special election in Massachusetts was held on June 25, 2013, in order to fill the Massachusetts Class 2 United States Senate seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015.

The vacancy that prompted the special election was created by the resignation of Senator John Kerry, in order to become U.S. Secretary of State. On January 30, 2013, Governor Deval Patrick chose his former chief of staff, Mo Cowan, to serve as interim U.S. Senator. Cowan declined to participate in the election. A party primary election was held on April 30, to determinate the nominees of each party for the general election. The Massachusetts Democrats nominated U.S. Representative Ed Markey, while the Massachusetts Republicans nominated Gabriel E. Gomez, a businessman and former Navy SEAL.

The race drew remarks from the media, because of its potential similarity to the 2010 special election, when Republican state senator Scott Brown upset the Democratic nominee, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. However, Gomez trailed Markey in every opinion poll taken, and Markey defeated him by a 10.2 percentage point margin, despite low turnout.

As of 2023, this is the last time a Republican Senate candidate won any county other than Plymouth, which Geoff Diehl carried with a plurality in 2018. Thus, it is also the most recent time a Republican candidate won a majority in any Massachusetts county.

Background
The incumbent senator, John Kerry (Democratic), was nominated to serve as U.S. Secretary of State by President Barack Obama on December 21, 2012. He was confirmed by the Senate on January 29, 2013, and in a letter to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Kerry announced his resignation from the Senate, effective February 1. Kerry was sworn in as secretary of state on the same day.

Patrick's former chief of staff, Mo Cowan, was appointed to replace Kerry in the Senate on the same day, and immediately ruled himself out of the special election. The special primary elections took place on April 30. Democratic U.S. Representative Ed Markey and Republican businessman Gabriel E. Gomez won their respective primaries.

Democratic primary
U.S. Representatives Ed Markey and Stephen F. Lynch both announced campaigns for the open seat. Markey was perceived as more left-wing than Lynch.

Candidates

 * Stephen F. Lynch, U.S. representative from South Boston
 * Ed Markey, U.S. representative from Malden

Declined

 * Ben Affleck, actor
 * Michael Capuano, U.S. representative, 2010 Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate
 * Martha Coakley, Attorney General of Massachusetts and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010
 * Mo Cowan, appointed incumbent U.S. senator
 * Benjamin Downing, state senator
 * Kimberley Driscoll, mayor of Salem
 * Barney Frank, former U.S. representative
 * Edward M. Kennedy, Jr., entrepreneur, investment banker, lawyer, and son of senator Ted Kennedy
 * Victoria Reggie Kennedy, widow of senator Ted Kennedy
 * Gerard Leone, Middlesex County District Attorney
 * Jim McGovern, U.S. representative
 * Marty Meehan, chancellor of the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and former U.S. Representative
 * Carmen Ortiz, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts
 * Deval Patrick, governor of Massachusetts
 * Jonah Pesner, rabbi
 * Niki Tsongas, U.S. representative and widow of senator Paul Tsongas

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, March 27, 2013 - C-SPAN
 * Complete video of debate, April 22, 2013 - C-SPAN

Candidates

 * Gabriel E. Gomez, businessman and former Navy SEAL
 * Michael J. Sullivan, former United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts and former Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
 * Daniel Winslow, State Representative

Withdrawn

 * Sean Bielat, nominee for Massachusetts's 4th congressional district in 2010 and 2012
 * Jon Fetherston, former Ashland Selectman

Declined

 * Keith Ablow, psychiatrist and Fox News contributor
 * Charlie Baker, former state cabinet secretary and nominee for Governor of Massachusetts in 2010
 * Scott Brown, former U.S. Senator
 * Lew Evangelidis, sheriff of Worcester County
 * Kerry Healey, former lieutenant governor and nominee for governor in 2006
 * Joe Malone, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts
 * Ann Romney, former First Lady of Massachusetts
 * Tagg Romney, businessman and son of former Governor Mitt Romney
 * Jane Swift, former lieutenant governor and acting governor
 * Bruce Tarr, State Senate Minority Leader
 * Richard Tisei, former State Senate Minority Leader, nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 2010, and nominee for Massachusetts’ 6th congressional district in 2012
 * William Weld, former Governor of Massachusetts and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 1996

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, March 27, 2013 - C-SPAN

Candidates

 * Gabriel E. Gomez (Republican), businessman and former Navy SEAL
 * Richard A. Heos (Twelve Visions Party)
 * Ed Markey (Democratic), U.S. Representative from Massachusetts's 5th congressional district

Withdrawn

 * Daniel Fishman (Libertarian), former teacher and nominee for Massachusetts's 6th congressional district in 2012
 * Jack E. Robinson III (Independent), businessman and perennial Republican candidate

Debates

 * Complete video of debate, June 5, 2013 - C-SPAN
 * Complete video of debate, June 18, 2013 - C-SPAN

Polling

 * With Markey


 * With Lynch


 * With Brown


 * With Weld

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Barnstable (largest municipality: Barnstable)
 * Bristol (largest municipality: New Bedford)
 * Hampden (largest municipality: Springfield)
 * Plymouth (largest municipality: Brockton)
 * Worcester (largest municipality: Worcester)

By congressional district
Markey won 6 of 9 congressional districts.