Republican Theodore Tom Semesnyei is running for the Massachusetts State Senate in the Second Essex and Middlesex District, which includes Andover and North Andover.

The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.

Semesnyei faces Democrat Barry R. Finegold in the race. According to his campaign events page, the district also covers Amesbury, Merrimac, Haverhill, Tewksbury and Wilmington.

On his campaign website, Semesnyei said he supports redirecting state tax dollars to local services such as school districts, police and fire departments, and roads. He called those dollars "better spent at the community level on services that truly matter … as opposed to being swallowed up by the waste, corruption, and politically motivated projects and policies on Beacon Hill."

Candidate information

Party: Republican

Education: Bachelor's degree in economics, State University of New York - Fredonia (1997); master's degree in public policy, University of Maryland (2003), according to BallotReady profile data.

Background: Semesnyei describes himself as a podcast host on his Substack profile. He also said he served as a previous coordinator for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in Massachusetts.

Experience and public service

According to BallotReady profile data, Semesnyei's professional background includes:

  • Economics, associate director at S&P Global (2022–present)
  • Senior economist at IHS Markit (2015–2022)
  • Economic development coordinator at Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (2003–2015)
  • Writer, journalist and activist at Reclaim Party (2019–present)

On the issues

The following positions are from Semesnyei's campaign website and campaign events page.

Local funding and local control: Semesnyei said he supports prioritizing local funding and local control over state spending on what he called wasteful Beacon Hill projects.

Cost of living and regulations: Semesnyei said he supports lowering the cost of living and reducing regulations. He argued that excessive taxes, waste and bureaucracy are hurting families, towns and business activity across the state.

Government transparency: Semesnyei said he supports greater transparency at the Statehouse. His campaign cites voter support for legislative oversight; the relevant statewide ballot measure was approved in 2024, rather than in 2025.

MBTA zoning and election integrity: Semesnyei opposes MBTA zoning control and supports securing election integrity, according to his campaign events page, which lists events focused on those topics.

Sources: Public campaign materials, published candidate profiles and the public records linked above. Policy statements are attributed to the candidate; funding or implementation details are included where available.

The Andover Ledger did not receive a direct questionnaire response from the candidate and does not endorse candidates.