Suffolk-2

State Senator-elect Sonia Chang-Diaz said Thursday that her experience voting on Tuesday is something she won't soon forget.

"I am going to have to say, [it was] one of the best days I have ever experienced on any campaign. It was just a thrilling, thrilling day," the Jamaica Plain Democrat told PolitickerMA.com. "From standing in my own polling station line, to talking with voters, it was just a thrill."

Chang-Diaz was elected to the state Senate to represent Suffolk's 2nd District after a long and contentious campaign against state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson. After Chang-Diaz won the Democratic primary in September, Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign for the general election.

Facing charges that she accepted $23,500 in bribes, state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson said Wednesday that she will resign from office as soon as she can.

"I am committed to resigning my office as soon as I can do so consistent with my need to effectuate an orderly transition," Wilkerson, a Boston Democrat, said in a statement.

Wilkerson said that she will resign after finishing "hundreds of active constituent matters," clearing out her files and helping her staff find new jobs.

BOSTON -- Sonia Chang-Diaz told reporters Friday that she was shocked and saddened by state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's arrest on bribery charges this week and that she is slightly relieved Wilkerson decided to end her campaign, which Chang-Diaz said is in the best interest of the district.

It was the first time Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat, addressed reporters since Wilkerson's arrest and on the heels of Wilkerson ending her campaign Friday.

Chang-Diaz said Wilkerson's arrest and allegations that she accepted $23,500 in bribes has been surprising and saddening. In particular, Chang-Diaz said that the events have caused voters to "question whether they can trust elected leaders to act with the best interests of the community at heart."

The Boston Globe just reported that state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson has suspended her campaign.

"As of this moment today though I am certainly announcing the suspension, the termination, cessation -- I want to make it clear that I am ending any further campaign," Wilkerson said, according to the Globe.

Wilkerson did not comment on whether she would resign from the state Senate.

The Boston Democrat was facing off against Sonia Chang-Diaz with a write-in campaign after losing the Democratic primary to Chang-Diaz in September.

Gov. Deval Patrick commended the state Senate Thursday for its vote asking for State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson's resignation.

"On a bi-partisan basis, the Senate today unanimously re-affirmed that elected officials should be held to the highest ethical standards," the Milton Democrat said. "I support and respect their action."

Patrick endorsed Wilkerson in her primary against Sonia Chang-Diaz this year. He switched to supporting Chang-Diaz after she defeated Wilkerson in the primary and Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign for the general election.

State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson rejected the state Senate's request for her resignation Thursday night, saying that the Senate voted hastily and her decision to stay in the seat shows she has the best interest of the district mind.

In a statement, Wilkerson said that she is respectful of the Senates unanimous call for her resignation but that she believes the Senate acted too quickly.

"Surely the members of the state senate could not have believed that such a monumental decision would be made within a few hours," the Boston Democrat said. "A decision like this could be comforting to some but could prove disastrous to others."

Boston City Councilor Charles Yancey, who endorsed state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson in both her primary this year and in her write-in general election campaign, declined to state whether he was still supporting her on Thursday in light of the recent allegations that she accepted $23,500 in bribes.

Asked by PolitickerMA.com if he was still supporting Wilkerson, the Dorchester Democrat's office said he has "no comment."

Yancey's office said the councilor is waiting to see how the legal proceedings play out.

Boston City Councilor Stephen Murphy said Thursday that, in light of the corruption charges state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson now faces, he is supporting Sonia Chang-Diaz in Suffolk's 2nd Senate District general election race.

Murphy, a Hyde Park Democrat, backed Wilkerson in the primary this year against Chang-Diaz, but committed to staying neutral in the general election when Wilkerson vowed to run a write-in campaign.

"I'm clearly saying that Sonia Chang-Diaz is a better choice right now," Murphy told PolitickerMA.com.

BOSTON -- In addition to referring the allegations surrounding state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson to the Senate Ethics Committee, the state Senate also passed a unanimous resolution Thursday asking Wilkerson to resign immediately.

Boston City Councilor Michael Ross said late Wednesday that he cast his vote for Sonia Chang-Diaz.

Ross backed state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson in Suffolk's 2nd District Democratic primary this year. After Wilkerson lost, Ross said he was uncommitted in the general election as Wilkerson launched a write-in campaign against Chang-Diaz.

But, in light of Wilkerson's arrest on Tuesday for allegations that she accepted $23,500 in bribes, Ross told PolitickerMA.com that he now supports Chang-Diaz in the race.

"Today I voted for Sonia Chang-Diaz for Senate," Ross, a Mission Hill Democrat, said in an email. "I hope to soon have the opportunity to work with Senator Chang-Diaz on finding ways to help our residents in this coming year, particularly with the difficult economic challenges that we all face."