Tara Reardon, long-time former state representative from Concord and current county commissioner, won the Democratic primary for the state Senate representing the Capital Region by a 372-vote margin.

In the three-way race between Reardon and two current state representatives, Rebecca McWilliams and Angela Brennan, Reardon took home roughly 41% of the more than 8,500 ballots cast. She was closely followed by McWilliams with about 37%. Brennan netted around 22%.

In a heavily Democratic-leaning district, Reardon is all but assured to assume the Senate seat.

She did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

“We really showed voters that it is possible with very little money and a lot of heart to make a big difference,” McWilliams said in a speech to supporters. While she noted that the outcome was not likely to change, she had not yet conceded the race.

Brennan, in a statement, congratulated both opponents in a competitive race.

“Thank you to the voters who turned out, the election officials and volunteers who keep our elections safe, secure, and efficient,” she said. “Onward to Democratic victories in November.”

The race had largely hinged on the three candidates’ types and levels of experience. Reardon has been involved in Concord politics for more than 25 years and was a state representative for over a decade. McWilliams just completed her third term in the statehouse while Brennan was first elected to the Legislature in 2022.

In the final weeks, the three candidates disagreed about whether a new conflict of interest law would restrict Reardon’s ability to vote on some key issues in the Senate. Her spouse, Jim Bouley, is a lobbyist in the statehouse and the former mayor of Concord. Brennan claimed it would affect her voting abilities, while Reardon asserted that she would be able to vote freely. McWilliams saw the question as formally unsettled and asked the state’s legislative ethics committee to weigh in, but it won’t do so until next Monday.

McWilliams emphasized her commitment to the issues she ran on, the environment and childcare, even though she’d no longer serve in Concord. She also thanked her supporters for maintaining a positive pitch to voters as the race grew heated in its final weeks.

“Thank you to everybody for being on the same page about not slinging mud,” she said, “because that’s not who we are and that’s not how we run campaigns.”

Outside the polls, Gary Woods, who is seeking McWilliams’s house seat, said he knew all three candidates well. He’s worked with Reardon at the county level, having previously served as a state representative in Bow. Woods recruited Brennan to run for his seat when he moved out of that district a few years ago.

“You can’t miss with this one” he said of the race. “You’ve got three great candidates. But you do eventually have to make a decision.”

In the end, he chose Reardon, because of how much experience in politics she has and how positively he felt about their relationship having worked together on county issues.

Woods had looked into the disputes around conflict of interest.

“Raising the question is always good,” he said. “But I think it’s been answered.”

As tallies came into the Concord City Clerk’s office Tuesday night, Reardon’s family hurriedly added them up. While McWilliams took Hopkinton and Brennan decisively won her hometown of Bow, Reardon’s win in Concord helped her carry the race.

At the McWilliams event, supporters considered the closeness of the race as an accomplishment, especially since Reardon did not come away with a majority.

“Three hundred is not a bloodbath,” a voice said from the crowd. “It’s a win.”