The Lowell Sun and other media outlets are reporting on breakingnews that State Senator Susan Fargo will face a primary challenge in 2012 from Democrat Michael Barrett. Fargo represents the Third Middlesex District with includes the communities of  Bedford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Lincoln, Waltham, Weston and parts of Sudbury and Lexington.

Michael-Barrett – 63 of Lexington – was a state senator from Cambridge from 1987 to 1994, when he left the seat to run for governor. He lost the primary to Mark Roosevelt. Barrett will be remembered by local activist Democrats as a progressive candidate who campaigned in the Merrimack Valley for the gubernatorial nomination. Susan Fargo of Lincoln has held the state senate seat since 1997 when the district had the Fifth Middlesex designation. Fargo defeated Republican Sandi Martinez of Chelmsford in the 2010 election – she had defeated Martinez in two other elections.

The 2012 political campaign season will be very active and very interesting in the Commonwealth – from top to bottom! Stay tuned.