Boston City Councilors Kendra Lara and Ricardo Arroyo lose preliminary elections in wake of scandals

Politics

The District 5 and 6 councilors are the first incumbents to lose a preliminary election in at least four decades.

In a firm rebuke of two legislators whose progressive records have been marred by scandal, Boston City Councilors Kendra Lara and Riccardo Arroyo lost the preliminary election for their seats Tuesday evening.

The Sept. 12 preliminary election was to determine which candidates would move on to the Nov. 7 general election. The top two vote-getters moved on.

In District 5, Arroyo’s district, former Boston official Enrique Pepén garnered the most votes, followed by Boston police officer Jose Ruiz, according to unofficial election results. Pepén was backed by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, while Ruiz was backed by former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

In District 6, Lara’s district, labor lawyer Ben Weber came out on top, followed by IT Director William King, according to the unofficial results. Weber was endorsed by The Boston Globe and had outraised Lara by the end July.

Both Lara and Arroyo conceded Tuesday evening at their election night parties, the Globe reported. They are the first incumbents to be knocked out of the race during a preliminary election in at least four decades.

“When you fight the system, sometimes the system fights back, and today we lost this battle,” Lara said Tuesday night, according to Politico reporter Lisa Kashinsky.

“I want to thank my parents who have watched me relentlessly be attacked, up to and including last night,” Arroyo said Tuesday night, according to Politico reporter Kelly Garrity.

Both Arroyo and Lara have come under fire this summer for scandals. Arroyo was fined by the State Ethics Commission for representing his brother in a sexual harassment lawsuit after joining Boston City Council, while Lara was charged with several crimes after she crashed a car into a house, leading to the revelation that she had been driving around the city without a license.

District 6 includes Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury, and parts of Mission Hill and Roslindale. District 5 is made up of Hyde Park and parts of Mattapan and Roslindale.