University of Massachusetts Department of Political Science/YouGov
20%15%10%5%0%
14%
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$14.5K
SEP 16, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Current roleState Senator
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
GenderMale
LocationMassachusetts
BackgroundPolitician
EducationNortheastern University (Bachelor's degree)
Notable personal detailsPeter J. Durant is a Republican member of the Massachusetts Senate representing the Worcester and Hampshire district, sworn in on 2023-11-29 after winning a 2023 special election. He previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives (6th Worcester District) from 2011 to 2023 and earlier held local office in Spencer, including the Spencer Board of Selectmen. Outside government, he has worked as a construction manager and small business owner in building automation and energy-efficiency projects.
The candidate advocates lowering tax burdens and opposing new taxes while supporting reductions to the sales tax and measures to help small businesses; he has fought to suspend the gas tax and seeks to reduce fees and regulations to improve affordability. His record includes perfect scores from taxpayer and small-business advocacy groups.
Peter Durant’s public record emphasizes limiting mandates and protecting medical exemptions, and he has sponsored legislation related to vaccination policy and Medicaid exemptions. His campaign priorities focus on affordability and fiscal restraint rather than proposals for major public expansions like single‑payer or a public option.
The candidate supports restricting state benefits and shelter access for recently arrived migrants and wants to amend Massachusetts’ right-to-shelter law to limit emergency assistance to residents or those who have lived in the state for a set time. He frames the influx of migrants as a fiscal burden on taxpayers and supports capping or limiting state shelter placements to reduce that burden.
Peter Durant has opposed legislative measures to expand abortion access in Massachusetts and has supported regulatory measures restricting abortion-related practices. His record includes votes and public statements opposing the 2020 budget amendment that would have codified expanded abortion access, and he has sponsored or co-sponsored bills to regulate abortion-inducing drugs.
Supports expanding local power generation including nuclear plants and has opposed recent state clean-energy legislation; emphasizes energy independence and market-oriented solutions such as suspending the gas tax and favoring local power infrastructure over aggressive regulatory decarbonization. Positions focus on reliability, affordability, and reducing reliance on imported energy rather than rapid phase-out of fossil fuels or Green New Deal–style mandates.
Peter Durant emphasizes support for law enforcement and victims, expresses concern about recent restrictive state gun laws criminalizing lawful owners, and has sponsored legislation to change aspects of Massachusetts’ post‑2024 gun restrictions (including nonresident semiautomatic hunting rules).
Peter Durant is mentioned in coverage of how AI-generated political ads are spreading in U.S. campaigns, raising concerns about misleading voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. He also comes up in reporting on how Donald Trump’s declining approval is complicating Republican candidates’ strategies in traditionally Democratic states. Separate election coverage highlights ongoing fights over gerrymandering and reform proposals that could reshape how districts are drawn.
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