Kaufman Won't Seek Third Middlesex Senate Seat

Although the thought crossed his mind, state Rep. Jay Kaufman, D-Lexington, has decided against making a bid for the Third Middlesex State Senate seat Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, plans to vacate after her current term.

Instead, Kaufman intends to run for re-election as the State Representative from the Fifteenth Middlesex District, where he’s served since 1995.

“After she announced her decision to not run for re-election, I think all of us who now serve in the House in her district owed it to ourselves and our constituents,” said Kaufman of his thoughts on making a bid for the State Senate. “I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but I certainly reached the conclusion that I can serve best in the House.”

And that’s what it boiled down to for Kaufman, who chair’s the legislature’s Joint Committee on Revenue: He believes the seat he currently holds is where he can most effectively represent his constituents.

“I have a fair amount of seniority, a senior committee responsibility and an agenda,” said Kaufman. “If the voters of Lexington and Woburn would have me, I’d love to keep doing this job.”

The Third Middlesex District is comprised of Waltham, Chelmsford, Concord, Bedford, Weston, Carlisle, Lincoln, and parts of Sudbury and Lexington.

Several candidates to replace Fargo have already emerged, including Lexington's Mike Barrett, Concord residents Greg Howes and Mara Dolan and Weston's Joseph Mullin.