South End Democrat poised to fill House seat

South End Democrat John Moran is all but sure to fill Dr. Jon Santiago’s seat as the next state representative for Boston’s Ninth Suffolk District.

The consultant and community advocate is the last remaining candidate in the special election race after his primary opponent, Amparo “Chary” Ortiz, suspended her campaign last week “to attend to personal and family matters,” she wrote in a statement.

Moran jumped into the race shortly after Santiago announced he was vacating his state House seat to join the Healey administration as secretary of veterans’ services. Moran has no Republican opponent in the race.

A 24-year South End resident, Moran recently scored endorsements from Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts and LGTBQ Victory Fund. He raised more than $70,000 in his race for the seat, which encompasses most of the South End and includes parts of the Back Bay, Roxbury, and Dorchester.

Moran has worked for companies such as Liberty Mutual, Systems Evolution Inc., and Bose, and says he is committed to making the city affordable for the next generation. He wants to invest in more green space and supports allowing cities and towns to implement rent control.

Ortiz raised about $6,375 during her short campaign, including donations from her colleagues at Boston University, where she works in academic affairs at the university’s School of Public Health.

She was scheduled to appear at a virtual forum hosted by the Boston Ward 4 Democratic Committee last Thursday, but didn’t attend “due to extenuating circumstances,” Jonathan Cohen, the committee’s chair, told attendees.

The special election is one of two to take place in Boston this year, after Representative Ed Coppinger recently left his seat representing the 10th Suffolk House District to head up the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.

The primary election for Santiago’s seat is set for May 2. The final election will be May 30.