Rep. Ellen Story (via Facebook/official)

In a Facebook post this afternoon, Amherst Representative Ellen Story confirmed her retirement from the Massachusetts House of Representatives after 24 years. Story, a native Texan, took the seat over from current Senate President Stanley Rosenberg when he was elected to former US Congressman John Olver’s sprawling senate district.

Story had a solid progressive record representing the indigo blue 3rd Hampshire District, which covers Amherst, Pelham and a precinct in Granby. During the 2012 US Senate campaign, Story led a demonstrators outside then Senator Scott Brown’s local reelection office to protests his gimp support of women’s reproductive rights.

In recent years, she had been among representatives angling for labeling of genetically-modified organisms in food and had a role in designing the state’s buffer zone law around abortion clinics.

News of Story’s retirement announcement in Amherst was first reported by The Republican.

However, Story had also attracted criticism for supporting casinos in exchange for a leadership position under Speaker Robert DeLeo. Story’s defenders said the move gave the more liberal wing of the Democratic caucus another seat at the speaker’s table, while others grumbled that bills even she supported, like GMO legislation, never came up for a vote.

The 3rd Hampshire includes all of Amherst and Pelham and Precinct 1 of Granby. (via mass.gov)

Being an arch-Democratic district due to Amherst’s domination, Story’s successor is likely to be a Democrat. However, the 3^rd Hampshire is probably one of the few districts the Green candidate might have a hope in Hell of winning. In any event, a flood of candidates has already materialized.

Earlier this month, Amherst School Committee member Viraphahn Douangmany Cage, had filed for the seat with the Office of Campaign & Political Finance. Around the same time, Solomon Goldstein-Rose, an Amherst resident and Brown University student, filed with OCPF. Goldstein-Rose also reserved a domain for his campaign website.

The Republican reported that Town Meeting member Bonnie MacCracken has also entered the race. Sara la Cour, executive director of the Amherst Business Improvement District is also considering the race according to the paper.