REVERE — Moderate Democrat Jeffrey Turco won Tuesday’s special election for the 19th Suffolk District representative seat, the spot previously held by former House Speaker Robert DeLeo.
“I could not be more thrilled with the win,” Turco said. “I’m honored with the overwhelming vote that the people of the district gave me. I’m humbled when I think of the people that have come before me in representing Winthrop and Revere.”
The House seat opened after DeLeo, the longest-serving House Speaker in state history, announced his resignation in December in order to accept a position at Northeastern University.
Turco won the district, which includes Winthrop and part of Revere, with 57.3 percent of the vote. Republican candidate Paul Caruccio took 14.3 percent, while Independent Richard Fucillo, a first-time candidate, received 14.6 percent.
Progressive Revere candidate Juan Jaramillo, who lost to Turco in the March 2 Democratic primary, received 366 write-in votes in Winthrop (official election results including write-in votes were not available from Revere Wednesday afternoon).
Turco, an attorney who has served on Winthrop’s Town Council and School Committee, cited vocational education, substance use disorders, mental illness and environmental justice as some of his legislative priorities. One of seven children, he has lost three siblings to substance abuse.
“I was thrilled the Speaker of the House last week talked about vocational education and increasing opportunities there,” he said. “I look forward to working with the building trades unions to create some synergies there to create opportunities for kids with the existing systems we have in place.”
