Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan wins in landslide. Who else won and lost?

BROCKTON — Mayor Robert F. Sullivan overwhelmingly won a third term as voters returned him and other incumbents to office despite an overspending scandal at Brockton Public Schools and chaos downtown as the city grapples with increased numbers of homeless people.

According to unofficial results, Sullivan beat challenger Fred Fontaine 6,121 votes to 3,182. That's 66% to 34%.

"People understand a proven track record," Sullivan said after delivering a victory speech to supporters at Tommy Doyle's at Sidelines. "We're doing such a great thing right now in the city of Brockton with reimagining and development and repurposing, and reinventing and daily harnessing transit-oriented development."

Fontaine thanked voters for backing him. He said the mayor will face a challenge. "The next two years will not be easy for Bob," Fontaine said Wednesday. "The city is sinking like the Titanic."

Voters returned all three incumbent at-large city councilors, who represent the entire city. Joining them will be their former colleague, Jean Bradley Derenoncourt.

Among ward city councilors, all incumbents won. The only new face will be someone well-known in development circles, Philip Griffin, chairman of the Brockton Redevelopment Authority.

At the school committee, a board roiled by revelations that they allowed $14.4 million in overspending in fiscal 2023, all five incumbents won. They will be joined by two new faces who won open seats: Ana C. Oliver, who won a squeaker over Matthew Stanton, and Claudio Depina Gomes, who edged out Jamie Hodges.

City councilor at-large

The city council has four members who represent the entire city instead of a single ward. At least one new at-large councilor is guaranteed. That's because City Councilor Rita Mendes did not run for reelection so she can focus on her role as state representative for the all-Brockton 11th Plymouth District.

Longtime city councilor and former mayor Moises Rodrigues earned the most votes, according to unofficial results, with 4,786. Derenoncourt came next (4,658), then incumbents David Teixeira (4,459) and Win Farwell (4,458).

Coming in fifth was Stephan A. Hooke Jr., the head of the city's emergency management agency. A large gap separated the four winners from the rest of the field. Hooke earned 2,359 votes, which is 2,099 fewer votes than Farwell. Business owner Cynthia D. McCall-Hodges (2,215), auditor Jamal Brathwaite (1,640) and Alix Arthur Gayaud (1,001) also finished out of the running.

"I'm here for the people," said McCall-Hodges, who was making her first run at public office. "I congratulate all the candidates that won, but I'm not going away. I'm still here. And I'm gonna always be here."

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City Council Ward 1

Incumbent Thomas J. Minichiello Jr. saw off another challenge from Marlon D. Green, 73% to 27%. That's a bigger victory, percentage-wise, than Minichiello won when he faced Green in 2021.

City Council Ward 2

Maria Tavares ran unopposed for re-election to represent Ward 2, which covers much of downtown.

City Council Ward 3 [Open]

In the second-closest race of the night, Griffin edged perennial candidate Gary P. Keith 54% to 46%.

City Council Ward 4

Incumbent Susan Nicastro trounced Tony Branch, a member of the Southeastern Regional Vocational District School Committee, 70% to 30%.

Nicastro thanked Ward 4 voters. "It's because because of them that I do this job. I'm just so proud that they recognize my efforts, and they want me to stay another two years," she said.

City Council Ward 5

Continuing incumbents' good night, incumbent Jeffrey A. Thompson defeated newcomer Ellie V. Teixeira, a social worker, 62.5% to 37.5%.

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City Council Ward 6

Incumbent Jack Lally won more than three-quarters of the votes as he defeated Joseph Walker IV to win his sixth term.

Lally, who also stopped by Tommy Doyle's at Sidelines, said the margin "speaks to the work we've done, and to the work we have to do. So I just really appreciate the faith and the confidence that's been put in me and I look forward to continuing."

City Council Ward 7

Veteran incumbent Shirley R. Asack crushed challenger Patrick Paul Quinn, 79% to 29%.

School Committee Ward 1

Incumbent Kathy Ehlers, who serves as vice-chairperson of the School Committee, ran unopposed.

School Committee Ward 2

Claudio E. Depina Gomes will be one of two new faces for school committee, defeating Jamie Hodges. Hodges, who lost a Ward 2 city council bid last election, said she plans to take a break from running for office, though she plans to stay involved with the Democratic City Committee.

School Committee Ward 3 [Open]

The closest race of the night came in the open seat for school committee's Ward 3. Nurse Ana C. Oliver edged out Matthew Stanton 750 votes to 747. The tight unofficial margin could easily change as absentee ballots are counted. A recount is a strong possibility.

School Committee Ward 4

In Ward 4, incumbent Tony Rodrigues faced no challengers.

School Committee Ward 5

Incumbent Judy A. Sullivan won over Cynthia Rivas Mendes, formerly the Ward 2 school committee member. Mendes had moved into Ward 5 only to lose 736-532.

Judy Sullivan thanked voters for returning her to office for a sixth term. "We have to do our work," she said while stopping by Tommy Doyle's. "We have to have everybody behind us. We have the children behind us. We need the parents and the teachers behind us."

School Committee Ward 6

Ward 6 School Committee Member Joyce J. Asack ran unopposed.

School Committee Ward 7

Ward 7 incumbent, Timothy J. Sullivan, ran without opposition.

[Editor's note: This story has been updated with a quote from Fontaine.]

Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @HelmsNews.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton election results: Mayor Robert Sullivan wins in landslide