Attorney bests Boston city councilor in competitive SJC clerk race

Attorney Allison Cartwright beat Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy to become the Democratic nominee for Suffolk County clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court during Tuesday's primary.

Attorney Allison Cartwright triumphed over Boston City Councilor Erin Murphy in Tuesday’s primary election after a surprisingly hot race for a little known administrative position in the state’s highest court.

Incumbent Maura Doyle held the clerk position for the Suffolk County clerk of the Supreme Judicial Court for nearly 30 years, but didn’t run for reelection this year.

What ensued was a proxy battle between progressive Democrats like Mayor Michelle Wu backing Cartwright, and moderate Democrats like City Councilor Ed Flynn backing Murphy.

Voters in Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop handily chose Cartwright with 30,358 votes, or about 60 percent of votes cast. Murphy, a former teacher, garnered 20,500 votes, or 40 percent, according to unofficial results from the City of Boston.

With no Republican in the race, Cartwright is the presumed winner in November.

“This is a victory for democracy, a victory for the independence of court, and especially our state’s highest court,” Cartwright said after unofficial results came in Tuesday night.

The clerk position primarily handles admission of lawyers to the bar and matters of attorney discipline. Cartwright, a longtime public defender, argued she was more qualified for the position. Murphy said her background as a teacher and city councilor applied to the role.

Both candidates raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and collected prominent endorsements. Cartwright was also backed by Rep. Ayanna Pressley, state Sen. Lydia Edwards, and Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

Murphy did not return a request for comment Wednesday.