A first time candidate, she defeated Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne 35% to 34% in a special election to fill the 12th Essex District seat that had been vacant since the death of Joyce Spiliotis the previous November.

[2] She was reelected in 2014 and remained in the House until September 28, 2015, when she resigned to focus on her nursing career.

[3] Allen lost her nursing job at Beverly Hospital for not complying with a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

[4] Allen then entered the 2022 election for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts as the running mate of Geoff Diehl.

[6] Allen and Diehl lost the general election to Democrats Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll.