Assistant District Attorney Thomas Moakley Announces Run For State Rep Seat

The first candidate seeking to replace Rep. Dylan Fernandes and represent Nantucket in the state house has come forward.

Thomas Moakley, 28, an assistant district attorney with the Cape & Islands District Attorney's Office, announced Tuesday that he plans to run for the seat being vacated by Fernandes in November 2024.

“I am running to join a new generation of leaders who emphasize collaboration and positive relationships on Beacon Hill, prioritizing issues that disproportionately impact young people: climate change, reproductive freedom, housing, and the opioid epidemic,” said Moakley, a Democrat from Falmouth, in a statement released yesterday.

Fernandes announced earlier this month that he will seek a state senate seat after four terms representing Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and areas of Falmouth in the State House of Representatives. It is the most geographically diverse district in Massachusetts featuring the two islands and parts of Cape Cod.

Moakley has most recently served as a prosecutor for criminal cases on the Vineyard, and previously ran unsuccessfully for a state senate seat in 2020. A graduate of Georgetown University and Suffolk Law School, Moakley is a Falmouth native and previously interned for former Nantucket state Rep. Tim Madden.

“I am running for state representative because I believe in public service, and I am optimistic about the future,” Moakley said. “Every challenge can be overcome when we come together, engage with those who know the issues best, and put the work in.”