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Mass. Republicans Win Worcester Seat In Special State Senate Election

Dean Tran.
Dean Tran.

GOP lawmakers in Massachusetts are celebrating a seat gained after a special election Tuesday. 

Fitchburg City Councilor Dean Tran, a Republican, won the race in Worcester and Middlesex District.

The senate seat was left vacant by Democrat Jennifer Flanagan, who was recently appointed by Governor Charlie Baker to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

Tran said he plans to bring the same experience he had on a local level to Boston.

"I'm able to work with everybody and when you work with people regardless of party affiliation that is a good thing," Tran said.

Tran said the problem with Beacon Hill right now is that "you have politicians on both sides who do not want to find a common ground on any issue."

He heard this complaint often while on the campaign trail, he said, matched by comments about congestion on Route 2.

He plans to focus on improving the highway, beginning with a study on a potential widening of the road.

Once inaugurated, Tran said he will resign from his software job and step down from his city council position.

Jill Kaufman has been a reporter and host at NEPM since 2005. Before that she spent 10 years at WBUR in Boston, producing "The Connection" with Christopher Lydon and on "Morning Edition" reporting and hosting. She's also hosted NHPR's daily talk show "The Exhange" and was an editor at PRX's "The World."
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