
Democrat James Arena-DeRosa and Republican Loring Barnes will share the Massachusetts House of Representatives 8th Middlesex District seat in this general election after Democrat Carolyn C. Dykema – who represented the district for 13 years – resigned in February.
Arena-DeRosa, of Holliston, swept the Democratic primary against Hopkinton Town Clerk Connor Degan, winning about 57% of the vote. Barnes is running unopposed for the Republican nomination.
In another place: Rep. Dooley challenged Sen. Rausch of the Norfolk, Worcester and Middlesex Districts
After the 2020 Census redistricting, the 8th Middlesex District state representative will represent Holliston, Hopkinton, and parts of Millis and Sherborn – nearly 50,000 residents. Barnes is from Millis, which was not previously in the district.
Dykema – now in the private sector working for the clean energy company Nexamp – was elected as a state representative in 2008, and in the last five elections ran unopposed.
The general election is Nov. 8.
Here’s a look at who’s running.
James Arena-DeRosa
Website: https://www.jamesforstaterep.com/personal-backgrund
Flat: Holliston
Age: 66
EMPLOYMENT: Part-time teacher, consultant, semi-retired
Endorsements: Planned Parenthood, Sierra Club, Massachusetts AFL-CIO and others
Why are you running?
When Dykema stepped down, Arena-DeRosa said she joined the effort to find a new candidate to fill the seat in her district, but she didn’t know who it was.
“At first I thought we were just going to support a great candidate, and then as it turned out, a lot of people approached me to run,” Arena-DeRosa said. “I thought ‘Yes, this is the time I can do this service.’”
Once she started thinking seriously about running, Arena-DeRosa said it all made sense.
“This is a critical time in our state’s history and I still have a lot of energy and passion left to make a difference,” Arena-DeRosa said.

He said his background in politics, as a community volunteer and as a teacher, helped him decide to run. Over time, Arena-DeRosa said she worked as the director of public advocacy for Oxfam and became the New England regional director for the Peace Corps.
“I have spent my entire career helping people meet their basic needs, and also making sure that the communities I work with – whatever community they are – have a voice in the chorus of power,” said Arena-DeRosa.
After seeing the Legislature pass laws without always consulting community members, Arena-DeRosa said she was disappointed. If elected, Arena-DeRosa said she would put more effort into helping her constituents navigate government bureaucracy and ensure their ideas are represented in the Legislature.
“To be effective, you have to be out there in the community, be responsive to constituents and also be involved in the work on Beacon Hill,” Arena-DeRosa said.
What issues does your district face and how do you plan to address them?
Arena-DeRosa said involving community members in decision-making before voting as a Legislature is important for progress.
“Usually the decisions are made and they don’t talk to the local towns,” Arena-DeRosa said. “What are the effects? How does this affect what is happening in the communities?”
For now, Arena-DeRosa said she’s looking at affordability issues in the neighborhoods she’s determined to represent.
“I’ve met a lot of senior citizens who have lived their lives in these cities and they’re concerned about the loss of value,” Arena-DeRosa said. “I met young people who wanted to buy houses in the towns they grew up in, but they couldn’t afford it.”
Apart from housing costs, Arena-DeRosa said that the general economy is facing serious problems, which is exacerbated by inflation. He said the Legislature needs to get serious about determining where the money should be spent.
While money from the state’s tax surplus must be returned to residents, Arena-DeRosa said, other money is available for use.
“We need to do more locally that helps our school systems and helps local infrastructure,” Arena-DeRosa said.
When it comes to climate change, he said the state can’t “anticipate the issue.” Solar panels and offshore wind are some alternatives to fossil fuels, but any solution will require large investments.
“If we do it right, the green economy will provide more jobs for people and it will be a great long-term win for the environment,” Arena-DeRosa said.
Loring Barnes
Website: https://www.loringbarnes.com/
Flat: Millis
Age: 60
EMPLOYMENT: Business development strategy and communication
Endorsements: The National Federation of Independent Businesses, Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito
Why are you running?
From the moment he moved to Millis 35 years ago, Barnes said he was involved in community affairs. He served as chair of the Select Board and helped found the Economic Development Committee, where he currently sits.
Not one to sit back and watch, he said running for office seemed like a natural next step that matched his commitment and drive for Millis and the district.
“I look to the future and feel again that I can contribute to making life better not only in my town, but in a new group of towns,” said Barnes. “I’ve decided to put my hat in the ring.”

While attending town meetings, Barnes said he began to notice “a tsunami of unfunded mandates” occurring, prompting him to take action.
“What’s happening in Millis has become a microcosm of what’s happening across the state,” Barnes said.
Barnes said he increasingly feels residents are left out of important financial decisions for the city, which he doesn’t feel is right.
“I pay everyone in the State House — as a taxpayer — to work for me, to work for my family, to work for my city, to work for small business, and we’re never talking,” he said. Barnes.
What issues does your district face and how do you plan to address them?
Barnes said his agenda revolves around three areas: communication, collaboration and transparency. He added that taxes are rising, mostly due to unfunded mandates, and to solve this issue, the Legislature should consult with the people before making decisions.
“We are not even shown respect for our wallets, especially how can we solve these problems in a different way?” Barnes said.
At the same time, Barnes said the state faces a dissonance between economic improvement and environmental best practices. Having brokered successful collaborations in previous roles — including his time doing marketing and communications for the MBTA — Barnes said his goal is to make new connections that help solve those issue facing the state as a unit.
“I look around the room, I’m not interested in what people’s ideologies are,” Barnes said. “I am interested in their energy, their talent, their ideas, the potential of their networks or their ability to create networks from the industry, which will bring expertise and knowledge to whatever we are trying to deal with. “
With the state facing challenges including inflation and increased energy prices, Barnes said the Legislature needs to be more responsible in its spending. Money from the state surplus, he said, could go toward water supply and quality issues, for example.
Barnes said he thinks it’s important to improve engagement with the private sector. Introducing outside experts into the conversation can provide new solutions, Barnes added, and inform lawmakers ahead of votes.
“I just want to have different kinds of conversations,” Barnes said. “I’m not a government bureaucrat so I have a very different kind of offering, but I feel like it’s better for the community.”