Primaries held for 2 Mass. House seats

BOSTON (AP) - The fields are set for two special elections to fill vacant seats in the state House of Representatives.

In Peabody, Leah Cole defeated Greg Bunn in a Republican primary on Tuesday. Cole will face Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and unenrolled candidate David Gravel in an April 2 special election to fill the seat held by Rep. Joyce Spiliotis, who died in November after battling cancer.

In Everett, common councilor Wayne Matewsky topped four other Democrats, including former Mayor John Hanlon, in Tuesday's primary. A 30-year veteran of Everett politics, Matewsky will face two unenrolled candidates in the April 2 special election to fill the seat vacated by Democrat Stephen "Stat" Smith.

Smith resigned from the House after agreeing to plead guilty to casting invalid absentee ballots.

Cox Media Group