Here are the candidates vying to challenge incumbent Rep. Stephen Lynch in the GOP primary

Democrat Stephen Lynch has represented Massachusetts’ 8th District in the House of Representatives for over 20 years. This election, two Republicans are out to replace him.

Federal Election Commission records show Robert Burke and James Govatsos are registered to run in the Republican Primary. FEC data says Burke has not raised any money, while Govatsos has raised $2,233.59 as of Aug. 14. 

District 8 covers a wide swath of Eastern Massachusetts, including some of South Boston. It stretches into Norfolk, Plymouth, and part of Bristol Counties. You can see if you live in District  8 here. The Republican primary election for District 8 begins Sept. 3. Polls are open on Election day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

In addition to electing Lynch in every election since 2001, District 8 has consistently voted for a Democrat for president. Data from the Commonwealth Secretary shows District 8 has voted a Democrat into their House seat since 1972. A poll from The Hill shows Lynch with a 99% chance of winning the election.

Burke’s campaign website says he was born in Boston and raised in Milton. The website describes him as a “citizen journalist/photographer/videographer.” Govatsos’s bio on his website says he grew up in Canton and currently works at an assisted living facility in Dedham. Govatsos did not reply to multiple requests to answer questions from Boston.com. Below are Burke’s responses to the same questions. 

Note: Responses have been presented as submitted by the candidate with minimal editing.

Robert Burke

A few hospitals across the state, including the Carney Hospital in your district, have closed (or will close soon). What is your take on this, and how will you ensure your constituents remain safe without a nearby hospital?

Obamacare is and was big government intrusion into healthcare. Obamacare picked winners and losers in the Massachusetts hospital/healthcare marketplace. The collapse of the Steward Hospitals including the Carney hospital was ordained by Congressman Stephen Lynch and the Democratic elite of Massachusetts that pushed Obamacare. Remember Steve Lynch’s surrender to Obamacare led to the loss of so-called Cadillac Health Plans for union workers.

It is my hope that the incoming Congress will create a more equitable health plan that doesn’t close hospitals like Democratic Obamacare.  This is personal for me. I am a 50 year patient at the Carney. Last Monday I stood with Carney workers, and spoke as a loyal patient.

Massachusetts is in the midst of a housing crisis. Do you have a plan to solve the issue? What would it involve?

Massachusetts is in the midst of a housing crisis. The first thing I would do to help solve the Massachusetts Housing crisis is close the southern border. We must also stop the CBP – 1 immigration program that has a component of flying illegals immigrants into Logan airports. (Note this program was so fraudulent it was [temporarily] suspended.) Steve Lynch and Maura Healey celebrated 60,000 new housing units in Massachusetts just two months ago. And yet, these same politicians have an allowed 300,000  to 500,000 “migrants” (also called paroled migrants) into Massachusetts. Stopping this artificial demand for housing is a first step.

Many are criticizing Governor Maura Healey for her policies on immigration, and her recent shelter policies. However, the Department of Homeland Security filed more than 44,000 new deportation cases in Massachusetts in 2024. What is your stance on immigration in Massachusetts? If elected, what policies would you try to get through Congress concerning immigration?

This week, ICE (federal immigration police) found and arrested the Haitian migrant in Boston that was arraigned for rape in Rockland, Ma. And released on $500 bail in June. He had flown into the United States using the Harris mass parole program in 2023. This same program was dumping migrants at Logan international. Also, in Boston in the last 72 hours a Dominican man has been arrested & charged with fentanyl trafficking. He was released after crossing the Southern border this past February 2024. Another incident was with an Ecuadorian Migrant alien who is classified as a got away on the southern border was charged with rape and kidnapping in Massachusetts. A Brazilian man wanted for an attempted homicide in Brazil was caught in, released on the southern border in March. We are facing a crime wave in the eighth congressional because of Lynch Harris Open border policies. Maura Healey reallocated $1 billion of federal Covid recovery fund that should’ve been used for healthcare, schools, or roads for Massachusetts Citizens. Instead, she spent it on illegal immigrants and migrant parolees.

As the next congressman in the 8th I will put American citizens first, and work on legislation banning federal grants and tax dollars from being used in Sanctuary cities or states.

I will immediately fund hiring federal law enforcement whose only job is to close the border.

Remember the invasion of border crossers is a fiscal ticking time bomb on welfare costs, education costs,  as well as healthcare that will be passed on to working and middle class American and Massachusetts citizen taxpayers.

You can view Burke’s campaign website here.

Eva Levin

Eva Levin is a general assignment co-op for Boston.com. She covers breaking and local news in Boston and beyond.

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