Ludlow Democrat Thomas Petrolati, who once held the third-highest position in the Massachusetts House, will not seek re-election to an 18th term on Beacon Hill, his office confirmed Wednesday.
Petrolati, 62, made the announcement in an interview with the Ludlow Register that was due to be published Wednesday. The representative’s office confirmed his plans and referred the News Service to comments in the Register.
“I ran for office because I wanted to make a difference. I couldn’t have done that without the backing of the voters,” Petrolati told the Register.
Petrolati represents the 7th Hampden District, which covers Ludlow and areas of Belchertown, Chicopee and Springfield.
The current chairman of the House Committee on Steering, Policy and Scheduling, Petrolati was first elected to the House in 1986 after serving on the Ludlow Board of Selectmen.
Under House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, he rose to the position of speaker pro tempore before reports of his role in patronage hiring within the probation department led to him voluntarily giving up the post in 2011, after House Speaker Robert DeLeo had taken control of the chamber.
Petrolati won a three-way contest in the 1986 Democratic primary and then was not contested in a primary or general election until Republican William Johnson got about 36 percent of the vote in the 2000 general election. Petrolati has won re-election unopposed every two years since then.
His office said Petrolati is looking forward to spending time with three young grandchildren after his current term ends in January.
Petrolati is at least the ninth House lawmakers to announce they are not seeking re-election this cycle, including others from western Massachusetts like state Reps. Jose Tosado, D-Springfield, and Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke.
House Speaker Robert DeLeo issued a statement: “Chair Petrolati is a dedicated and thoughtful representative whose career has been marked by his deep insight into the 7th Hampden District. During his time in the House, Representative Petrolati has worked strenuously for the people of his district and western Massachusetts. Both a masterful parliamentarian and a friend, he will be missed in the House of Representatives and on the rostrum. I congratulate Representative Petrolati on more than three decades of service and wish his family and him all the best for the future.”