Stephen Francis Lynch[1] (born March 31, 1955) is an American businessman, attorney and politician who has served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts since 2001.

[3][4] In 1977 Lynch was arrested for smoking marijuana at a Willie Nelson concert at the Illinois State Fair, leading to a $50 misdemeanor fine.

During this time he spent his nights and weekends attending the Wentworth Institute of Technology, from which he graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in construction management in 1988.

[3] That year Lynch led a three-week labor strike, refusing to sign a contract with the Associated General Contractors despite pressure from within his union.

[12] With numerous cases under his belt, Lynch developed a reputation in his community, and friends encouraged him to run for office.

He criticized Gannon for not supporting the Veterans Council, which had prevented a gay rights group from marching in the local St. Patrick's Day Parade.

He opposed a plan by Governor Bill Weld and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to construct a $200 million football stadium by the publicly owned South Boston waterfront.

[14] He led the opposition to a proposed asphalt plant in South Bay, and sponsored an amendment to a state bond bill that banned its construction.

[15] When President of the Massachusetts Senate William Bulger announced his resignation from his 1st Suffolk seat in late 1995, Lynch filed nomination papers for the special election to replace him.

[16] The race grew from the grassroots of South Boston, with neighborhood issues such as development, crime, and education ruling the debate.

[24] He opposed a hate-crimes bill that would have made racially charged language a felony, and hearkened back to the 1994 racial violence case as an example, arguing that the bill "attacks merely words" and "prosecutes young people who, in my opinion, haven't developed the responsibility and wisdom to measure their words.

"[8] On the Senate Transportation Committee, Lynch cosponsored a bill in June 1996 to allow certain Boston residents unlimited access to the Ted Williams Tunnel.

[4] Lynch announced his candidacy for the 9th district seat in 2001, when longtime incumbent U.S. Representative Joe Moakley, stricken with leukemia, decided not to seek a 17th term.

[30] Lynch's main opponents in the primary were State Senators Cheryl Jacques, Brian A. Joyce and Marc R. Pacheco.

During the campaign, Lynch faced criticism as his past improprieties were uncovered, including two arrests, defaulting on student loans, and a history of tax delinquency.

[32][33] The same day, the September 11 attacks took place, which dampened the ensuing general election race between Lynch and the Republican nominee, state Senator Jo Ann Sprague.

In a press conference after his swearing-in, Lynch remarked on the unlikelihood of his career path, comparing himself to Jed Clampett of The Beverly Hillbillies.

[65] According to CQ, Lynch supported President George W. Bush's agenda one-third of the time, which was average for Democratic House members.

[68] In 2002 he voted against fast track bills that gave the president the authority to negotiate trade deals without amendments by Congress.

In 2021, Lynch voted for the Women's Health Protection Act, signifying a significant shift in his position on the issue.

[80] In September 2016, Lynch announced on WBUR that he would vote for the November 2016 ballot question that sought to expand the number of charter schools in the state.

[81] On January 3, 2021, the beginning of the 117th Congress, Lynch became the last remaining incumbent House Democrat to have voted against the Affordable Care Act.

[83] During an April 2020 House Oversight Committee Hearing that included testimony from Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Lynch grew angry over federal miscommunications about the availability of coronavirus testing, and said that cases of COVID-19 had doubled in his district just the day before.

[10] A supporter of American intervention in the Middle East, Lynch has made 12 trips to Iraq and ten to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Moakley, his predecessor, was heavily involved in Latin American affairs, and Lynch has made an effort to continue this work.

Senator Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts state law triggered a special election to be held in January 2010.

[91] After speaking with his family and citing the short time frame in which to conduct a campaign, Lynch decided not to seek the Democratic nomination for the seat.

[92] Lynch announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on January 31, 2013, seeking to fill the seat then held by John Kerry, who had resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.

[93] Lynch's candidacy in the 2013 special election had been portrayed as an uphill battle against Representative Ed Markey, who had a larger war chest and several major party endorsements.

[94] A Politico profile compared Lynch's "common-man touch" and moderate views to that of Republican Scott Brown, who won the 2010 special Senate election by connecting with independent voters.