Nancy Tsongas will be the first woman to represent the state of Massachusetts in Congress since 1983 and the first woman to represent Massachusetts’ fifth district since 1960. Tsongas won the October 16th special election to fill the sea vacated by former Rep. Marty Meehan, who resigned to accept a chancellorship position at University of Massachusetts-Lowell.
Tsongas defeated Republican Jim Ogonowski by a margin of 51-45, reports the Associated Press. She will hold the same seat once held by her late husband, Paul Tsongas.
Tsongas has said that she hopes the secretary of the Commonwealth will certify the election and that she will be sworn in by the scheduled October 18th vote to override the president’s State Children’s Health Insurance Program veto, reports the Boston Globe.
