Republican Fattman re-elected
Republican Incumbent state Sen. Ryan Fattman of Sutton was re-elected to a third term Tuesday, defeating challenger Tom Merolli of Mendon.
Fattman received more than 60 percent of the vote to represent the Worcester & Norfolk district, which includes Bellingham, Blackstone, Millville and Uxbridge. Fattman was the high-vote-getter in every town, except Southbridge.
“I want to thank the voters for re-electing me to the state senate,” Fattman said. “Our vote total has exceeded every town and every precinct over 2014’s election. I look forward to serving for the next two years.”
Fattman was elected to the state Senate in November 2014, after serving two terms in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and two terms as a selectman in the town of Sutton. He was the first Republican to win election to the Worcester-Norfolk Senate seat since 1938, when Dr. Wilfred Bazinet was elected from Webster.
On the state Senate’s first day of the 189th session, Fattman offered a further amendment to increase transparency in votes taken on Beacon Hill. The Fattman amendment mandated that all recorded votes taken in a senate committee shall be posted no later than 48 hours on the General Court website.
As a member of the House of Representative, Fattman maintained a 100 percent voting attendance record over his four year career. He currently has a 100 percent attendance record in the Senate.
Born and raised in the town of Sutton, Fattman married his high school sweetheart Stephanie (current Worcester County Register of Probate) and is also a doting father to Hadley Fattman. Ryan and Stephanie have lived in the town of Webster since their marriage in May 2013.
Fattman graduated from Sutton High School in 2003, and went on to study at Suffolk University for his bachelor’s degree. For his master’s degree, Fattman went on to Tufts University, where he was selected for the Harvard University Kennedy School Rappaport Public Policy Fellowship, class of 2008.
Fattman has advocated for increasing local aid funding for local services like senior centers and education and public safety to cities and towns.
Merolli of Mendon currently serves as assistant treasurer for the town of Mendon and is chairman of that town’s Economic Development Committee.
Merolli received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Westfield State University. During his studies, he ran an organization to provide food for the local homeless shelter, worked as a field consultant for Elizabeth Warren’s Senate campaign, and worked in the office of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal. He has worked in fundraising for nonprofits in Boston and most recently served as the Mendon chairman for Brian Murray’s campaign for State Representative.
He is an Eagle Scout, and once received a National Award of Merit for saving a fellow scout’s life.
Merolli issued a statement Wednesday, saying, “last night may not have gone as we had hoped, but today I woke up more inspired than ever.”
“Over the past several months, we built a grassroots organization out of nothing and stood up to one of the most ferocious political operations in the state,” he said. “The strength of this campaign was always that it was not about me. It was about you. This was a genuine grassroots effort. I’ve met so many new friends for life, and fell in love with these 14 towns – towns that deserve so much more help from the state than they are getting. All politics is local, this campaign was but a prologue, and I look forward to working with all of you to make our communities a better place.”