Dan Koh's Democratic primary victory Tuesday, Sept. 1, puts Andover one election away from sending a hometown resident to Congress for the first time in more than 50 years.

The last Andover resident to serve in the U.S. House was Republican Paul W. Cronin, a former selectman who held the seat for a single term from January 1973 through January 1975, as Andover News reported. If Koh wins the Nov. 3 general election, he would take office in January 2027, 52 years after Cronin left Washington.

Koh captured 42.2% of the districtwide vote in a six-candidate field, collecting 31,272 votes to defeat State Rep. Tram Nguyen, also of Andover, who finished second with 29.5%, according to unofficial results. As we reported Wednesday, Sept. 2, Koh won 2,920 votes in Andover (49.3%) to Nguyen's 2,352 (39.7%), according to the Andover Town Clerk's unofficial tally.

Andover voters cast 5,992 Democratic ballots and 1,557 Republican ballots, representing turnout of about 28% among the town's 26,922 registered voters.

A Koh victory in November would carry a second historic distinction. Massachusetts has never elected an Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI) to Congress, according to data maintained by the U.S. House Office of the Historian. Koh is the son of a Korean American father and Lebanese American mother.

"I know that tonight, I stand on their shoulders — dreaming of a better country for my own children," Koh said in his victory speech, describing how his grandparents came to the United States seeking safety and opportunity.

Koh was born and raised in Andover and served on the Andover Select Board from 2019 through 2021. He also served as chief of staff to former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and worked in President Joe Biden's administration. His campaign reported raising more than $4.5 million through the end of June.

He now faces Republican Micah Jones, an Essex attorney and U.S. Army veteran who ran unopposed for the GOP nomination. Decision Desk HQ described the 6th District as "solidly blue," though Koh's path to Congress has not always been smooth. In 2018, he lost the Democratic primary for the neighboring 3rd Congressional District to now-Rep. Lori Trahan by 145 votes.

The seat opened after Democratic U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton chose to run for the U.S. Senate rather than seek reelection. Moulton lost the Democratic Senate primary to incumbent Sen. Ed Markey. No public statement from Jones's campaign reacting to the primary result was available as of publication.

Koh and Jones will meet on the ballot Tuesday, Nov. 3.