[This is the third in a series about the three upcoming special elections in Massachusetts. The first two were: Enter the Era of Progressive Reform in Massachusetts and A Golden Opportunity for Progressives in Massachusetts]

Few incumbents are ever defeated in party primaries and regular election campaigns for legislative seats in Massachusetts. Thus special elections for open seats are rare opportunities for genuine contests. This spring, we have three special elections for state representative in Massachusetts. These seats, once held by conservative Democrats may be taken over by Democrats who support abortion rights, marriage equality and a progressive economic agenda — accelerating a progressive trend in Massachusetts politics. Each race features multi-candidate Democratic primaries that promise to be close, exciting and significant.

Its early yet, but it appears that Tim Schofield, running in the Democratic primary for an open seat for state representative in the 18th Suffolk District — comprising parts of Allston, Brighton, and Brookline in greater Boston — is leading the pack in what will be a tight race. Schofield, an openly gay attorney running an energetic grassroots campaign, has positioned himself as the clear progressive in the field. His talents and progressive credentials have been recognized in a series of key endorsements recently — from the Freedom to Marry Coalition, United Auto Workers (UAW), the Boston Teachers Union, the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, and perhaps most significantly, the Commonwealth Coalition — which comprises 22 progressive environmental, labor, and women’s organizations, among others.

“Tim stands for all things that are important to working families and organized labor,” said Willie DesNoyers, President of the UAW Mass State CAP Council in an enthusiastic endorsement statement. “Today, more than ever, our families need a voice they can always count on at the State House. I know that Tim will always fight for the things we believe in — like health care for all, an increased minimum wage and stronger public schools.”

Schofield’s campaign is being aided by activists from Progressive Democrats of Massachusetts, (PDM), a statewide organization formed in the wake of Reich’s campaign for governor as, among other things, an ongoing mobilization seeking to build the capacity of progressive Democrats to win elections. Cathleen Cavell, who leads the Brookline PDM Chapter, is the point person in an effort on the part of PDM members in the Boston area to help Schofield who is a PDM member from Brighton. Cavell reports that PDM members plan to phone bank, canvass, host fundraisers and coffees, and help with GOTV on primary day, March 15th.

However candidate, Michael Moran has been campaigning hard and has been endorsed by the Greater Boston Central Labor Council, the state AFL-CIO, and a number of union locals. Whether that will be enough for Moran, a political consultant with Newgrange Consultants Group (who lost democratic primaries for the seat 1994 and 1998), to catch Schofield, of course remains to be seen

The rest of the field comprises Joe Walsh Jr. a 26 year old community relations officer for Caritas St. Elizabeth’s Hospital; and Greg Glennon, an aide to former Rep. Brian Golden — who resigned the seat to take a job with the administration of Republican Governor Mitt Romney. Golden is backing his former aide. Walsh and Moran, like Schofield are pro-choice, pro-marriage equality, and anti-death penalty, which has split progressives among the three. However, even as Schofield seems to be pulling away from the pack, concern is growing that if Schofield, Moran and Walsh divide the progressive and moderate vote, the result could be the election of the anti-abortion, anti-marriage equality and until-recently-Republican candidate, Glennon.

Looking ahead, two candidates have filed to run as independents in the general election. One is Thomas O’Brien, a community activist and an Assistant Attorney General for the past ten years. The other independent is Green-Rainbow Party member Daniel Kontoff. His party lost official party status after the last election, and so does not enjoy ballot status. The general election is April 12th.

Meanwhile, the candidate fields in the other two special elections for state representative are also shaping up.

In the 3rd Berkshire race in Pittsfield, three candidates are running in what is expected to be a closely contested Democratic primary: Rhonda Serre is an economic development aide to U.S. Rep. John Olver (D-MA), and is supported by former Pittsfield Mayor Sara Hathaway; City Solicitor Christopher Speranzo, who is running with the backing of Mayor James M. Ruberto; and Pam Malumphy a first-term city councilor.

The Pittsfield race to replace longtime Rep. Peter Larkin, started later than the others, so the situation remains highly fluid. The Commonwealth Coalition has opted not to make an endorsement, but may revisit that decision before the primary. The political blog nohomissives has been following developments in the race.

The highest profile race is for the seat of former House Speaker Tom Finneran in the 12th Suffolk District comprising parts of Hyde Park, Mattapan, Dorchester, and Milton. Interestingly, there is a strong possibility that the new state representative will be a Haitian-American.

According to The Boston Globe, the apparent front runner in the Democratic field is Linda Dorcena Forry, of Dorchester, a 31-year-old, Creole-speaking Haitian-American, who is an executive staff member in Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development. She is running with the support of the Commonwealth Coalition as well as Andrea Cabral, an African-American woman who was recently elected Suffolk County sheriff. It is Forry’s first campaign for office.

Also running are two other Haitian-Americans, Emmanuel Bellegarde, of Mattapan, an aide to State Senator Jack Hart (D – South Boston) and attorney Kerby Roberson, who has run unsuccessfully for Milton Board of Selectmen. According to a detailed and thoughtful analysis in the Boston Phoenix, its possible that a split among the three Haitian-American candidates (in what is now a majority minority district), could result in the election of white conservative attorney, Eric Donovan, or possibly a white liberal, Stacey Monahan, who is a former aide to U.S. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, and enjoys his support, as well as that of the state AFL-CIO.

Of the five candidates running in the 12th Suffolk Democratic primary, Roberson and Donovan are opposed to marriage equality.

The vote on the constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage but institutionalize civil unions, has been postponed until next fall will. The vote will probably be close, and the outcome of these three races could make a big difference, not only in terms of the votes, but as a further reading of how the electorate feels about it.

There is now just a month to go until the Democratic primary. I expect to post several updates between now and then. Stay tuned.