Lydia Edwards says she will run for state senate if Boncore leaves

City Councilor Lydia Edwards (East Boston, Charlestown, North End) made it official today: If, as expected, Joe Boncore leaves the state Senate to become head of a life-sciences trade group, she will run for his seat.

After weeks of conversations with family, friends, and colleagues, I know that the time has come to share this news publicly. Senator Boncore has been a steadfast partner in the Senate and has served the public with strength and a keen sense of right and wrong, using his moral compass and thoughtful advocacy to stand up for the residents of this district, and it would be a great honor to follow his legacy. As he explores the next chapter of his career, I am prepared to begin mine.

This is my path: I will be a candidate for Senate this fall. I’m proud to look back on the people I have helped, and I know that I have more in me to give. When Senator Boncore steps down, I will formally step up.

Left unanswered in her announcement is what happens to her council seat, for which she is currently running for re-election unopposed. Depending on the timing of Boncore's departure and the results of the special election to replace him, should Edwards win the seat he now holds, Boston would have to call a special election to replace her, possibly not long after she was just re-elected.

This would be Edwards's second run for the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex seat. In 2016, Boncore defeated her and several other candidates in a special election. She then won election to the City Council in 2017 after Sal LaMattina retired.