Massachusetts’ Democratic attorney general, Maura Healey, has been elected governor, making history as the state’s first woman and first openly gay candidate elected to the office.
Healey defeated the Republican Geoff Diehl, a former state representative who had the endorsement of Donald Trump. Her election returns the governor’s office to Democrats after eight years of Republican leadership under the popular governor Charlie Baker, who opted not to seek re-election.
Healey was also one of two out lesbian candidates who ran to be a governor in the country. Healey and Tina Kotek, a Democratic candidate for governor in Oregon, each began the day with a chance to become the first out gay woman elected governor of a state.
During the campaign, Healey pledged to expand job training programs, make childcare more affordable and modernize schools. Healey has also said she would protect “access to safe and legal abortion in Massachusetts” in the wake of the supreme court’s decision overturning Roe v Wade.
The 51-year-old has also checked off what she considers a series of accomplishments during her time as the state’s top law enforcement officer, including protecting students and homeowners from predatory lenders and suing ExxonMobil over whether the oil giant misled investors and the public about its knowledge of the climate crisis.
Healey also targeted the maker of OxyContin, Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family over allegations they deceived patients and doctors about the risks of opioids.
During the campaign, the Democrat warned Diehl would “bring Trumpism to Massachusetts”. Diehl served as co-chair for Trump’s first presidential campaign in Massachusetts and won his endorsement for governor in a state that roundly rejected Trump in 2016 and 2020.
Although Healey is the first woman in Massachusetts elected governor, she’s not the first to serve in the office. The Republican Jane Swift, then lieutenant governor, became acting governor in 2001 when governor Paul Cellucci resigned to become ambassador to Canada. Swift was never elected governor.
Since 1991, Republicans had held the corner office at the statehouse for all but eight years, when the Democrat Deval Patrick was governor.
