BOSTON (SHNS) – Reps. John Moran and Bill MacGregor swore their oaths of office Wednesday in a packed governor’s office, bringing the House back up to its full membership of 160 after a couple of early-session departures.
The ceremony came around half an hour after the Governor’s Council certified the May 30 election results in its adjacent chamber.
The new lawmakers, both Democrats, represent Boston-based districts — Moran is from the South End, MacGregor from West Roxbury — and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was on hand for the ceremony.
Veterans’ Services Secretary Jon Santiago, who held Moran’s seat until resigning in February to join the Healey administration, was also there, chatting at one point with his new boss, Gov. Maura Healey, and his old leader, Speaker Ron Mariano.
MacGregor’s seat was last held by Rep. Ed Coppinger, who also resigned just two months into the session to work at the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council.
As MacGregor took centerstage with the governor, he scooped up one of his two kids, toddler Eloise, and held her in his left arm while raising his right hand for the oath. His wife Lisa wound up carrying both Eloise and their youngest, Millie, after Eloise began holding her stuffed animal up against her dad’s mouth while he was repeating the oath.
“So now we have 160 members and a bunny,” Mariano quipped.
The House’s Democratic Caucus also bumped back up to 134 members, across the aisle from 25 Republicans and one independent.
After departing the governor’s suite, Mariano led a House contingent down to the chamber and showed Moran and MacGregor to their new desks. They have not yet received their committee assignments, the speaker’s office said.
