Ocasio-Cortez's 'BFF' progressive candidate stuns in upset as 10-term incumbent loses seat

Molly Prince, DCNF

Incumbent Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano lost a stunning re-election campaign to his progressive challenger Ayanna Pressley in Massachusetts on Tuesday.

In the two-way race, Pressley edged out the 10-term incumbent with 56 percent of the vote. Capuano conceded less than two hours after polls closed.

Capuano has represented Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District since 2013 and 8th Congressional District for the prior 14 years before the district was redrawn. Since he first took office, the Massachusetts congressman has run unopposed in all but two re-election cycles.

Pressley is currently the at-large member of the Boston City Council and was the first woman of color to hold the position. She said she will better represent the heavily diverse 7th district than an older white male like Capuano.

Pressley’s candidacy has been compared to that of Democratic socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In June, Ocasio-Cortez reiterated the comparison saying “our BFF applications are in.”

“Ayanna and I are running similar races,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Neither taking corporate money, both expanding the electorate & taking down political machines that don’t service their communities.”

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