BOSTON (AP) — Geoff Diehl, a former state consultant endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has received the Republican nomination for Massachusetts governor over businessman Chris Doughty, who was thought-about the extra reasonable candidate within the race.
The victory for Diehl units up a normal election contest in opposition to Democratic Legal professional Common Maura Healey, who can be the primary overtly homosexual particular person and the primary lady elected governor if she wins in November. The state’s present governor, Republican Charlie Baker, determined in opposition to looking for a 3rd time period.
Republican voters made Massachusetts the most recent blue state this midterm season to appoint a Trump loyalist in a high-profile race, doubtlessly dooming the social gathering’s possibilities of successful in November. Voters in Connecticut and Maryland, liberal states the place centrist Republicans have discovered some success in earlier elections, additionally chosen far-right candidates to go up in opposition to a Democrat within the normal election.
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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 Diehl in one of the crucial liberal states within the nation.
Diehl, the favourite amongst state Republican Celebration 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. Diehl has additionally opposed COVID-19 protocols and hailed the Supreme Court docket ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.
Doughty mentioned he supported a few of Trump’s initiatives however needed to concentrate on challenges going through Massachusetts, which he mentioned is more and more unaffordable.
Diehl has come to embrace Trump’s false claims that he received the 2020 election. Diehl mentioned final yr that he didn’t assume it was a “stolen election” however later mentioned the election was rigged, regardless of dozens of courts, native officers and Trump’s personal lawyer normal saying the vote was professional. Doughty, in the meantime, has mentioned he believes President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.
The problem for Diehl within the normal election is that help of Trump might play properly among the many social gathering’s conservative wing however could possibly be a political albatross in a state the place registered Republicans make up lower than 10 p.c of the citizens in comparison with about 31 p.c for Democrats and about 57 p.c for independents.
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Diehl confronted an analogous wrestle when he challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018. He received a three-way Republican major solely to seize simply over a 3rd of the vote within the normal election.
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 test on overwhelming Democratic legislative majorities. Baker, one other Republican in that mould, has remained in style within the state.
Healey has mentioned she would work to develop job coaching packages, make youngster care extra inexpensive and modernize faculties. Healey has additionally mentioned she would defend “entry to protected and authorized abortion in Massachusetts” within the wake of the Supreme Court docket’s choice overturning Roe v. Wade.
However Healey does face an oddball hurdle in Massachusetts — the so-called curse of the lawyer normal. Since 1958, six former Massachusetts attorneys normal 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 develop into U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Tuesday’s election additionally options a number of statewide contested Democratic primaries, together with for lawyer normal and secretary of the commonwealth.
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Former Boston Metropolis Councilor Andrea Campbell defeated employees’ rights lawyer Shannon Liss-Riordan within the Democratic major for lawyer normal. Every week earlier than the election, a 3rd candidate, former assistant lawyer normal Quentin Palfrey, introduced he was suspending his marketing campaign and endorsed Campbell; he remained on the poll.
Campbell can be the primary Black lady to carry the workplace in Massachusetts if elected in November. She’s going to face Republican Jay McMahon, a trial lawyer who beforehand ran in opposition to Healey and misplaced.
Liss-Riordan pumped thousands and thousands of her personal cash into her marketing campaign — together with $6.3 million in August alone. Healey earned an annual wage of greater than $185,000 as lawyer normal.
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 submit if elected.
Galvin will face Republican Rayla Campbell in November. Campbell can also be Black.
There are additionally contested races within the Democratic major for auditor and within the Democratic and Republican races for lieutenant governor.
Not one of the state’s 9 incumbent Democratic U.S. Home members is going through major challengers. There are two contested Republican primaries within the eighth and ninth congressional districts.
