A special election is being held in western Massachusetts Tuesday to fill a vacancy in the Massachusetts House.
Voters in Westfield will elect either Dan Allie, a Republican who is a city councilor, or John Velis, a lawyer who describes himself as a conservative Democrat. The winner gets a seven month term and is up for re-election in November. The seat was held by Republican Don Humason for ten years. It became vacant when Humason won a special election last year for State Senate. Republicans are out- numbered in the Massachusetts legislature by 5-1, but political analyst Tony Cignolli said this could be a brighter year for the GOP.
" They ( the Republicans) have an opportunity right now to pick up some seats in the House and Senate."
More than two-dozen Democratic legislators have either resigned recently or said they won’t run for another term, including four in western Massachusetts.
