Three potential candidates have cleared the preliminary certified signature requirement to run for the Suffolk County District Attorney seat in November’s election.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts and former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins and Attorney Linda Champion all submitted more than the 1,000 signatures required to run for the office.
DA Hayden collected 1,249 certified signatures in Boston, 64 in Chelsea, 76 in Revere, and 17 in Winthrop.
Linda Champion, an attorney who once served on Hayden’s leadership team, collected 1,349 certified signatures in Boston, seven in Chelsea, 66 in Revere, and 35 in Winthrop.
Rollins, who resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s office in 2023 after a pair of federal investigations concluded she sought to use her position to influence the race to replace her, collected 1,430 certified signatures in Boston, 81 in Chelsea, 54 signatures in Revere, and one in Winthrop.
The candidates must now submit their certified signatures and other paperwork to the state by the end of the month in order to advance to the primary. The top two vote-getters will then be on the ballot on Nov. 3.
The winner of the November election will oversee the prosecution of crimes in Boston, Chelsea, Revere and Winthrop.
The race comes as Hayden faces criticism for charging a police officer with manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of a carjacking suspect. The case has also brought criticism from community groups and elected officials over clarity in protocols for releasing police body camera footage, and drawn renowned civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump to represent the deceased man’s family.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Hayden’s re-election campaign said he remains focused on the job as the race takes shape.
“Under his leadership Boston remains the safest major city in the country,” the statement said, echoing a campaign refrain from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Hayden ally. “His strategic and innovative approaches have led to real progress in the criminal legal system, illustrated by historically low crime rates and significant drops in violent crime across the entire county.”
Hayden was first appointed to the Suffolk County DA’s office by Governor Charlie Baker in 2022 as Rollins became U.S. Attorney. He served the remainder of Rollins term before being elected in his own right after a bitter race that ultimately resulted in his paying a $5,000 fine and signing a disposition agreement with the state Ethics Commission for failing to stop his staff from issuing an official press release and failing to withdraw a statement aimed at discrediting his political opponent.
Champion, who ran for the office in 2018, said she is looking forward to having great discussions and introducing herself to the voters of Suffolk County. She also pointed to her experience as legal counsel to Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, overseeing the municipal, district and specialty courts.
“These courts are the busiest courts in the state,” said Champion in a statement. “I will continue to do the work I have done for the residents of Suffolk County, I have saved homes from being stolen through schemes and restored lives in that process. I will work to restore trust and pursue a vision for a justice system that is fair, equitable, and responsive. That means holding people accountable and making survivors of crime my top priority.”
Rollins did not respond to GBH News requests for comment and has not formally announced her candidacy for the seat.
According to recent filings with the state’s campaign finance oversight office, Hayden leads the financial standings with $60,000 in cash on hand. Rollins follows with about $42,000 on hand, while Champion has nearly $40,000.
