Trump-backed candidate wins Massachusetts GOP governor’s major, AP tasks

BOSTON — 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 average candidate within the race.

The victory for Diehl units up a normal election contest towards Democratic Legal professional Basic Maura Healey, who could be the primary brazenly homosexual particular person and the primary girl elected governor if she wins in November. The state’s present governor, Republican Charlie Baker, determined towards searching 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 get together’s possibilities of profitable 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 towards a Democrat within the normal election.

Healey, whose solely rival for the nomination dropped out of the race however remained on the poll, would be the heavy favourite in November towards Diehl in some of the liberal states within the nation.

Diehl, the favourite amongst state Republican Get together 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 Courtroom ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

Doughty stated he supported a few of Trump’s initiatives however wished to deal with challenges dealing with Massachusetts, which he stated is more and more unaffordable.

Diehl has come to embrace Trump’s false claims that he received the 2020 election. Diehl stated final 12 months that he didn’t suppose it was a “stolen election” however later stated the election was rigged, regardless of dozens of courts, native officers and Trump’s personal legal professional normal saying the vote was authentic. Doughty, in the meantime, has stated he believes President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.

The problem for Diehl within the normal election is that assist of Trump might play nicely among the many get together’s conservative wing however could possibly be a political albatross in a state the place registered Republicans make up lower than 10% of the voters in comparison with about 31% for Democrats and about 57% for independents.

Diehl confronted an analogous battle 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 average Republican governors — together with former Govs. William Weld and Mitt Romney — to supply a verify on overwhelming Democratic legislative majorities. Baker, one other Republican in that mould, has remained in style within the state.

Healey has stated she would work to broaden job coaching applications, make little one care extra inexpensive and modernize colleges. Healey has additionally stated she would defend “entry to secure and authorized abortion in Massachusetts” within the wake of the Supreme Courtroom’s choice overturning Roe v. Wade.

However Healey does face an oddball hurdle in Massachusetts — the so-called curse of the legal professional 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 turn into U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Tuesday’s election additionally options a number of statewide contested Democratic primaries, together with for legal professional normal and secretary of the commonwealth.

Former Boston Metropolis Councilor Andrea Campbell defeated employees’ rights legal professional Shannon Liss-Riordan within the Democratic major for legal professional normal. Per week earlier than the election, a 3rd candidate, former assistant legal professional normal Quentin Palfrey, introduced he was suspending his marketing campaign and endorsed Campbell; he remained on the poll.

Campbell could be the primary Black girl to carry the workplace in Massachusetts if elected in November. She’s going to face Republican Jay McMahon, a trial legal professional who beforehand ran towards Healey and misplaced.

Liss-Riordan pumped tens of millions 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 legal professional 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 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 dealing with major challengers. There are two contested Republican primaries within the eighth and ninth congressional districts.