State representative races are usually sleepy affairs. The incumbent is often unopposed in the primary, maybe they face an also-ran candidate or a perennial candidate. This is not the case for this year's 15th Suffolk District state rep race in which incumbent Jeffrey Sánchez is challenged by Nika Elugardo.
Sánchez was first elected in 2003, and is in the first year of being the chair of the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means. Elugardo was not a novice to the local political scene, having been a senior policy advisor to state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-2nd Suffolk).
While Sánchez is regarded as a progressive Democrat for Massachusetts, Elugardo has tried to paint him as otherwise, seizing upon his inability to stop immigration provisions being stripped from the state budget during House-Senate negotiations. Sánchez fought for the provisions and was disappointed they were not included in the House budget.
Both candidates have run spirited campaigns, knocked on doors, received many endorsements and voters have opined they wish both Sánchez and Elugardo could be elected. But alas, that is not going to happen. The voters of the 15th Suffolk District must choose one candidate. So who's got your vote?