Massachusetts voters chose Attorney General Maura Healey, D, to be their next governor. Healey defeated former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, R, to put the governor’s mansion back in the hands of Democrats. Republican Gov. Charles Baker held the seat since 2015 but decided not to run again.
The Harvard-educated Healey became the Massachusetts attorney general in 2015 after holding multiple positions in the office, including deputy AG. She handily won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in September with 85% of the vote.
Diehl represented Plymouth in the state House from 2011 to 2019. He also ran against Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D, in 2018 but was soundly defeated by nearly 25 points.
Like so many other states around the country, voters prioritized the economy amid concerns about inflation. Healey said she would boost the economy by enacting universal child care, increasing job training programs, and investing in both education and housing affordability.
Healey also said fixing Massachusetts’ public transportation issues was key to not only reducing costs for families but also to addressing climate change. She promised to invest heavily in the state’s subways, ferries, trains and buses. Healey described the state’s roads, bridges and tunnels as “crumbling.” She said it was crucial for the state’s next governor to make sure each area of the state receives at least a portion of the money.
Former President Donald Trump took center stage in this race at times. Diehl was endorsed by Trump, and in an October debate, Healey described Diehl as someone who “continues to play from the Trump playbook.” Meanwhile, Healey defended her office suing the Trump Administration almost 100 times.
Massachusetts Democrats now have a trifecta, meaning they control the governor’s office, the state House and Senate.
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