Westport State Representative Paul Schmid Not Seeking Re-Election

WESTPORT (WBSM) — State Representative Paul A. Schmid III has announced he will not be seeking re-election in the 8th Bristol District.

Schmid, a Westport Democrat, has served in the House since 2011. His district includes all of Westport, as well as parts of New Bedford, Fall River, Freetown and Acushnet.

“It has been an incredible honor to represent the 8th Bristol District for more than 13 years. I want to thank everyone who has had confidence in me,” he said in a February 13 social media post announcing he would not seek re-election.

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Schmid, a cattle farmer by trade who runs River Rock Farm in Westport, is also the chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture.

“I have worked to serve our farmers and bring local, healthy food into our schools and urban areas,” Schmid wrote.

Schmid first joined the House in 2011, winning the state rep seat just a year after he was first elected to the Westport Board of Selectmen. He also served on numerous committees in his hometown prior to that. He also earned the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Marines.

In his announcement, Schmid thanked a number of his colleagues, and pointed out that “many say the SouthCoast delegation is the best and I have been honored to work with each member.”

“Most of all, I thank my wife, Tina, and our children, Celeste and Paul, and their families for their support since day one,” he wrote. “They were always my secret sauce.”

“I will cherish the knowledge that I was, for a time, part of the longest-serving democratic body in the world,” Schmid concluded.

Later that same day, longtime Massachusetts State Senator Marc Pacheco announced he would not be seeking re-election to the Third Bristol and Plymouth District.

Listen to WBSM's Chris McCarthy discuss both Schmid and Pacheco on SouthCoast Now: