Thrasher is GOP nominee for eighth district seat

Attorney secured 171 votes in Westport, more than enough to get on the November ballot

By Ted Hayes
Posted 9/6/24

A Westport attorney who staged a write-in campaign to get on the ballot is the Republican nominee for the eighth Bristol representative seat currently by outgoing Democrat Paul Schmid.

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Thrasher is GOP nominee for eighth district seat

Attorney secured 171 votes in Westport, more than enough to get on the November ballot

Posted

A Westport attorney who staged a write-in campaign to get on the ballot is the Republican nominee for the eighth Bristol representative seat currently by outgoing Democrat Paul Schmid.

Christopher Thrasher received 171 write-in votes in Westport in the Tuesday, Sept. 3 primary, 21 more than he needed to get him on the ballot as the race’s only Republican. He will be joined in the race by a Democrat, select board member Steve Ouellette, three independents — select board Many Soares and Laura Hadley, both of Westport, and Acushet independent Jesse W. St. Gelais.

Though he filed paperwork for the office, Republican Gabriel Amaral of Fall River did not get all of his required signatures in by the state’s deadline and is out of the race.

On Friday, Thrasher said he knew staging a write-in campaign would be a heavy lift, and was thrilled to secure a place on the November ballot:

“It’s asking a lot for people to come out to the polls on the day after Labor Day, when there are not that many races on the ballot to begin with,” he said. “But I had some very dedicated volunteers knocking on doors, and at the polls. It goes to show that there is momentum building on this campaign.”

Thrasher currently serves on the Westport School Committee, as chairman of the Long Term building Reuse Committee, and also sits on the town’s finance and economic development committees.

The eighth Representative district covers Westport, Achushnet, Freetown, New Bedford and Fall River.

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