Laura Gentile winner of 4-way Clerk of Courts primary

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - In a highly-contested four-way primary, Laura Gentile has come out on top to get the Democratic nomination in the race for Hampden County Clerk of Courts.

By a margin of less than 1,000 votes, Gentile, currently the Assistant Clerk of Courts, defeated Springfield City Councilor Tom Ashe, finishing with 35% to his 32%. Attorney Lisa Stec DiSanti of Chicopee finished in third place with 18% of the vote, and Ludlow Selectman John DaCruz finished fourth with 15%.

With no Republican or third-party candidate on the November ballot, Gentile is expected to replace Republican Brian Lees of East Longmeadow, who served for years as State Senate Minority Leader before serving a single term as clerk.