Marian Ryan Wins Fourth Term as Middlesex DA After Challenger Concedes

Marian T. Ryan, the 13-year incumbent Middlesex District Attorney, is on the path to reelection after primary challenger David Solet conceded just before 11 p.m. Tuesday night.

Solet, the former head of the DA’s Cold Case Division, resigned from the position to challenge his former boss for the helm of the department. Solet was Ryan’s first challenger since 2018.

Solet declared defeat before official results from the Associated Press rolled in, writing in a statement that he was proud of the campaign despite the ultimate loss.

“For us, this race started with us at zero. We had no name recognition, no people, no money, no office. We committed ourselves to raise important issues, and won the support of tens of thousands of people across Middlesex County,” Solet wrote.

Solet’s declaration of defeat puts Ryan on track for her fourth full term leading the office after taking the mantle in 2013.

Ryan has consistently positioned herself as a state-level watchdog of the Trump administration, often citing her experience leading the DA’s office through Trump’s first term.

Solet campaigned on the creation of a new unit in the office dedicated to tracking and stemming the flow of illegal guns into the district and on a victim-first approach to better understand and work with grieving families during investigations.

The challenger amassed an impressive endorsement slate along the campaign trail, including more than 50 labor and police unions, the Boston Globe and Boston Herald editorial boards, and a slate of his former colleagues.

While Solet conceded the race with ballots left to count, he ended his statement on an optimistic note.

“We plan to capitalize on the support we earned and get back to work tomorrow to continue to fight for the changes we championed during this campaign,” Solet wrote.

—Staff writer Shawn A. Boehmer can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at shawnb.18. Follow him on X @ShawnBoehmer.

—Staff writer Claire A. Michal can be reached at [email protected] and on Signal at ClaireMichal.154.