Millionaire tax passes, South Shore incumbents reelected: Here are local election results

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Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey has been elected governor of Massachusetts, making history as the state’s first woman and first openly gay candidate elected to the office.

Healey defeated Republican Geoff Diehl, of Whitman, a former state representative who had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

Healey's win puts the governor's office in Democratic hands for the first time in eight years. Incumbent Republican Gov. Charlie Baker didn't seek a third term.

“The people of Massachusetts have given us an historic opportunity tonight, and a mandate to act," Healey said in a speech to supporters Tuesday night in Boston. "We’ll ignore the noise and focus every day on making a difference in their lives. Our job from day one will be to make our state more affordable. It is time for us to model the kind of leadership and collaboration and, yes, the respect that we want to see elsewhere. Because in Massachusetts we lift people up. We come together. And we lead. That’s who we are.”

Democrat Andrea Campbell has become the first Black woman in Massachusetts history to be elected attorney general.

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The former Boston city councilor, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor last year, defeated Republican candidate and trial lawyer Jay McMahon. Campbell becomes the third woman to hold the seat in Massachusetts.

Campbell had won Healey's endorsement as well as endorsements from four prior state attorneys general, U.S. Sen. Edward Markey and U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley.

“For those who have felt unseen, this victory is for you. For those who have felt marginalized, this victory is for you. For those who have felt left out, left behind and undervalued, this victory is for you,” she said.

In the race for secretary of state, incumbent Democrat William Galvin defeated Republican Rayla Campbell, who would have been the first Black person to serve in the post.

In the contest for state auditor, Republican Anthony Amore conceded to Democratic state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, while incumbent Democratic state Treasurer Deborah Goldberg has been elected to another four-year term.

Ballot questions

The results of the state's two closely watched ballot questions − one that would create a tax aimed at millionaires and another that would repeal a law allowing those in the country illegally to obtain a state driver's license − came in Wednesday afternoon.

The millionaires tax, ballot question No. 1, was passed by voters. The new tax will add an amendment to the state constitution imposing a 4% surtax on the portion of a person's annual income that exceeds $1 million. Those making up to $1 million, but not exceeding that amount, won't pay new taxes.

The vote was a close one. The "yes" votes to create the tax were tallied at 1,183,915 and the nos at 1,095,561 with 95% of votes counted.

Massachusetts voters also voted against repealing a new law allowing immigrants who are in the country illegally to obtain state driver’s licenses. The measure became law after the Democrat-controlled Massachusetts House and Senate overrode a veto by Baker in June.

Question 4 was also decided in a tight race: 1,213,276 people voted to repeal the law, while 1,046,524 voted to keep it.

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Question 3 – which would have increased the number of licenses a retailer could have for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be consumed off premises, limit the number of “all-alcoholic beverages” licenses a retailer could acquire, restrict use of self-checkout, and require retailers to accept customers’ out-of-state identification − was rejected. With 88% of precincts reporting, 1,126,932 "no" votes had been cast to 920,639 yeses.

Question 2, which was approved, will regulate dental insurance rates, including requiring companies to spend at least 83% of premiums on member dental expenses and quality improvements instead of administrative expenses, and by making other changes to dental insurance regulations.

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Local contests

Also on the ballot were South Shore representatives in Congress and the Legislature.

U.S. House incumbents William Keating, Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Lynch all defeated their challengers to keep their seats.

Keating has represented Massachusetts in the House since 2011 and has held elected office for more than two decades. He faced Republican challenger Jesse Brown, of Plymouth, who said he was running to bring a new voice to Washington. Keating received almost 60% of the vote, with 92% of votes counted Wednesday.

Pressley was challenged for her seat by Boston resident Donnie Palmer. She kept her seat by a vote of 144,902 to 26,481 with 95% of votes counted. Pressley is the first Black woman elected to Congress from Massachusetts, and serves on the Oversight and Reform and Financial Services committees.

Lynch beat challenger Bill Burke to keep his seat. Lynch has been in the House of Representatives since 2001 and he sits on the Financial Services and Oversight and Government Reform committees. With almost 77% of votes counted Wednesday, 70% were tallied for Lynch.

All three of the South Shore's incumbent state senators were reelected.

Republican Patrick O'Connor, of Weymouth, defeated Democratic challenger Robert Stephens by more than 17,000 votes.

Quincy's John Keenan received 65.5% of the votes against Republican Gary Innes with 80% of votes counted Wednesday morning, and Milton's Walter Timilty had 32,797 votes to Republican Brian Muello's 17,298.

State Rep. Tackey Chan, D-Quincy, was declared the winner with 95% of precincts reporting at about 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. Chan had 70% of votes in his race against Republican Sharon Cintolo.

Cintolo is a Boston paramedic who said she was prompted to run by her opposition to the state law that allows undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. Chan said he was seeking reelection because "I want to get things done for my constituents."

State Rep. James Murphy, D-Weymouth, the incumbent in the 4th Norfolk District, defeated Republican challenger Paul Rotondo, a member of the Weymouth Planning Board. Murphy has held the job for 21 years.

With 95% of votes reported at noon Wednesday, it looked like Republican state Rep. David DeCoste, of Norwell, would narrowly defeat Democrat Emmanuel Dockter, of Hanover, to keep his seat. DeCoste received 9,968 votes − about 51.8% − to Doctker's 48.2%, or, 9,257.

DeCoste, 59, is a retired Army officer and a former Norwell selectman. He has a background in accounting and has worked as a comptroller for a family company. This will be his fifth term in the House. Dockter, 43, is a lawyer and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He is a former Hanover selectman, chair of the town's advisory committee and a former member of the master plan implementation committee.

Longtime Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, a Republican, defeated his Democratic challenger, Rahsaan Hall, a Brockton civil rights lawyer. With 80% of the vote counted early Wednesday morning, Cruz supporters accounted for 112,605 votes, or 65.2%, and Hall received almost 60,000 votes.

Hall prosecuted crimes as an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County for eight years and, for more than six years, he directed the racial justice program at the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Cruz has been Plymouth County district attorney since November 2001.

Information from Associated Press reporter Steve LeBlanc was used in this report.

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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: 2022 South Shore election results for governor, AG, representatives