Right whale
In 1970, Silva was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives by upsetting David E. Harrison, a Gloucester Democrat who had been chosen by Senator Edward M. Kennedy to serve as Chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. During his campaign, Silva emphasized Harrison's absentee record and his opposition to cutting the number of representatives in the Massachusetts House from 240 to 160, a proposal that Gloucester voters overwhelmingly supported. During his tenure, Silva including established and chaired of the New England Committee for the 200-mile limit, filed legislation which established two ocean sanctuaries, filed legislation for the development of Gloucester Harbor, co-sponsored the "Bottle Bill," proposed the Commonwealth obtain a decommissioned US Navy ship and convert it into a minimum security prison, and introduced a bill that would make the Right whale Massachusetts' official marine mammal.