Newton Firefighters Association Endorses David Solet for Middlesex District Attorney

Newton, MA - The Newton Firefighters Association, Local 863 IAFF, today announced they have endorsed David Solet, a veteran trial attorney and 2025 Middlesex County Prosecutor of the Year, to replace current District Attorney Marian Ryan, citing fundamental differences in their approach to pursuing justice and protecting the residents of Middlesex County.

The Newton Firefighters Association, Local 863, noted that Solet would prioritize the prevention of violent crime, drugged driving, and the trafficking of dangerous drugs that jeopardize public safety. The union joined more than 40 other public safety unions and organizations across Middlesex County who have endorsed Solet in his bid to unseat the 13-year incumbent in the September 1 Democratic primary election.

“Dave has always been committed to tackling violent crime and preventing violent injury in our neighborhoods,” said Phil McCully, President of the Newton Firefighters Association. “As firefighters, we see firsthand the effects of drugged driving and other preventable tragedies. We are choosing to back Dave not only for his commitment to holding offenders accountable, but also for the work he will do to prevent these tragedies from occurring in the first place.”

Solet said: “Receiving this endorsement from an organization representing the men and women who work to protect the people of Newton every day is humbling. These people know who I am, and what I’ve done as a prosecutor, and they have confidence in what I will do in the future.” 

Solet has pledged to aggressively pursue gun trafficking organizations that smuggle guns into Massachusetts from out-of-state, protect the elderly from financial fraud and abuse, and ensure that prosecutorial decisions are driven by the facts and the law, not political considerations or fear of repercussions.

Recognizing the growing threat posed by drug-impaired driving, Solet has also committed to working with law enforcement, legislators, and public safety leaders to advance evidence-based reforms that improve the investigation and prosecution of drugged-driving cases while protecting due process. He has further pledged to support legislative reforms that close gaps in Massachusetts' dangerousness law, allowing prosecutors to seek detention hearings for individuals accused of the most serious violent crimes where public safety demands it.

"There are real public safety challenges facing Middlesex County, and standing still is not an option," Solet said. "Whether it's stopping illegal guns before they reach our neighborhoods, protecting seniors from increasingly sophisticated financial crimes, addressing the rise in drugged driving, or ensuring dangerous offenders can be held accountable, I will lead an office that is proactive, principled, and focused on protecting the people of Middlesex County."

A prosecutor for twenty-four years, Solet has sought justice for victims of domestic violence, gun violence, narcotics trafficking, and public corruption. He was a longtime member of the office’s Special Investigations Unit, which prosecuted organized crime, then served as the first Chief of the Cyber Protection Unit, fighting online child exploitation. From 2019-2025, he served as the first Chief of the Middlesex County Cold Case Homicide Unit, investigating hundreds of unsolved homicides and dozens of unsolved sex assaults. 

For his work, he was named Middlesex County Prosecutor of the Year in 2025, and has received numerous other awards from law enforcement organizations.

An honors graduate of Harvard Law School, Solet previously served as Chief Legal Counsel to the Massachusetts Secretary of Public Safety. He is a Major in the JAG Corps of the United States Army Reserve, where he has been a defense attorney for soldiers, and represented victims of sexual assault. He is the proud father of two daughters, both graduates of Newton North High School, and now lives in Cambridge.

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