What role will Trump endorsement play in MA race for Governor?
From Worcester to West Roxbury, Massachusetts’ gubernatorial candidates hit the ground running Wednesday hours after voters had their say in the state primary.
“It’s about making Massachusetts the greatest place to live, to raise a family, to set up a business” Healey told her supporters in Worcester.
“Beacon Hill is on not listening to the people of Massachusetts now,” Diehl told supporters in West Roxbury.
It could be an uphill battle for the Republican from Whitman, former Massachusetts state representative Geoff Diehl. He’s going head to head with the state’s current Attorney General, Maura Healey. A June poll from UMass Lowell had Healey over Diehl 61% to 30%.
Healey also has a lot more in the campaign war chest. As of August 31st, 2022 Healey had roughly $4.7 million compared to nothing for Diehl, according to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
“I think it’s a real uphill battle, in part because he’s not willing to do what it takes,” said Erin O’brien, author and associate professor of political science at UMass Boston.
O’Brien believes Diehl would really have to shift center to appeal to the Massachusetts moderate voter, which she doesn’t see happening.
“This is a crusade for the heart and soul of the Republican party. And he thinks that party should go in the direction of Trump,” O’Brien said.
Former President Trump, who earned only 32% of the Massachusetts vote in 2020, has consistently backed Diehl.
And that’s something Boston 25 News anchor Kerry Kavanaugh asked Diehl about in August in our Coffee with Candidates series.
“Is that going to help or hurt you in Massachusetts?” asked Kavanaugh back in August.
“To be honest with you, I think the attention is now more focused on Biden and the economy he’s got going which is not in the right direction,” said Diehl
“But is the Trump endorsement going to help or hurt you,” Kavanaugh responded.
“It helps in the Republican primary, I think it remains to be seen how it will affect the general election,” said Diehl.
On Wednesday, Healey wasted no time pouncing on that Trump endorsement.
“The choice could not be more clear,” Healey said. “We have an opponent who is Donald Trump and working to bring ‘Trumpism’ to Massachusetts. And given the work particularly that I’ve done in the last few years in taking on Donald Trump and all the ways he was trying to harm our residents our businesses, I know something about that. And I also know that Massachusetts has no tolerance for that.”
“I think defending people’s rights and constitutional values is nowhere near extreme, though people have tried to make that case,” said Diehl.
Diehl said he hopes to see as many debates with Healey as possible before the November general election. He only agreed to one against his running mate in the primary, Chris Doughty.
Healey said in response she’s happy to debate Geoff Diehl anytime.
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