Farley-Bouvier quickly greeted Hinds with a hug when he entered the back room at J Allens where Democrats had gathered to watch the results.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It was shortly after 9:30 on Tuesday night when Adam Hinds claimed victory for the Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden state Senate district.
The Democrat was the favorite going into the general election after winning the primary over Rinaldo Del Gallo and Andrea Harrington.
With the victory in the general election over Republican Christine Canning-Wilson, He now takes the seat of Sen. Benjamin Downing who opted not to run for re-election after 10 years.
"After nine months, I'm excited to put the campaign behind us and start do the real work that motivates you to do the real work in the first place ... I'm incredibly grateful to the voters giving me the trust to do a lot of good work," Hinds said shortly after entering J Allen's Clubhouse on North Street where the Democratic Party held a post-election celebration.
Hinds thanked his family, his team and the voters for giving him the chance to represent this far slice of Western Mass on Beacon Hill. But it's not without its challenges, he said.
"The district is bigger than Rhode Island," he said. "It's been really helpful to be from one part of the district, living in and previously working in another and working in a third. So that gives you the relationships and the understanding of the issues."
The Buckland native returned to the area after a decade working with the United Nations, first working with the Pittsfield Prevention Partnership and later with the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. He's already got a list of goals as he begins his freshman year at the State House.
"It's a list that includes doubling down on the economy and getting our infrastructure in place, be it broadband or transportation elements, or making sure our small and middle-sized business are growing," Hinds said. "I've been very adamant about talking about school funding. Ben Downing has been great on energy and accelerating the transition to green energy and that's a priority for me as well. There's a lot of work to do. I'm ready to start tomorrow morning."
Part of that will be developing relationships with other Western Mass legislators, including Senate President Stanley C. Rosenberg.
"Out here in Western Mass, we need to stick together, that's for darn sure and I look forward to work with the Senate president," he said, adding that Downing will also make himself available for the transition. "We have a great team in the delegation and I really look forward to working with all of them, they all been doing some great work in Western Mass we need to stick together. We have a great team."
Hinds said he's ready to roll up his sleeves and get to work and be a strong voice for Western Mass. He pegged his victory to his campaign's focus and positivity.
"We've had a pretty strong message that's been really focused on the issues," he said. "It's been positive, it's about showing we can do politics differently here in context to a chaotic national scene."
Joining him in celebration was Democrat Tricia Farley-Bouvier, who also stormed to victory over her challenger Christopher Connell by a margin of 66 percent to 33 percent.
The incumbent for the 3rd Berkshire District won her third full-term and vowed to work with "team Pittsfield" to continue the progress she had begun.
"I'm thrilled. I'm with a bunch of like-minded people who are looking to continue a progressive agenda here in Massachusetts and really good things for Pittsfield," said Tricia Farley-Bouvier on winning her third-full term. "Voters made a really clear choice that they're happy with the direction we're going with me in office, that they care about a progressive, effective Legislature ...
That this is happening on this night, which is such a historic night, is just over the top thrilling to me."
The numbers were clear that Farley-Bouvier was the choice for 3rd Berkshire representative.
"It was really nice to see those numbers and I was particularly pleased to see those numbers in Ward 4," she said. "Both Councilor Connell and I both live in Ward Four ... The voters were really, really clear they want a full-time progressive legislator."
The Pittsfield Democrat spent the day traveling between voting locations across the city, saying there was an enthusiasm in the voters. She topped it off by attending her son's soccer playoff game, which his team won 3-0, and was on her way to the Democratic victory part at J. Allen's when Connell contacted her.
"He was very, very generous with his congratulations," she said. "We're all part of 'Team Pittsfield' and we're all going to be working together into the future and I'm really thrilled to be able to do that."
The team includes Adam Hinds, who was on his way to win in the state Senate representing the Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden District. Farley-Bouvier said she's already been working very closely with Hinds as part of the Democratic campaign.
"I expect Adam and I to be working really well together, Pittsfield is about a fourth of the district so Pittsfield needs to be a priority for him ... It's all about Team Pittsfield ... and I think he's going to be an effective legislator," she said.
Her goals for the coming session are to bring Pittsfield the resources it needs to grow its economy with good, paying jobs and to work with colleagues in the State House on a progressive agenda - a term Farley-Bouvier continually referred to. She's co-chair of the Progressive Caucus.
High on the list of priorities is paid family leave and criminal justice reform to reduce what's called "fine time." People are being locked up to await trail, "costing taxpayers a tremendous amount of money," simply because they can't afford bail. "We also have an aggressive legislative agenda on addressing sexual assault," she said.
Tricia Farley-Bouvier is congratulated by Mayor Linda Tyer, who is part of what the incumbent state representative calls "team Pittsfield."
Even as Hillary Clinton continues to battle for the presidency, Farley-Bouvier, who supported her during the primary, said she was filled with emotion at winning on the same night. And standing on the shoulders of all the woman who fought for the right to vote and hold elected office.
"I can't overstate the emotion that I feel that I'm on that state ballot as Hillary Clinton," she said. "My name was actually next to Clinton's name on that ballot and that is an overwhelming feeling. ... I'm going to try to get a copy of the ballot to frame and I'll hold onto for the rest of my life."
While Republican Canning-Wilson hadn't conceded by the time Hinds claimed victory, she accepted the loss and vowed that the district hasn't seen the last of her.
"It is what it is and I am OK with that," Canning-Wilson said at her headquarters Tuesday night. "To get this far and to do as well as I have in comparison statistically, I am as happy as a lark and if I want to run again I will run again. I am not going anywhere."
The race for her was "David vs. Goliath." Hinds already had the backing of most of the county's elected officials, a significant number of endorsements, and a large campaign fund. Framing herself as a political outsider, she said she was happy that she ran a clean campaign.
"I am not going to play the game and I will always point out the elephant in the room," she said. "I am not a professional politician and never plan to be... I am a person who will fight for people."
Canning-Wilson thanked her supporters and family who "didn't sign up for this" and said they were there for her in some of the darker moments of the campaign.
"I didn't want these people's money but I took their stories," she said. "They moved me and made me a better person and I think I moved them and now they know there is help out there."
"More and more people kept joining me because they were so fed up," she said. "They are sick of the good old boy network, the corruption and nepotism. For a moment, they saw a stream of hope... I don't know how many times I was told I was a fresh of breath air."
She believes that she showed people that change can come from the ground up anyone can make a difference.
Canning pointed out some differences she felt existed between her campaign and Hinds. She said while he spent over $100,000 she spent less than $5,000 and while he had teams of people she had a small focused group.
Canning said added that she will keep an eye on him.
"His Achilles heal is no one can question him; I don't he ever got beat up on the playground," Canning said. "I think he is going to do what the people that voted him in ask... That's the question for me and I have no problem going against him again and I am ready for round two."
"Someone like me isn't going away and I will be watching like a hawk," Canning said. "I know the loopholes and I know what to be looking for and I will sift through it."
Connell could not be reached Tuesday night but Farley-Bouvier said he had conceded shortly after polls closed.
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