By STEVE LeBLANC
BOSTON (AP) — Attorney General Maura Healey gained the Democratic main for Massachusetts governor on Tuesday, bringing her one step nearer to changing into the primary brazenly homosexual candidate and first girl elected to the state’s high political workplace — eight years after she was elected the nation’s first brazenly homosexual legal professional basic.
Healey, whose solely rival for the nomination dropped out of the race however remained on the poll, would be the heavy favourite in November in opposition to the winner of the Republican main. Former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, and businessman Chris Doughty, who is taken into account extra reasonable, are operating for the GOP nomination.
The present officeholder, centrist Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, determined in opposition to searching for a 3rd time period. He didn’t endorse both Republican candidate.
At her victory social gathering Tuesday night time, Healey instructed cheering supporters that no matter whether or not Diehl or Doughty emerges as her GOP opponent, “We know he’ll be out of touch with the values we stand for.” Speaking of each candidates, she added, “They’ll bring Trumpism to Massachusetts.”
The 51-year-old Healey has touted her efforts because the state’s high legislation enforcement official to guard college students and owners from predatory lenders. Healey additionally sued Exxon Mobil Corp. over whether or not the oil large misled buyers and the general public about its information of local weather change — a case nonetheless winding its method by the courts — and focused OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler household over allegations they deceived sufferers and medical doctors concerning the dangers of opioids. In 2021, Healey introduced a decision to that case.
Her most frequent goal, nonetheless, was Trump. Healey led or joined scores of lawsuits in opposition to Trump whereas he was president. One of her first challenged Trump’s journey ban, which might have barred lecturers and college students from seven majority-Muslim international locations, together with Iran, Iraq and Syria, from coming to Massachusetts, which attracts college students from all over the world.
Republican voters within the state on Tuesday will turn into simply the most recent to resolve whether or not the social gathering will additional embrace Trumpism or is able to transfer again towards the middle. In current primaries in different blue states like Maryland and Connecticut, GOP voters have nominated Trump loyalists, hurting the social gathering’s probabilities of profitable in opposition to a Democrat within the November basic election.
Voting within the Cape Cod city of Barnstable was prolonged till midnight after a mechanical concern with the city clerk’s vault blocked the clerk from having access to ballots, delaying the supply of ballots to polling places.
Diehl, the favourite amongst state Republican Party delegates in Massachusetts, has ties to Trump stretching to 2016, when he served as co-chair for Trump’s presidential marketing campaign within the state. Trump misplaced Massachusetts by virtually 30 proportion factors in his two presidential campaigns. Diehl has additionally opposed COVID-19 protocols and hailed the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
Doughty mentioned he supported a few of Trump’s initiatives however desires to give attention to challenges dealing with Massachusetts, which he mentioned is more and more unaffordable.
Diehl has come to embrace Trump’s false claims that he gained the 2020 election. Diehl mentioned final yr that he didn’t suppose it was a “stolen election” however later mentioned the election was rigged, regardless of dozens of courts, native officers and Trump’s personal legal professional basic saying the vote was authentic. Doughty, in the meantime, has mentioned he believes President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.
The problem for each is that help of Trump might play nicely among the many social gathering’s conservative wing however might be a political albatross in a state the place registered Republicans make up lower than 10% of the voters in comparison with about 31% for Democrats and about 57% for independents.
Diehl confronted an analogous wrestle when he challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018. He gained a three-way Republican main solely to seize simply over a 3rd of the vote within the basic election.
Doughty mentioned he would work to decrease taxes and has mentioned that though he considers himself “pro-life,” he accepts the state Supreme Court choice recognizing a proper to abortion in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts has a historical past of electing fiscally conservative, socially reasonable Republican governors — together with former Govs. William Weld and Mitt Romney — to offer a examine on overwhelming Democratic legislative majorities. Baker, one other Republican in that mildew, has remained in style within the state.
Healey is extensively seen as a powerful favourite to win the governor’s workplace, significantly if Diehl, the Trump-backed candidate, have been to win. Healey mentioned she would work to develop job coaching applications, make youngster care extra inexpensive and modernize colleges. Healey has additionally mentioned she would shield “access to safe and legal abortion in Massachusetts” within the wake of the Supreme Court’s choice overturning Roe v. Wade.
But Healey does face an oddball hurdle in Massachusetts — the so-called curse of the legal professional basic. Since 1958, six former Massachusetts attorneys basic have sought the governor’s workplace. All failed.
The state has beforehand had a feminine governor, although she was appointed to the place. Republican Jane Swift served as appearing governor after Gov. Paul Cellucci stepped down in 2001 to turn into U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Tuesday’s election additionally options a number of statewide contested Democratic primaries, together with for legal professional basic and secretary of the commonwealth.
Two Democrats are jockeying for the highest legislation enforcement workplace: former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell and employees’ rights legal professional Shannon Liss-Riordan. Per week earlier than the election, a 3rd candidate, former assistant legal professional basic Quentin Palfrey, introduced he was suspending his marketing campaign and endorsed Campbell; he remained on the poll.
Campbell could be the primary Black girl to carry the workplace in Massachusetts if elected.
The winner will face Republican Jay McMahon, a trial legal professional who beforehand ran in opposition to Healey and misplaced.
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, who’s vying for an eighth time period in workplace, defeated fellow Democrat Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston department of the NAACP. Sullivan would have been the primary Black particular person to serve within the put up if elected.
Galvin will face Republican Rayla Campbell in November. Campbell can also be Black.
There are additionally contested races within the Democratic main for auditor and within the Democratic and Republican races for lieutenant governor.
None of the state’s 9 incumbent Democratic U.S. House members is dealing with main challengers. There are two contested Republican primaries within the eighth and ninth congressional districts.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com”