SOUTH COAST The 18 candidates in the South Coast's nine contested races for the state Legislature went into October with widely different amounts of campaign money, from more than $1.1 million in one senator's accounts to nothing in one challenger's, according to reports filed with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
The figures run from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, the period covered by each committee's latest monthly bank report, filed with the office between Oct. 1 and Oct. 6. Money raised and spent in October is not in these totals. Incumbents had more cash on hand at the end of September in six of the eight races where an incumbent is on the ballot. In five of those eight races, the challenger took in more money this year than the incumbent did. All amounts below are rounded to the nearest dollar.
State Senate
1st Bristol and Plymouth: Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues, a Democrat from Westport, took in $299,973 this year, spent $229,525 and had $1,108,599 on hand, including $502,358 in savings. Gabriel Boomer Amaral, a Republican from Fall River, took in $6,649, spent $2,163 and had $4,486 on hand.
2nd Bristol and Plymouth: Sen. Mark C.W. Montigny, a Democrat from New Bedford, took in $2,604, spent $47,104 and had $735,368 on hand, including $723,668 in savings. Robert Scott McConnell, a Republican from Fairhaven, took in $4,926, spent $2,000 and had $3,356 on hand.
State House
2nd Plymouth, which includes Wareham: Rep. John Robert Gaskey, a Republican from Carver, took in $17,519, spent $19,228 and had $397 on hand. Sarah G. Hewins, a Democrat from Carver, took in $25,831, spent $15,246 and had $11,299 on hand.
5th Bristol: Rep. Justin E. Thurber, a Republican from Somerset, took in $17,293, spent $17,709 and had $11,253 on hand. Jamison D. Souza, a Democrat from Somerset, took in $66,988, spent $64,242 and had $12,790 on hand.
6th Bristol: Rep. Carole A. Fiola, a Democrat from Fall River, took in $48,986, spent $46,636 and had $197,000 on hand. Robert G. Anctil, a Republican from Freetown, took in $57,893, spent $55,987 and had $1,905 on hand.
7th Bristol: Rep. Alan Silvia, a Democrat from Fall River, took in $26,342, spent $23,351 and had $9,432 on hand. Talos D. Farris, a Republican from Fall River, took in $6,750, spent $5,433 and had $1,317 on hand.
8th Bristol: Rep. Steven J. Ouellette, a Democrat from Westport, took in $17,735, spent $6,047 and had $17,776 on hand. Jesse W. St. Gelais, a Republican from Acushnet, took in $18,828, spent $29,652 and had $1,680 on hand.
9th Bristol, the open seat covering Dartmouth and part of New Bedford: Edward M. Pacheco, a Democrat from Dartmouth, took in $35,129, spent $24,423 and had $10,706 on hand. Chester M. Tam, a Republican from Dartmouth, took in $18,056, spent $10,415 and had $12,108 on hand. Rep. Christopher Markey, who holds the seat, is running for Bristol district attorney.
10th Bristol: Rep. Mark D. Sylvia, a Democrat from Fairhaven, took in $60,031, spent $59,370 and had $23,876 on hand. Brendalee A. Smith, a Republican from Fairhaven, took in $3,277, spent $3,950 and reported no cash on hand.
How the numbers work
Each candidate's committee keeps its money in a designated bank account, and every month the bank's statement and the committee's list of deposits are filed with the state. The office's totals for this year count every receipt and expenditure from Jan. 1 on. Cash on hand is the committee's checking balance plus any savings the committee reports; only the Rodrigues and Montigny committees listed savings.
The reports also list each donor and payee. Anyone can search them by candidate name on the Office of Campaign and Political Finance's website, ocpf.us.
When and where to vote
Early voting in person ends Friday, Oct. 30. On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Each town's ballot, polling places and early voting hours are in the SC360 voter guide at southcoast360.com/vote/index.html.
Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.
Notes
Every dollar figure comes from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance: its 2026 year-to-date totals for legislative candidates and each committee's September bank report, read on Oct. 28. Candidates' parties, hometowns and incumbency come from the official town ballots. Figures are rounded to the nearest dollar from the reported amounts. We checked each date and weekday against a calendar.
Corrections
No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.
Sources (4)
- Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance: 2026 legislative candidates, year-to-date receipts, expenditures and cash on hand (depository report data, api.ocpf.us/reports/legislative/depository/ytd/2026)Totals Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, 2026. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance: September 2026 bank reports of the 18 candidates' committees (api.ocpf.us/report/<report id>, report ids in the evidence file)Period Sept. 1 to Sept. 30, 2026; filed Oct. 1 to Oct. 6, 2026. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- SC360 voter guide data: candidates, parties, hometowns and incumbency from the official specimen and sample ballots posted by South Coast town clerksChecked through Oct. 25, 2026. Read Oct. 28, 2026.
- SC360: Nine of 13 South Coast legislative races on the Nov. 3 ballot are two-party contests (the race list, the 2nd Plymouth towns and the 9th Bristol open seat)Verified Oct. 26, 2026. Read Oct. 28, 2026.