Possible challenger looking at Cullinane’s House seat

State Rep. Dan Cullinane will likely face a new challenger next year for the 12th Suffolk seat he has held since 2013. Donovan Birch Jr., a Mattapan native who lives in Dorchester, has been preparing his candidacy for the run.

In recent months, Birch has started a “Live from the 12th Suffolk District” monthly blog and email newsletter that he says “share a different political perspective from the community he loves.” This weekend, he discussed his candidacy at a house party in Dorchester.

On his website, Birch writes that he “hopes to empower more young, queer, Black, and Latino folks from the district to lend their voices to politics and help redefine what is possible for all of us in the Commonwealth.” 

Cullinane, a Democrat, has faced two consecutive challenges from Jovan Lacet, a Mattapan attorney who has indicated that he will likely seek to mount another campaign for the seat as well. Lacet’s Twitter account describes him as a candidate for the 12th Suffolk.

In September 2018, Cullinane defeated Lacet in the Democratic primary by 467 votes. Next year’s general election will be held on Nov. 3, with the primary scheduled for Sept. 15. The local filing deadline is May 5; the state filing deadline is June 2.


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