Carver Select Board chair Mark Townsend enters 2nd Plymouth District representative seat race

Carver resident Mark Townsend announced his candidacy in the 2026 race for the 2nd Plymouth District state representative seat.

Townsend will be running as a republican and will be competing for the Republican nomination against incumbent John Gaskey in the primary while and Sarah Hewins is the only Democrat currently on the ballot.

Townsend is a Carver resident and owns the insurance agency Cullen and Townsend Insurance. He is also the chair of the town’s Select Board where he has served for eight years and previously served on the Finance Committee as well as chairman of the housing authority.

Additionally, Townsend is the chair of the Plymouth County Advisory Board where he has served for eight years.

Outside of town government, Townsend is a member of both the Lions Club and Knights of Columbus.

Townsend said his campaign will focus on holding utility companies accountable to get better rates for consumers, advocating for the needs of senior citizens, fight for more state financial aid for the district, support first responders and hold accountability on Beacon Hill.

“When local leaders keep taxes down and strengthen public safety, residents feel the difference,” Townsend wrote to Wareham Week. “That’s the approach I’ll bring to Beacon Hill - determined, disciplined, and unapologetically focused on delivering for our communities. No drama. No distractions. Just results.”