SALEM, MA – Representative John Keenan (D-Salem), an early supporter of Deval Patrick’s candidacy for Governor of Massachusetts, issued the following statement following Patrick’s resounding victory in Tuesday’s Democratic gubernatorial primary:

“Deval’s victory today was a victory for Salem and for all of Massachusetts. His campaign from day one has been about a revitalized sense of community and civic engagement. It’s been about change for the better. Today, the voters sent a message, loud and clear, to Beacon Hill that government belongs to the people, at the grassroots, and not to the powerful.

“Deval’s win is a loss for politics-as-usual and cynicism. The people of Massachusetts want and deserve a governor with the best ideas and the best qualifications. I look forward to campaigning for Deval over the next seven weeks and I am confident that Deval will succeed, not just on November 7th, but throughout his entire term of service as our next governor.”

With 97% of the precincts reporting in across the Commonwealth, Patrick had received 49% of the vote to his rivals’, Chris Gabrieli and Tom Reilly, 27% and 23% respectively. In Salem, where Representative Keenan helped to organize a broad-based grassroots effort of dozens of volunteers, Patrick received just over 50% of the vote, with Gabrieli taking about 30% and Reilly 20%. Patrick was the top vote-getter in all fourteen of Salem’s precincts.