MA-03: It took very little time for several Democrats to express interest, and we could see something like a 2007 primary reunion tour. State Sen. Eileen Donoghue told the Boston Herald she hasn't decided what to do, though she added that, "Being in the Senate and being part of Senate leadership has also been tremendous. I absolutely love what I do." Back in 2007, Tsongas beat Donoghue 36-31 in the primary; Tsongas proceeded to win the general election by a relatively tight 51-45.
Ex-state Sen. Barry Finegold, who lost the 2014 primary for treasurer, also put out a statement saying he was considering. Unnamed insiders also tell the Boston Globe that they think state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, who was a prominent Bernie Sanders supporter during the 2016 presidential campaign, is interested. In the 2007 primary, Eldridge and Finegold took third and fourth place with 14 and 13 percent, respectively.
However, there are also Democrats who did not run in 2007 who could get in. State Sen. Barbara L’Italien says she's "eagerly exploring." Michael Gallagher, a prominent Lowell attorney who co-chaired Tsongas’ campaign finance committee, also acknowledged his interest.
Steve Kerrigan, who was the 2014 nominee for lieutenant governor (in Massachusetts, governor and lieutenant governor candidates run in separate primaries, and the two nominees win or lose together as a ticket), didn't rule it out, saying that he thinks "a lot people are going to have a lot of conversations with their families and friends the next few days" and that "decisions will get made over the next few weeks. I look forward to seeing what comes of that." Kerrigan served as political director to the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, and he was CEO of Obama's second inauguration. Last year, Kerrigan narrowly lost a race for state party chair.
There are plenty of other Democrats who could get in. The Globe reports that state Rep. Jennifer Benson is considering, though she hasn't said anything publicly. Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera, who is up for re-election this year, " has been floated as a candidate," but it's unclear how interested he is. Dan Koh, the chief of staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, has talked about running for office someday, and his name immediately came up. Koh, who is a native of Andover in the 3rd District, has not said anything yet, and a Boston city spokesperson declined to comment.
On the GOP side, no one has expressed interest yet, but the Globe mentions two Republicans whom they describe as prominent potential candidates. Rick Green, the wealthy owner and co-founder of an auto parts company, is also the founder of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, a conservative advocacy group. Green considered challenging Warren for re-election earlier this cycle, but passed. The Globe also says that Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke is "seen as a serious contender if he were to enter the race." They also say that state Rep. Sheila Harrington's name has been floated.