A number of local Democrats have been expressing interest in running for Massachusetts' 6th Congressional District, which Rep. Seth Moulton has decided to neglect as he wages an extreme longshot bid for the presidency, but one new name comes as a surprise: former Rep. John Tierney, whom Moulton unseated in the Democratic primary in 2014.
According to various "friends and former aides" who spoke with the Boston Globe, Tierney is "open to doing this again" (in the words of one former campaign manager), though the ex-congressman himself has yet to comment. But the biggest obstacle to any comeback is the main issue that led to Tierney's ouster in the first place: his wife Patrice's guilty plea and jail sentence for tax evasion in connection with operating an illegal gambling ring.
Tierney, however, was never accused of any wrongdoing himself and always insisted he had know knowledge of his wife's activities—and no evidence ever emerged to suggest otherwise. Nonetheless, as the Globe puts it, Tierney wound up as "collateral damage," and Moulton defeated him 51-40. Perhaps, though, enough time has elapsed and enough voters either no longer care or just don't remember Patrice Tierney's scandal. What's more, in a crowded race, Tierney would only need to win a plurality, and he'd undoubtedly start with a solid base of support.
Meanwhile, another Democrat, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, is also looking at the race, but it doesn't sound as though she'll get her shot. In an interview on Wednesday, Driscoll said, "If the seat were to become open, it's fair to say it's something I would take a hard look at," but as of now, Moulton insists he'll seek re-election if he doesn't win the presidential nomination. Since (to be polite) it's exceptionally hard to envision Moulton as the Democratic nominee, that means there won't be an open seat for Driscoll to consider.
Finally, the same Globe piece that discussed Tierney's potential return to politics also mentions two additional Democratic names, state Rep. Paul Tucker and Terrence Kennedy, who sits on the Governor's Council, an elective body that has authority over certain decisions made by the state's governor.