Andrea Joy Campbell

Andrea Campbell Emerges on Top of Democratic Primary for Mass. Attorney General

If Andrea Campbell wins in November, she would be the first Black female attorney general in Massachusetts

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Andrea Campbell, the former president of Boston City Council, emerged on top of the Democratic primary for Massachusetts Attorney General, after the Associated Press called the race for Campbell at about 9:45 p.m., when she had about 47% of the vote to opponent Shannon Liss-Riordan's 36.5%

If Andrea Campbell wins in November, she would be the first Black female attorney general in Massachusetts. Campbell is used to breaking barriers, though. She was the first Black woman to be elected president of Boston's City Council.

She had a tough fight to win the Democratic nomination Tuesday night. Liss-Riordan spent about $9 million of her own money in an advertising blitz for a late surge in the polls. She also garnered some high profile endorsements, including from Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Senator Elizabeth Warren.

NBC10 Boston political reporter Alison King takes a look at a few of Tuesday's primary races in Massachusetts.

In the end, though, it wasn't enough to defeat Campbell, who had the support of U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and four former AGs.

"It’s an honor and a privilege to be the nominee for attorney general for the Democratic party," Campbell said. "I recognize the historic nature of this, and this was a grass roots, people-powered campaign and so I thanked all of my supporters who have stepped up from the very beginning to make sure we crossed this finish line today."

Campbell will now go on to face Republican Jay McMahon of Bourne in the general election. McMahon is an attorney with a law enforcement background, who won his primary unopposed.

He was the GOP nominee for the attorney general's office in 2018 as well, but lost to Maura Healey.

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