Watertown State Rep. John Lawn said he is planning to seek re-election the same week that he changed his plea in the driving under the influence of alcohol case, admitting in a Boston courtroom to sufficient facts on the charges.
On July 19, during the St. Mary of Carmen Society’s 90th Italian-American Festival in Nonantum, Lawn said “I’m going to run again,” according to a report in the Fig City News. He represents the 10th Middlesex District, which includes parts of Watertown, Newton, and Waltham.
Lawn presented a citation from the State Legislature during the festival in Newton, and said he was uplifted by the support he received from the attendees at the event, the report said.
Following his arrest on charges of OUI and leaving the scene of property damage, Lawn originally pleaded not guilty to the charges during the first court hearing on July 17. Later that day, he changed his plea, according to a report by NBC Boston 10. He will lose his license for 45 days and be on probation for one year, and get alcohol treatment and education, according to a WBUR report.
The day of his arrest, Lawn apologized and said that he “let down” his family, friends, and constituents.
Lawn was first elected in 2011, and most recently won reelection 2024 when he ran unopposed. The last time he faced a challenger, Lawn defeated Newton’s Alison Leary in the 2o20 Democratic primary.