Meet Sarah Hewins, Democratic candidate for 2nd Plymouth District

MIDDLEBORO — Democrat Sarah Hewins is campaigning on her more than 25 years of public service in hopes of finally flipping the 2nd Plymouth District House seat.

Hewins, who is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for state representative, will face the winner of the Sept. 1 Republican primary election. In next Tuesday’s primary, incumbent state Rep. John Gaskey (R-Carver) is fighting to keep his seat against Republican Carver Select Board member Mark Townsend. 

Hewins has served on the Carver Select Board since 2009, was elected twice to the Carver Planning Board and worked as her town’s conservation agent for 15 years. Hewins has also held positions on the South Shore Community Action Council, the Regional Transportation Planning Organization and chaired the Plymouth/Carver Aquifer Advisory Committee.

The 2nd Plymouth District – which includes Wareham, Carver and parts of Middleboro – has historically skewed red. A Republican has held the seat since former state Rep. Susan Gifford of Wareham first won it in 2002.

Hewins has run for the seat three times herself. In 2016 and 2018, she ran and lost to Gifford. In 2024, after Gaskey defeated Gifford in the Republican primary, Hewins launched a write-in bid and garnered just under 11% of the vote.

And this year, she’s trying again.

Hewins called herself an “independent-minded Democrat” and said her priorities include transparency in the state legislature, combatting high energy costs and protecting the civil rights of her constituents. 

Hewins said she doesn’t take money from nor does she “report to” the state Democratic party.

“I’m doing this as a real person representing real people,” Hewins said. She added that she’s worked outside of her hometown to get things done in the district.

Hewins noted her involvement in the proposed safety improvements on Route 28 and Wood Street near Nichols Middle School as evidence of how her council and committee work has impacted the town. 

Hewins also called for an independent audit of the state legislature and having the chamber publicly record its votes. She added that towns should have more local control over issues like housing affordability and the legislature should work to lower utility costs. On her website, Hewins wrote that “heavy-handed regulations” like Chapter 40B housing and the MBTA Communities Act “should have been dealt with by our elected representatives.”

She also criticized her Republican opponents, particularly Gaskey. 

“We need to actually have someone in there [the State House] who does things for us,” Hewins said. “And frankly I don’t think either of my opponents is such a candidate.”

Hewins spoke about what she considered the importance of public service, saying she does not believe Gaskey represents the district well. She also criticized Gaskey’s rhetoric as “nasty” and “uncalled for” regarding his 2024 campaign against Gifford, who died of cancer shortly after the election.

“I think public service is kind of a lifetime devotion,” Hewins said. “It’s important for people not to get into the business of public service if they’re not really going to serve the public. This is not politics, it’s about service.”

Primary elections will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 1, which will set the matchup for the Nov. 3 general election between Hewins and her to-be-decided Republican opponent.   

When asked who she prefers to go up against in November, Hewins said “That’s up to the voters.”