Kevin Hayden projected to defeat Ricardo Arroyo in contentious race for Suffolk County DA
BOSTON – The Associated Press projects Kevin Hayden is the winner in the contentious race for Suffolk County District Attorney, defeating Boston city councilor Ricardo Arroyo.
The AP called the race just before midnight, and Arroyo conceded the Democratic primary Wednesday morning. With 94% of precincts reporting, Hayden has just under 5,000 more votes than Arroyo.
CHECK: Primary Election Results
Gov. Charlie Baker appointed Hayden to DA earlier this year and now he will likely serve a full term as the top law enforcement official in Suffolk County.
"With today's decision by the voters, we're going to do a whole lot more. A whole lot more community engagement, a whole lot more juvenile diversion, more with illegal gun targeting, and more with safety neighborhood initiatives," Hayden told supporters.
In the weeks leading up to this election, Arroyo's campaign was full of controversy as decades old allegations of sexual assault surfaced. He lost several important endorsements as a result.
"With nearly all the votes counted it is clear we do not have a path to victory," he tweeted.
With no Republican candidate in the general election, Hayden has a clear path to become DA for Suffolk County.