Incumbent fends off Rachael Rollins's comeback bid
2 days ago: Hayden wins renominationNew here? Follow stories to track developments over time. Create a free account to get updates when stories you care about change.
Overview
Updated 2 hours agoKevin Hayden won the Suffolk County district attorney Democratic primary Tuesday, beating Rachael Rollins, the woman he replaced, and attorney Linda Champion. Rollins had left the office in 2022 to become United States attorney, then resigned after a watchdog report criticized her conduct; her attempt to reclaim the job failed.
Hayden now heads to November asthe Democratic nominee. The race settled whether voters wanted to return a former district attorney tainted by federal scrutiny or keep an appointed incumbent with decades in the office. No Republican appeared on the primary ballot, so baerek is likely to stay.
Why it matters
Who runs prosecutions in Boston for the next four years? The Suffolk County district attorney primary almost certainly decides it.
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Prosecutor for Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop.
Federal watchdog for the Department of Justice.
Timeline
November 2018 September 2026
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Hayden wins renomination
Latest ElectionHe beat Rachael Rollins and Linda Champion; the Associated Press called the race for Hayden.
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Rollins resigns as United States attorney
ResignationShe stepped down after a Justice Department watchdog report found she retaliated against staff and leaked information.
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Hayden wins first primary
ElectionHe defeated Ricardo Arroyo to keep the seat for the remainder of Rollins's term.
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Rollins leaves district attorney's office; Hayden appointed
TransitionRollins resigned to become United States attorney; Governor Baker named Hayden interim district attorney.
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Rollins elected Suffolk district attorney
ElectionReform candidate defeated Dan Conley's chosen successor Michael Maloney.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Dan Conley's 16-year tenure (2002–2018)
Dan Conley, a career prosecutor, was elected district attorney in2002 and held the office for four terms. In2018 he chose not to run again and supported Michael Maloney, a longtime prosecutor, to succeed him.
Maloney lost the Democratic primary to Rachael Rollins, breaking the office's continuity.
Rollins left the office under a cloud in2022. Kevin Hayden, who had been a Conley chief of staff, was appointed and later elected to take over.
The sequence shows how rare it is for a Suffolk district attorney to lose once holding office. Hayden's primary win restored the elected line after Rollins's interruption.
San Francisco district attorney recall (2022)
San Francisco voters recalled Chesa Boudin, elected three years earlier on promises to reduce incarceration and stop charging many low-level crimes. The recall campaign centered on public concern about property crime, drug dealing, and street conditions.
Boudin was removed; Mayor London Breed appointed Brooke Jenkins, a former prosecutor, to replace him.
The recall became a national example of voters reversing prosecution-reform policies when they perceived public safety failures.
Rollins's loss in Boston fits a similar cycle: a former reform-minded district attorney who left office amid scandal could not persuade voters to return her to the job.
