Local Republicans Help Gomez To Victory; Democrats Buck Trend

Local results closely mirrored the statewide groundswell that carried Gabriel Gomez to a shocking landslide victory in Tuesday's Republican U.S. Senate Primary.

Gomez, an equity investor and former Navy SEAL, carried 51 percent of the vote (94,243) to easily trounce former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan (36 percent, 66,536) and state Sen. Dan Winslow (13 percent, 24,171).

Gomez will take on Democratic nominee Congressman Ed Markey in the general election on June 25. The winner will succeed John Kerry, who resigned in February after being confirmed as Secretary of State. Since then, the seat has been filled in the interim by Gov. Deval Patrick appointee Mo Cowan.

In Tewksbury, where just 15 percent of the town's 20,953 registered voters cast ballots, Gomez picked up 518 votes, or 51 percent. He was followed by Sullivan (367 votes, 36 percent) and Winslow (122 votes, 12 percent).

In Wilmington, which also held its annual Municipal Election on Tuesday, turnout was 22.9 percent of the town's 15,557 registered voters. Gomes grabbed 627 votes, or 56 percent. He was followed by Sullivan (388 votes, 34 percent) and Winslow (114, 10 percent).

On the Democratic side, Markey had no trouble winning the nomination over fellow Congressman Stephen Lynch. Markey received 307,232 votes, or 58 percent of the vote. Lynch was well behind with 226,846 votes (42 percent).

However, Lynch fared much better among Democrats in the Merrimack Valley. In Tewksbury, Lynch claimed victory with 1,297 votes (61 percent) to Markey's 835 votes (39 percent).

The results were similar in Wilmington, where Lynch claimed victory with 1.325 votes (56 percent). Markey finished with 1,054 votes (46 percent).