Rachael Rollins finished third.
That is the result almost nobody predicted in the Suffolk County District Attorney primary, and it is the fact that will define how this race is remembered. The former district attorney and former United States Attorney, running to reclaim the office she left in 2022, drew fewer votes than Linda Champion, a former prosecutor in her successor’s own office.
Kevin Hayden won. Because no Republican filed, the Democratic nomination effectively secures him a second full term.
The result
The Associated Press called the race for Hayden at 11:52 p.m. Tuesday, with all 316 precincts reporting.
| Candidate | Votes | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin R. Hayden (incumbent) | 38,825 | 49.89% |
| Linda G. Champion | 20,107 | 25.84% |
| Rachael Rollins | 18,887 | 24.27% |
| Total | 77,819 |
These figures are unofficial. No certified result exists yet for any race on this ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth publishes certified results through electionstats.state.ma.us, and as of this writing that archive contains no September 1, 2026 election at all. The numbers above come from the Associated Press count and are subject to revision as the remaining ballots are tabulated.
Two margins are worth holding onto.
Hayden finished 111 votes short of an outright majority. With roughly 2,250 ballots still outstanding by AP’s estimate, he may yet clear 50 percent. In a three-way race it changes nothing legally, but it is the difference between winning a plurality and winning a majority, and the two get described very differently.
Champion outpolled Rollins by 1,220 votes. The candidate with statewide name recognition, a national profile, and the largest press footprint in the field ran last.
Where the votes came from
All municipalities reported complete precinct counts.
| Municipality | Hayden | Champion | Rollins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston (275 precincts) | 34,894 | 18,222 | 17,286 |
| Revere (19) | 1,763 | 855 | 660 |
| Winthrop (6) | 1,308 | 578 | 576 |
| Chelsea (16) | 860 | 452 | 365 |
Hayden carried every municipality in the district. Rollins finished third in Boston, the city where she built the record she ran on, and third in Revere and Chelsea. Winthrop split almost exactly between the two challengers, two votes apart.
What was said, and what was not
Hayden declared victory shortly before 10 p.m. at The Stockyard in Brighton.
“In case you don’t know, we won. What the voters have said is that they want four more years of results, real results that have resulted in historically low crime rates.”
He also told the room, “It’s really good to be here. It may not be quite as exciting as the first time around, but it still feels pretty darn good,” and added that he was “humbled and overwhelmed by all this.” He thanked Mayor Michelle Wu, who endorsed him.
Champion posted Wednesday morning: “Thank you to the hard working volunteers who gave up evenings and weekends to help prioritize public safety.” That is a thank-you to supporters, not a concession.
Neither Champion nor Rollins has conceded. No named source has reported a concession from either. The Boston Globe reported that Rollins’s campaign did not immediately respond to Hayden’s victory speech.
Nothing turns on that. Concessions have no legal effect in Massachusetts, and this margin is nowhere near recount range. But the distinction between a candidate who has conceded and one who has simply not spoken is worth preserving, and much of the coverage has blurred it.
How this office changed hands in the first place
The Suffolk district attorney has not been chosen by voters in a contested general election since 2018.
Rollins won the office that year. In 2022, President Biden appointed her United States Attorney for Massachusetts, and Governor Charlie Baker appointed Hayden to the vacancy. Hayden then won a full term in the 2022 primary, defeating Ricardo Arroyo.
Two things came out of that 2022 race that shaped this one.
Rollins resigned as United States Attorney in May 2023 after two federal watchdog reports. The Justice Department inspector general’s 155-page report found she had attempted to influence the 2022 Suffolk district attorney primary in Arroyo’s favor, including by leaking to reporters.
Hayden paid a $5,000 civil penalty to the State Ethics Commission in 2024 over conduct connected to the same 2022 race.
Wu endorsed Arroyo over Hayden in 2022. This year she endorsed Hayden, citing his “experience, integrity, and steady leadership” in a text message to supporters on primary day.
Why the nomination is the election
No Republican filed for Suffolk district attorney. No independent or unenrolled candidate qualified for the November ballot.
That means Tuesday’s primary was the operative contest. Hayden will appear on the November 3 ballot unopposed, and the term runs four years from January 2027.
This is not unusual in Massachusetts county prosecutor races. Of the eleven district attorney districts in the Commonwealth, most see no general election contest at all. The Norfolk district attorney race, an open seat this year, is one of the exceptions: Democratic nominee Djuna Perkins faces independent Joe Pagliarulo in November.
The practical consequence for anyone with a case in Suffolk Superior Court, Boston Municipal Court, or the district courts in Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop is continuity. Charging policy, diversion practice, and the office’s approach to bail arguments stay where they have been since 2022.
Common questions
Who won the Suffolk County District Attorney primary?
Kevin Hayden, the incumbent, with 38,825 votes, 49.89 percent. Linda Champion finished second with 20,107 and Rachael Rollins third with 18,887. Results are unofficial pending certification.
Is there a general election for Suffolk District Attorney?
Hayden will appear on the November 3 ballot unopposed. No Republican filed and no independent qualified, so the Democratic nomination effectively decides the office.
Will there be a recount?
No. A district-wide recount may be requested only where the margin is under 0.5 percent of votes cast. Hayden won by more than 24 points. Massachusetts has no automatic recount in any event; a candidate must petition.
Are these results official?
No. No certified results have been published for any race on the September 1 ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth posts certified results at electionstats.state.ma.us, which currently contains no data for this election.
Why did Rachael Rollins leave the district attorney’s office?
She was appointed United States Attorney for Massachusetts in 2022 and resigned that post in May 2023 following two federal watchdog reports, including a Justice Department inspector general report finding she tried to influence the 2022 Suffolk district attorney primary.
Vote totals from Associated Press tabulation as of the afternoon of September 2, 2026, at 97.19 percent of expected vote counted. All results are unofficial; the Secretary of the Commonwealth had not published certified results as of publication. Quotations as reported by the Boston Herald, Boston Globe, WGBH, WBUR, and the Dorchester Reporter. General information, not legal advice.