Nicholson Wins Second Worcester District Seat
Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson, a Democrat, won the Second Worcester District state representative race over unenrolled candidate John D. Reilly.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in City Hall
Live Poll
Do you trust local officials who move up to state office to serve you well?
Democratic Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson defeated John D. Reilly, an unenrolled candidate from Ashburnham, to win the Second Worcester District state representative seat. In the same election, Republican incumbent Joseph D. McKenna won re-election in the 18th Worcester District with more than 60 percent of the vote.
Why it matters
Nicholson's win moves a sitting mayor into the state Legislature and will require a transition of his duties in Gardner. The results also show the district's broad geographic reach across Gardner, Ashburnham, Templeton and parts of Winchendon.
Nicholson took 7,219 votes, or 55 percent, in the district, while Reilly received 5,190 ballots. Nicholson swept all 10 Gardner wards and won both Winchendon precincts, while the two candidates split the Ashburnham precincts.
The players
Michael Nicholson
Democratic mayor of Gardner, Massachusetts, serving his third term, who won the Second Worcester District state representative seat.
Joseph D. McKenna
Republican incumbent state representative for the 18th Worcester District, seeking re-election after six terms.
The details
Preliminary results were reported on a live results show hosted by outgoing state representative Jon Zlotnik as precinct and ward tallies came in. The Second Worcester District covers Gardner, Ashburnham, Templeton and precincts 2 and 3 in Winchendon, and Nicholson is expected to work with City Council President George Tyros over the coming months to transition from mayor to state representative.
Timeline
- Tuesday, November 3, 2026: Election day; Nicholson and McKenna declared victory.
- Over the next few months: Nicholson expected to transition from mayor to state representative.
City Hall
Nicholson's move from the Gardner mayor's office to the State House follows a pattern in which local executives seek higher office once they have served multiple terms at the municipal level. Local officials elected to the Massachusetts House typically must navigate the handover of city leadership, and the Gardner transition will test that process.
Gardner voters will see their mayor's office change hands as Nicholson moves to the Legislature, and the city's leadership will be handled by the council in the interim. Residents in Ashburnham, Templeton and Winchendon will be represented in the State House by Nicholson beginning with the next legislative session.
The takeaway
Local officials who win state seats often bring municipal experience to the Legislature, and Gardner residents will watch how the mayoral handover is managed. Readers following Massachusetts politics can track how the new representative sets priorities for the district's towns.
What happens next
Nicholson is expected to work with City Council President George Tyros over the next few months to transition from mayor to state representative.
Further reading
Explore more City Hall coverage for context on how local executives transition into state office.
Live Poll
Do you trust local officials who move up to state office to serve you well?
