Rick Green Loses Race for Congress in Merrimack Valley

Printed from: https://newbostonpost.com/2018/11/06/rick-green-loses-race-for-congress-in-merrimack-valley/

Lori Trahan declared victory in the Third Congressional District on Tuesday night, defeating Republican businessman Rick Green.

Numbers were still coming in late Tuesday night, but it appeared to be a wide gap.

Green, co-founder of 1A Auto, was widely considered the Republicans’ best shot at breaking through in the Massachusetts congressional delegation, which hasn’t included a Republican since 1997.

Trahan, a Democrat who lives in Westfield, is a former chief of staff for former U.S. Representative Marty Meehan (who is now president of the University of Massachusetts).

The Third Congressional District centers on the Merrimack Valley.

Green called Trahan to concede.

“She will be the next congresswoman from the Massachusetts 3rd District,” Green said to supporters, according to a campaign spokesman. “But what I want to tell everyone here first of all:  It was a great campaign and I want to start by thanking our Heavenly Father for giving me the strength and energy that I had no idea was in me to run this race and not only that blessing me with a me with a bottomless pit for a stomach and apparently a pretty good swimming stroke.”

Green was referring to a campaign ad he released showing him swimming across the Merrimack River to escape traffic.

Green congratulated Trahan for the tone of the campaign, while hinting that he may make another run someday.

“Please be happy for me, mine is a life filled with joy; this is a joyous occasion,” Green said. “Who knows what the future holds but in the meantime we should all wish Lori well. A round of applause for her. This campaign was run the way campaigns should be run. Lori and I have distinct differences on policy but it was, the debates were always done in a civil tone and a lot can be learned from a lot of folks around the country if they watch how we handled ourselves and how our opponents handled themselves as well.”

Trahan thanked voters for supporting her: