BOSTON (AP) — Geoff Diehl, a former state representative endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has won the Republican nomination for Massachusetts governor over businessman Chris Doughty, who was considered the more moderate candidate in the race.
The victory for Diehl sets up a election that is general against Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, that would function as the first openly gay person together with first woman elected governor if she wins in November. The state’s governor that is current Republican Charlie Baker, decided against seeking a third term.
Republican voters made Massachusetts the latest state that is blue midterm season to nominate a Trump loyalist inside a high-profile race, potentially dooming the party’s chances of winning in November. Voters in Connecticut and Maryland, liberal states where centrist Republicans are finding some success in previous elections, also selected far-right candidates to increase against a Democrat into the election that is general
Healey, Whose rival that is only the nomination dropped from the race but remained regarding the ballot, would be the heavy favorite in November against Diehl in just one of the absolute most liberal states into the nation.
Diehl, the favourite among state Republican Party delegates in Massachusetts, has ties to Trump stretching to 2016, as he served as co-chair for Trump’s campaign that is presidential the state. Diehl has also opposed COVID-19 protocols and hailed the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
Doughty said he supported some of Trump’s initiatives but wanted to focus on challenges Massachusetts that is facing he said is increasingly unaffordable.
Diehl has arrived to embrace Trump’s false claims that he won the 2020 election. Diehl said just last year it was a “stolen election” but later said the election was rigged, despite dozens of courts, local officials and President Joe Biden was legitimately elected saying the vote was legitimate that he didn’t think. Doughty, meanwhile, has said he believes
.
The challenge for Diehl in the election that is general that support of Trump may play well on the list of party’s conservative wing but might be a political albatross inside a state where registered Republicans make up significantly less than 10% of this electorate when compared with about 31% for Democrats and about 57% for independents.
Diehl faced a struggle that is similar he challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018. He won a three-way Republican primary only to capture just over a third of the vote in the election that is general
Massachusetts Has a past history of electing fiscally conservative, socially moderate Republican governors — including former Govs. William Weld and Mitt Romney — to provide a check on overwhelming democratic majorities that are legislative. Baker, another Republican for the reason that mold, has remained popular into the continuing state.
Healey has said she would work to expand job training programs, make child care more affordable and schools that are modernize. Healey has additionally said she would protect “access to safe and abortion that is legal Massachusetts” in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
But Healey does face an oddball hurdle in Massachusetts — the curse that is so-called of attorney general. Since 1958, six former Massachusetts attorneys general have sought the governor’s office. All failed.
The state has previously experienced a governor that is female though she was appointed to the position. Republican Jane Swift served as acting governor after Gov. Paul Cellucci stepped down in 2001 to become U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Tuesday’s election also features several statewide contested primaries that are democratic including for attorney general and secretary of this commonwealth.Boston City Councilor Andrea CampbellFormer attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan defeated workers’ rights assistant attorney general Quentin Palfrey into the primary that is democratic attorney general. A week before the election, a candidate that is third former
, announced he had been suspending his campaign and endorsed Campbell; he remained regarding the ballot.Republican Jay McMahonCampbell is the Black that is first woman hold the office in Massachusetts if elected in November. She shall face
, an effort attorney who previously ran against Healey and lost.
Liss-Riordan pumped scores of her money that is own into campaign — including $6.3 million in August alone. Healey earned an salary that is annual of than $185,000 as attorney general.Secretary of the Commonwealth William GalvinIncumbent Democratic fellow Democrat Tanisha Sullivan, that is vying for the term that is eighth office, defeated
, president of the Boston branch of the NAACP. Sullivan would have been the Black that is first person serve into the post if elected.
Galvin will face Republican Rayla Campbell in November. Campbell is also Black.
There may also be contested races into the primary that is democratic auditor and in the Democratic and Republican races for lieutenant governor.
None of the state’s nine incumbent Democratic U.S. House members is facing primary challengers. There are two contested Republican primaries in the 8th and 9th districts that are congressionalhttps://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-electionsFollow AP for full dental coverage plans of this midterms at https://twitter.com/ap_politics as well as on Twitter at
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