Peter Durant takes Oath of Office as senator for Worcester, Hampshire districts

State Sen. Peter Durant

State Sen. Peter Durant CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Published: 12-04-2023 4:48 PM

Staff Report

BOSTON – On Monday, Dec. 4, Peter Durant (R-Spencer) was officially sworn in as the next state Senator for the Worcester and Hampshire District by Gov. Maura Healey. Durant fills the seat vacated by former state Sen. Anne Gobi, who stepped down in June to take a role in Healey’s administration. Durant defeated Representative Jon Zlotnik, D-Gardner, in November’s Special State Election. Durant received 11,985 votes to Zlotnik’s 9,813.

“I am grateful to everyone in the Worcester and Hampshire District for trusting me to be your next State Senator,” said Durant in a statement. “I promise all the constituents of this district that I will work hard to ensure that your interests on represented on Beacon Hill. I will work continuously to make a positive difference for our district and our Commonwealth. I will always stand with the taxpayers, help small businesses, and ensure that our state government is accountable.”

Durant and his team will begin building relationships with constituents and local officials. Durant will meet with local officials over the next few weeks to understand their needs and how he can best serve the district in Boston.

Durant will serve the towns of Barre, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Holden, Hubbardston, Leicester, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Spencer, Sterling, Templeton, West Brookfield, Westminster, Ware, and the cities of Gardner, and Worcester, Ward 7, Precinct 2,4,5,6 and Ward 9, Precincts 3 and 4.

Durant previously served the 6th Worcester District in the House of Representatives from 2011–2023. He began his public service career as a member of the Spencer Finance Committee in 1999 and served as that board’s chairman for three years before being elected to the Spencer Selectboard in 2006.