Kerry wins primary decisively

Voters in Bay State wanted experience

Senator John F. Kerry stopped to talk with a group of reporters before he voted yesterday in Boston. (DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF)

US Senator John F. Kerry won a decisive victory last night against Edward O'Reilly, carrying virtually every Massachusetts city and town in his first Democratic primary challenge in 24 years.

Kerry, who will face Republican Jeff Beatty in November, addressed supporters and volunteers last night at McGann's Irish Pub in Boston, trying to keep the focus on the national election and the Republican who defeated him for the White House four years ago.

"Good news tonight. Number one, we won this primary," Kerry said. "And number two - and frankly probably a lot more important - there are only 128 more days of George Bush."

Kerry, seeking a fifth term, began his six-minute victory speech at about 9 p.m., before receiving a concession call from O'Reilly, and with only about 1 in 4 precincts reporting. But his early 2-to-1 ratio would hold. With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Kerry had collected 69 percent of the vote and won all but four small towns.

In his hometown of Gloucester, O'Reilly received about 48 percent of the vote, to Kerry's 52 percent.

Kerry did not mention O'Reilly by name in his post-primary address. Instead, he spoke to the crowd of roughly 75 about the country's economic problems and voter frustrations. He said he hoped the Democrats could win a filibuster-proof, 60-seat majority to accomplish more of the party's goals in the Senate.

"I look forward to these next six weeks," said Kerry, who walked into the North Station-area bar, near his campaign headquarters, to cheers and the song "Right Here, Right Now."

An hour later, a cheerful O'Reilly addressed a gathering of about 50 at the Westin hotel in Waltham, thanking his family and supporters and moving amid the crowd with his microphone.

"I feel good. I just called John Kerry, and he congratulated me," said O'Reilly, a lawyer and former firefighter. "And I said, 'What for? I thought you won.' "

A political novice, O'Reilly embraced the role of underdog. He acknowledged his long odds while running a feisty campaign that sought to tap dissatisfaction with Kerry. As a former Kerry supporter himself, O'Reilly had tried to galvanize those who shared his view that Kerry is not committed enough to Massachusetts. He also criticized Kerry's vote to authorize the war in Iraq in 2002, an issue that dogged Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign.

But voters yesterday said they thought the experienced senator could wield more influence than a newcomer, and they said they did not buy the argument that Kerry had abandoned the state.

"I've been in Massachusetts my whole life, and I don't think Senator Kerry has left us in the dark," said Joe Megnia, 51, a Verizon lineman from Somerville. "He's there for us; he's watching out for our backs."

Still, O'Reilly collected more than 144,000 votes. Interviews in multiple communities found that some voters specifically favored the upstart candidate with the populist manner; others wanted to vote against the incumbent.

"I would say I'm against John Kerry," said Paul Cersosimo of Wakefield, 48, who works in plumbing and heating, after he voted for O'Reilly.

Nick Shectman, 38, a Somerville computer programmer, voted for O'Reilly because he is upset with Kerry over his Iraq vote, among other issues. "The more votes the other guy gets - whose name I already forgot - the more it will say to Kerry that, 'My constituents are a little more liberal than my voting has been.' "

Others mulled voting against Kerry but held back. Althea Chen, 32, a graphic designer from Somerville, considered it "to give Kerry a kick in the pants."

"But I just don't know enough about O'Reilly," she added. Kerry "is a known quantity."

Kerry's supporters seemed to appreciate him, but not revere him like the state's senior senator, Edward M. Kennedy.

"I think he's been a fine senator, and he stands for the things I believe in, and he deserves to represent me," said Diana Miller 79, of Cambridge, who is retired from a career in public relations. Miller forgot about the primary while traveling but was reminded by a Kerry endorsement mailing that pictured Kennedy but not Kerry.

"And that did it," Miller said, clutching the postcard and thinking of Kennedy, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Kennedy cast a vote for Kerry at the town hall in Hyannis yesterday, along with his wife, Vicki, and issued a statement last night congratulating his friend and colleague: "I look forward to returning to the United States Senate with John Kerry in January as we work to get our economy moving again, bring healthcare to all, restore America's standing in the world, and end the war in Iraq."

Kerry had not faced a Democratic challenger since winning the seat in 1984. The candidates had just one debate, which lasted 19 minutes and was televised on a Sunday morning.

The incumbent instead held "Kerry on your Corner" events throughout Massachusetts and ran three television ads, including one that featured former Vice President Al Gore praising Kerry's work on the environment.

Speaking to reporters, Kerry said he was pleased with the primary result and expected even Democrats who disagree with him on some issues to unite in November.

"You always have mischief-makers in these primaries," he said. "This is an open, honest good, democratic process. People have a chance to vote their views. I learn from it, and we go on."

John Guilfoil, Globe correspondent, contributed to this report.