James Arena-DeRosa will face off against Loring Barnes in 8th Middlesex general election

With nearly 99% of the votes counted, James Arena-DeRosa has edged out Connor Degan in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for the 8th Middlesex District state representative seat.

Arena-DeRosa, of Holliston, earned 3,051 votes, or about 54.7% of those cast, according to preliminary results. He moves on to November’s general election, where he’ll face Republican candidate Loring Barnes of Millis, who was unopposed in her primary race. She collected 1,524 votes, earning about 75.9% of votes cast in the Republican primary.

How they voted: See the results in the 8th Middlesex Democratic primary

“I feel honored by the support that we got in the district,” Arena-DeRosa told the Daily News on Wednesday morning. “We worked really hard; we had great volunteers. It was a great campaign all around.”

The 66-year-old is vying to represent a district that includes Holliston, Hopkinton, Sherborn and part of Millis. The previous officeholder, seven-term Rep. Carolyn Dykema, also of Holliston, resigned during the spring to take a private-sector job, leaving the field open for a newcomer.

From the archives: Holliston state Rep. Carolyn Dykema is leaving for a new job in the private sector

Arena-DeRosa has a multifaceted background that includes roles as the northeast regional administrator for the USDA and as president and CEO of Connecticut nonprofit Foodshare, the Daily News previously reported. He ran unsuccessfully for Massachusetts lieutenant governor in 2014.

Previously: Meet James Arena-DeRosa, a Democrat vying for the 8th Middlesex seat

Leading up to the primary, he emphasized the need to address PFAS — so-called “forever chemicals” — locally and pushed a platform heavy on protecting various civil rights.

“I think our message really resonated (with voters)," Arena-DeRosa said. “I think they liked the idea that I had a great depth of experience at the state and national level, but had also been very involved as a local finance committee member and understood local town governance, because the way issues play out between the state and the towns is critical.”

He said he loves campaigning for state representative because it gives him the chance to meet people and spend quality time in the community.

“It’s a different kind of race, where you’re looking at local problem-solving, things that are affecting people every single day,” Arena-DeRosa said. “They need someone at the State House who can be their advocate and work with them. I really enjoy that.”

Degan, 30, garnered 2,304 votes, or 41.3% of those cast. He has been Hopkinton's town clerk since 2016, and this was his first time running for state office, an experience he described as a learning opportunity.

“We came up short, but it was still close,” Degan said Wednesday. “I’m proud of what the campaign was able to accomplish, what all the people who supported me were able to do, and I was humbled by all the support that I received.”

He added: “I wouldn’t change anything. I ran a good, clean race. I’m proud of what I did.”

Degan also wished Arena-DeRosa luck with his campaign.

“It’s a tough job,” he said. “I really hope that his experience will come into play in serving our district well and serving our community well.”

For his part, Arena-DeRosa said he plans to spend time in each of the district’s communities over the coming weeks, getting to know more people and working closely with local Democrats.

“We’re in a purple district, right? So it’s a competitive race, and we’re just going to keep moving forward,” he said.

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: 8th Middlesex state rep: Holliston's Arena-DeRosa vs. Millis' Barnes