Gentile won the Democratic primary for Hampden County Clerk of Courts in a close race with second highest vote-getter Thomas Ashe.
Hampden County Clerk of Courts winner Laura Gentile gives a thumbs up to her supporters flanked by her husband Thomas Gentile, left, and son T.J. Gentile, right, outside A Touch of Garlic in Springfield on Thursday evening.Updates a story posted Thursday at 10:21 p.m.
SPRINGFIELD — Laura S. Gentile said Thursday night that when she decided to run for Hampden Clerk of Courts she always had faith the voters would look at her record, qualifications and experience.
Gentile won the Democratic primary for Hampden County Clerk of Courts in a close race with second highest vote-getter Thomas M. Ashe.
There are no Republicans seeking the office, so Gentile, a Hampden County assistant clerk of courts for 16 years, should be stepping into the $110,000 post when the new year starts.
Gentile gathered with supporters Thursday night at A Touch of Garlic restaurant in Springfield.
“This win feels like something out of a movie,” Gentile said. “I have been wanting to make the office a better place. It’s a great staff, such dedicated people.”
Gentile bested Ashe, John P. DaCruz of Ludlow and Linda A. Stec DiSanti of Chicopee. She had 35 percent of the vote, with Ashe having 32 percent, DiSanti having 18 percent and DaCruz having 15 percent.
Gentile praised her opponents and said she would have been comfortable working for any of them if she had not won.
In a telephone interview Ashe said, “Obviously, I’m disappointed a little for myself, but more for the amount of work that everyone who was part of the campaign put in.”
“But I have no regrets. We came up a little bit short. That’s what elections are all about. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” he said.
Ashe took Springfield, getting 43 percent of the vote compared to Gentile’s 37 percent.
Gentile was victorious in communities that included Agawam, Holyoke, Longmeadow, Palmer, Westfield and Wilbraham.
DiSanti took 48 percent of the votes in her hometown of Chicopee. DiSanti, legal administrator and office manager at DiSanti Law Offices in West Springfield, ran an enthusiastic campaign. She hosted supporters with a bash at the Huke Lau in Chicopee.
DiSanti said she wanted to thank everybody who came out and voted.
“Thank your very much to my team. They all became a family to me and I believe I ran a professional campaign.”
DaCruz, a lawyer and former Ludlow selectman, was with his supporters at the Gremio Lusitano Club in Ludlow.
He won 69 percent of the votes in his hometown of Ludlow.
Ashe congratulated Gentile and the other opponents for their efforts.
“We ran a good hard, clean campaign,” Ashe said.
Ashe plans to remain on the City Council and said it is too early to discuss his future political plans. He said he spent the early evening “all over the map,” and was at the John Boyle O’Reilly Club when he conceded.