Congressman Lynch Says He Feels Comfortable in New District

Congressman Stephen Lynch  is running in a newly mapped district this November, but the long time politician said the changes will not hurt his chances of winning.

Lynch, a former ironworker and lawyer who has represented the 9th district since 2001, said he has lots of neighbors from his childhood in South Boston right in Braintree and the South Shore.

In November, Lynch will run in what is the new 8th District which will include  24 cities and towns including Braintree, Hingham and Weymouth.  The new district will include 16 cities and towns that Lynch has represented in the past. 

The only towns and cities in the new 8th District in which Lynch has never represented include: Abington, Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, Quincy, Raynham, Scituate, and Weymouth.

Lynch said he has been going door to door in these n neighborhoods and introducing himself to voters.  To his surprise, many already know him. 

“It’s big for us to work in these areas,” Lynch said. “I’m trying not to leave any stone unturned. I’m surprised the people here, know me.  I see a migration from Boston… I see lots of neighbors from my childhood in Hingham, Scituate and Cohasset.”

In the new District, Lynch said he wants to focus on local issues such as the deteriorating seawalls and the recent threats of eliminating the Hingham to Boston ferry service.

Lynch has been campaigning on the South Shore ever since the District’s maps were redrawn.  He has made appearances at the Taste of Hingham and Linden Ponds in Hingham and was at this month’s Pumpkin Give-a-Wey in Weymouth.

Lynch will oppose his republican opponent, Joseph Sevaggi of Beacon Hill.   Selvaggi is the owner of Plaster Fun Time in Braintree.   In September’s Republican primary,  Selvaggi received 56 percent of the vote in Hingham and 41 percent of the vote in Weymouth.   He took 60 percent of the District’s overall vote to defeat his Republican opponent Matt Temperley.