Lynn’s Brendan Crighton is a rising star in the Massachusetts State Senate, the esteemed governmental body that first met in 1780 and is part of the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Crighton is one of 40 state senators in the Commonwealth and represents the Third Essex District that includes the communities of Lynn, Nahant, Marblehead, Swampscott, Lynnfield, and Saugus. After serving as a Lynn city councillor and state representative, Crighton was elected to the State Senate in 2018, succeeding Thomas McGee, who had stepped down to become the Mayor of Lynn. Crighton announced Tuesday that he has pulled his nomination papers for re-election to the State Senate in the 2022 election.
Crighton has been very effective in his role as state senator, helping Lynn secure many key state grants, most recently $250,000 in funding for the Lynn Auditorium. Crighton worked with State Reps. Dan Cahill and Peter Capano to secure that funding from the Mass Cultural Council’s Gaming Mitigation Grant.
Crighton has been appointed Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. He will serve alongside State Representative William Straus, who is the House Chair of the Committee. The Vice Chairs of the committee are Sen. John Keenan and Rep. Marcos Devers, while Rep. Capano of Lynn and other legislators will serve on the committee.
Former Joint Transportation Chair Joseph Boncore of Winthrop, who is now CEO of the Mass Biotechnology Council, was among the officials praising Crighton’s appointment as chair.
“I can’t say enough about Sen. Crighton and his commitment to transportation projects and growth in this region,” said Boncore. “I think the Senate and the Commonwealth will both be well served with Brendan Crighton ascending to the Chair of Transportation. I think he has been such a good advocate for infrastructure projects around the Blue Line, creating access to transportation issues for the North Shore, especially his hometown of Lynn.
“But Brendan Crihgton also transcends state government. He has an incredible ability to navigate the federal government. With all the Build Back Better transportation and infrastructure funding that is out there, I think Sen. Crighton is going to help the Commonwealth grow its transportation options,” concluded Boncore.
Crighton thanked Senate President Karen Spilka for appointing him as Joint Chair of the Transportation Committee.
“Thank you to President Spilka for entrusting me with this important responsibility. Transportation is at a pivotal moment as we try to reach our emission reduction goals, combat congestion that is returning to pre-pandemic levels and decide how to effectively utilize once in a generation infrastructure funding,” said Senator Crighton. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature, local officials and community partners to build a 21st century transportation system that works for everyone.”
Crighton also serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Personnel and Administration and the Joint Committee on Revenue and is a member of four other committees: Intergovernmental Affairs, Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities, Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, and Mental Health, Substance Use and Recovery.
Crighton is a 2001 graduate of Lynn Classical High School where he was captain of the football team. He went on to play football at Colby College, where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Government. He also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Suffolk University.