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Photo courtesy of Persis Yu campaign. Unofficial election results indicate that Persis Yu (pictured) has defeated incumbent Michael Rush in the Democratic primary for the Norfolk and Suffolk state Senate seat.
9-04-2026 10:58pm
Persis Yu Declares Victory over Michael Rush in Norfolk & Suffolk State Senate Race
Darlene Cancell
Editor
According to unofficial election results from the September 1, 2026 primary that have been reported by municipalities in the district, Hyde Park attorney Persis Yu has defeated incumbent Michael Rush for the Democratic nomination for the Norfolk and Suffolk District seat in the state Senate.
Ms. Yu's success was driven by strong support in Boston, particularly in all eight Ward 19 precincts in the district, which include portions of Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. Ms. Yu won all eight precincts, which voted more than 2 to 1 for Ms. Yu, giving her about 71 percent of the overall vote cast between the two candidates.
The Boston precincts were a key to Ms. Yu's success. According to unofficial voting results reported by the City of Boston, she led Mr. Rush in the majority of Boston precincts.
In contrast, Mr. Rush carried each of the four suburban communities that make up the remainder of the district - Westwood, Dedham, Norwood, and Walpole.
According to state election records, before facing Ms. Yu, Senator Rush had run unopposed in both the Democratic primary and general election for every election cycle from 2012 through 2024.
“We have built an extraordinary people-powered campaign, and will bring this same energy to Beacon Hill as we build an economy that works for families, not corporations and billionaires,” said candidate Yu in a statement on September 2 in which she declared victory.
According to her campaign, Ms. Yu has worked as a social worker and attorney, suing big banks, tech companies, debt collectors, airlines, and the Trump Administration on behalf of families, workers, and labor unions. The campaign credits her with student loan advocacy that led to nearly $3 billion in debt relief for Massachusetts residents under President Biden.
Patrick Roath, who challenged U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch for the Democratic Party nomination in the 8th Congressional District, raised more funds than Mr. Lynch during the campaign and was endorsed by The Boston Globe editorial board. But unofficial results, as reported by AP News and other outlets, show that he has lost to Mr. Lynch, with 55.7% of the vote going in Rep. Lynch’s favor, and Mr. Roath securing 44.3% of the vote.
