Senator Gale Candaras (via Facebook/Candaras office)

SPRINGFIELD—State Senator Gale Candaras announced Tuesday that she would be retiring from the State Senate and instead seek the Democratic nomination for Registrar of Probate. Surrounded by many of the Springfield area’s Beacon Hill delegation, legal professionals, Congressman Richard Neal, Mayor Domenic Sarno, incoming Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and Sheriff Michael Ashe, she declared herself a candidate for the Hampden County Probate Office.

As stated in earlier reports, she already faces competition from acting Registrar Suzanne Seguin and former Chicopee Mayor Mike Bissonnette seems poised to run as well.

In her statement on her decision, Candaras touted her work in the State House, particularly on matters related to the Courts like funding for the Committee on Public Counsel Services, and her work as an attorney, promising to bring that advocacy to the esoteric county office. She also expressed thanks to the last elected person in that position, Thomas Moriarty who retired in 2012 four years into a six year term. The regularly scheduled election for the office was slated for this year.

The 1st Hampden & Hampshire Senate District in grey as of 2011. Click for larger view. (via malegislature.gov)

Confirming long-held assumptions, Rep. Angelo Puppolo told The Reminder’s Mike Dobbs and Northeastern Public Radio’s Paul Tuthill that he will seek Candaras’ seat with a formal announcement to follow. Ludlow School Committee member James “Chip” Harrington will make an announcement for the seat this Thursday.  He has already updated his Facebook page to reflect a run, buthe has yet to file with the state Office of Campaign & Political Finance. Republican and East Longmeadow Select Board member Debra Boronski announced last year for the seat, formally called the 1st Hampden & Hampshire district.