Primary favors Democratic incumbents 

Updated September 3.

About two hours after polls closed, Rob Galibois secured victory in the Democratic primary for the Cape and Islands District Attorney race Tuesday. 

Without a Republican candidate, this election all but assured Galibois another four years in office after the midterm elections. 

The state primaries heavily favored incumbents, including the closely watched re-election campaigns of U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, who will be entering the midterms as heavily favored incumbent Democrats against Republican challengers.

Islanders walked into polling stations across the Island during the primary elections on Tuesday, inking circles next to the Democratic and Republican candidates they want to receive the party nominations for the state election on November 3. 

The Times received tallies for all six towns, and on the Island, Galibois won by a landslide over his primary opponent, Mike Giardino: 2,111-971. 

“I look forward to continuing the work with the stakeholders and law enforcement partners that make MV an outstanding place to live, work, and visit,” Galibois said in a statement. 

And Giardino issued an email at 10:12 pm of his concession to Galibois. 

“I called Rob to let him know I conceded the race,” Giardino said in the statement. “Tonight is not what we had hoped for but despite the loss, I am proud of this campaign. As a first time candidate I did not know what to expect. We raised issues we wanted to raise and did so in a way to bring attention to the District Attorney’s office. We hope the best for the District’s Attorney’s office going forward.” 

Giardino noted he will be returning to his role as a Plymouth assistant district attorney. 

The Galibois-Giardino race included debate over leadership at the district attorney’s office and where its priorities should lie. This came after a letter signed by former employees of the district attorney’s office cited high turnover from a shift in duties that pushed them away from working directly with victims, claims which Galibois has pushed back on and accused of being politically motivated. Meanwhile, Galibois questioned Giardino’s party loyalty. Giardino enrolled as a Democrat earlier this year after being unenrolled since 2016 and worked under former Republican Cape and Islands D.A. Robert O’Keefe, Galibois’ predecessor. Giardino said he grew up in a Democratic household.

The District Attorney’s Office has an important role in the regional courts, from representing the Commonwealth in serious crimes to helping initiate programs to support vulnerable populations, like children. Galibois has introduced various changes since he was first elected in 2022, including a recovery court in Edgartown and facilitating space in which child victims could be interviewed on-Island rather than on the Cape. 

Galibois highlighted that these accomplishments were parts of his promise to the Island in 2022, and thanked Edgartown District Court Judge Benjamin Barnes for overseeing these changes, alongside presiding over “more grand jury investigations than any other previous administration to pursue charges of those who prey on the innocent and seek to distribute narcotics throughout the Island’s communities.” 

Confidence in Galibois was high across the region overall, with the Cape Cod Times’ live results page showing he won more than half the vote at 22,295-12,294. Galibois won all of the Vineyard towns: 63-33 Aquinnah; 240-97 Chilmark; 443-214 Edgartown; 469-237 Oak Bluffs; 471-202 Tisbury; 425-188 West Tisbury. 

Galibois isn’t the only incumbent to win his race, as familiar faces were heavily favored on the Democratic ballot. 

At 8:38 pm on Tuesday, AP News called U.S. Sen. Ed Markey’s victory over U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton. This was one of the most closely watched races that brought the age of politicians to the forefront of the discussion — Markey at 80 has held a seat in Congress for four decades, while Moulton is 47. Debate also centered around who more closely aligned with progressive policies. Markey trounced Moulton in the polls, receiving nearly double the votes across the state, 557,022-301,135. Moulton conceded to Markey later in the night. 

Markey also won all of the Vineyard towns, which broke down as 80-35 Aquinnah; 219-136 Chilmark; 447-260 Edgartown; 553-206 Oak Bluffs; 490-234 Tisbury; 471-202 West Tisbury. Markey will face Republican senatorial candidate John Deaton, who ran uncontested in the primary, in November.

Elsewhere on the ballot, a similar battle took place between incumbent U.S. Rep. Bill Keating and Craig Swallow, a hospitality manager and civic activist in New Bedford. Their race raised questions of experience, change, and the paths to meet constituent needs. Swallow conceded to Keating well before votes were fully counted. The sitting candidate won all of the Island towns: 95-14 Aquinnah; 290-57 Chilmark; 583-96 Edgartown; 594-117 Oak Bluffs; 581-123 Tisbury; 533-112 West Tisbury. That heavy favor resonated throughout the ninth congressional district, in which Keating crushed Swallow at the polls 57,125-17,727. In November, Keating will face R. Tyler Macallister, who formerly served on the Mattapoisett select board for five terms.

In the Republican primary, Brian Shortsleeve conceded to Mike Minogue in the governor race a little over an hour after polls closed at 8 pm and endorsed his political rival’s bid against incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, who is running uncontested. Minogue soundly beat Shortsleeve statewide 185,292-59,106. Minogue also won all of the Vineyard towns except Aquinnah, where he lost by a single vote: 2-3 Aquinnah; 14-9 Chilmark; 78-49 Edgartown; 67-38 Oak Bluffs; 46-36 Tisbury; 42-16 West Tisbury.

“Now is the time to come together,” Shortsleeve said in his endorsement. “We need to unite Republicans, independents, and earn the support of Democrats who know Massachusetts needs a change.”

A recently released poll from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center shows that Healey has “so-so approval ratings” in the state, at 50 percent. But it’ll be a steep uphill climb for Minogue on the Vineyard where politics is dominated by the Democratic party. 

In a victory speech Tuesday night, Healey tied her Republican counterparts to the Trump administration in a victory speech, saying the president has caused harm to the state and “who your governor is matters more than ever.” 

“This election is about whose side you’re on,” she said. “Mike Minogue stands with Donald Trump. I stand with you.” 

Several local candidates, such as Democratic incumbents of the Dukes County Commissioners — Tristan Israel, Christine Todd, and Richard G. Wharton, more commonly known as Peter Wharton — will enter November uncontested. 

Meanwhile, three Republicans will challenge incumbent Democrats in November following uncontested primary races: Shawn Oliver, R, and Kimberly Driscoll, D, for lieutenant governor; Michael Walsh, R, and Andrea Joy Campbell, D, for state attorney general; Elizabeth Dionne, R, and Deborah Goldberg, D, for state treasurer.

Editor’s note: Updated with amended tallies from Oak Bluffs.