PEABODY — Business owner Robert “Bob” May announced in a press release Tuesday that he will run for U.S. Congress in the Sixth Congressional District of Massachusetts.
“My campaign is about providing North Shore residents with a seat at the table, giving them their deserved representation in Congress, and ensuring that if the government isn’t working for them, it should simply get out of the way,” said May.
May, a Republican from West Peabody, seeks to oust incumbent Congressman Seth Moulton, a Democrat who has held the seat since 2015. In his announcement, May claimed Moulton has not acted in the best interests of the residents in the Sixth District and accused him of focusing more on his 2020 presidential campaign and voting against nominating Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for Speaker of the House in 2018.
“On Capitol Hill, Rep. Moulton isn’t known for representing his district’s interests, but for once leading the effort to replace House Speaker Nancy Pelosi —- incredibly, because he thinks she isn’t far-left enough,” May said.
May also criticized the Democratic Party on how it is addressing rising costs and inflation. He said as a businessman, the best thing he can do is to get involved rather than complain about the current economic situation.
“When you look at how the Democrats have presided over the worst rate of inflation in 40 years, coupled with their indifference to small-business owners like myself, the biggest difference Americans can make is to get involved ourselves,” May said. “It’s easy to sit on the sidelines and complain about the current state of affairs, but I am getting in the game because I believe it’s up to we the people to end the status quo in Washington.”
Matt Chilliak, Moulton’s campaign manager, responded to May’s announcement by saying he is confident voters will reelect Moulton in 2022.
“Congressman Moulton is proud of his record and is focused on his congressional responsibilities, such as helping constituents recover from the pandemic and implementing the 988 Mental Health Hotline,” said Chilliak. “We are confident that voters in the Sixth District will once again reject the extremist views espoused by our opponent and will choose to reelect Congressman Moulton.”
May and his wife, Tricia, have lived in Peabody since 1992 and have four children. Originally born in Malden, May earned a mechanical-engineering degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and later an MBA from Northeastern University. In 2002, he founded his own electric-components business, Techsource Thermal Solutions, in Newburyport.
For May, this is not the first campaign he has run. In 2020, he ran as a Republican candidate to represent the 13th District of Essex County but lost to incumbent state Rep. Sally Kerans (D-Danvers).
May decided to run as a candidate for the Sixth Congressional District of Massachusetts, as his home was drawn out of the 13th District during the redistricting process. He is the first Republican candidate to declare a run for Congress in the Sixth District.
Moulton faces no Democratic primary challengers at this moment.
