Guv's Council candidates rake it in | Today's Sponsor

By Ella Adams & Eric Convey

Governor's Council races by the financing

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Remember the Governor's Council?

No sweat if not — there are exactly two weeks to catch up until the Sept. 3 primary election arrives. And despite the Council's tendency to fly under the radar, the three primary races for Governor's Council are perhaps some of the hottest this season.

Every two years, the council's eight seats are up for reelection. The body handles primarily clemency, including pardons, and confirmation of gubernatorial judicial nominees. Each councilor represents hundreds of thousands of people, dozens of towns, and in most cases, pieces of multiple counties.

With the largest pool of candidates, District Two's seat has been empty for over a year and features five candidates duking it out, four of which are Democrats. When it comes to campaign fundraising in 2024, Needham's David Reservitz is sitting at $57,781.62 and Bridgewater's Sean Murphy is sitting at $29,962.26 — both ahead of Stoughton's Tamisha Civil (with $11,581.53) and Hopkinton's Muriel Kramer (with $5,552.88).

As far as endorsements go, a number of Brockton City Councilors are behind Murphy; Rep. Denise Garlick and some former district court justices have backed Reservitz; various state senators, reps, and local officials, along with Senate President Karen Spilka, are supporting Kramer; and several local officials and statewide organizations are throwing it in for Civil.

Everyone loves a rematch — and District Three is providing. This is the second time public defender Mara Dolan has tried to unseat 25-year incumbent Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney, and she's upped the ante this time around. According to filing reports, Devaney has raised $3,500 total in campaign funding this year. Dolan, who has been on the campaign trail since her loss in 2022, has raised a whopping $71,213.13 in the same timespan. Dolan has been endorsed by a slew of legislators, local officials and statewide figures, and most recently by the Boston Globe.

The race is tense. Devaney and Dolan have aimed blows at each other for months, and Devaney has made false claims in the past both about her opponent and about endorsements. And while Dolan is outperforming Devaney in funding and endorsements alike, financing isn't everything: In 2022, Dolan outraised Devaney by more $30,000 and Devaney still won.

In District Four, another incumbent is facing challengers financially outperforming him: 31-year Councillor Christopher Iannella has raised $2,084.51 this year, while his opponents Stacey Borden of Boston and Ronald Iacobucci of Quincy have raised $40,173.38 and $13,274.13, respectively. Borden, a mental health and addiction counselor, has raked in endorsements from Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley and the Mass. Women's Political Caucus. Iacobucci, who runs MassHire’s South Shore Career Center, has been a little quieter on the endorsement front.

The tide could very well be turning for much of the council, though incumbent Councilors Joseph Ferreira, Terrence Kennedy, Paul DePalo and Tara Jacobs face smooth sailing this time around with no challengers. — Ella Adams

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A Medway family's escape from Gaza

Six months after escaping Gaza, a Medway family spoke with MassLive in a series of four interviews about their experiences in a war zone with their extended family as Israeli airstrikes killed and injured fleeing Palestinians all around them. In the second installment of the series, Ryan Mancini explains the correlation between the mass evacuation of this war and the Nakba, the family's journey to the city of Rafah, and the lack of communication and empathy they recalled receiving from the government and embassies when they attempted to escape from war-torn Gaza back to the United States. — MassLive

Behind the Republicans facing off in Bristol County House primary

In a rare occurrence, a Bristol County state representative district will see a contested Republican primary following the retirement of Rep. Bill Straus, who has held the seat for more than three decades. Though the district leans Democratic and candidate Mark Sylvia is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, Republicans Bob McConnell of Fairhaven and Joe Pires of Rochester are facing off, hoping to attract independent voters by promoting moderate values, though their policy agendas lean conservative or libertarian. The Light's Colin Hogan looks at the candidates and their agendas. — New Bedford Light

Nahant voters to weigh in on "selectmen" title

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Worcester leaders criticizing WPI purchase of hotels for student housing

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Millions to aid Berkshires with high-speed internet

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Just in time for new Harvard students, 'encampment for Palestine' is back

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Plymouth recommends that land acknowledgement not appear regularly

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Natick mental health company tops growth list

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