The MA Governor's Race is Maura Healey's To Lose

On Thursday, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey formally announced she would be seeking the Democratic Party nomination for Governor. Later that day, U.S. Secretary of Labor and former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced he would not be entering the race.

In light of Walsh opting to stay in Washington, the Massachusetts Governor's race is now Healey's to lose. If Healey, who is serving her second term as Attorney General, is to lose it would be in the Democratic primary rather than in the general election. 

At this point, the only Republican of note who has declared is former state rep Geoff Diehl who unlike current GOP governor Charlie Baker is unabashedly pro-Trump. Back in August 2021, Diehl called for a forensic audit for "possible irregularities" in Massachusetts during the 2020 election. What does Diehl think he's going to find in a state where Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by 33 points? At best, he's whackadoodle. At worst, Diehl wants to undermine our faith in democracy. Either way, I cannot see Diehl defeating Healey nor any other Democratic gubernatorial candidate. In other words, Massachusetts is going to elect its first female governor later this year and it will most likely be Healey.

Healey faces two challengers - State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and Harvard University professor Danielle Allen. While Allen has never previously sought public office, Chang-Diaz had served seven terms in the Massachusetts Senate. If Healey faces pressure it will most likely be by Chang-Diaz. While Healey has already raised substantially more money, Chang-Diaz has been gaining endorsements. Still, endorsements can change in an instant and we shall see if this comes to pass here.

The only way I see Healey losing the Democratic primary is if she makes a gaffe or a series of them or if progressive activists find something in Healey's record as Attorney General so egregious or simply don't want someone they perceive as a centrist that they coalesce around one of her opponents. 

The Massachusetts Democratic Primary takes place on September 20th while the gubernatorial election will be on November 8th.