Massachusetts

Will She Run? All Eyes on Healey in Mass. Governor's Race

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has long been linked to a potential Democratic campaign for governor.

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Time is starting to run out for any dark horses. Many are watching Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, Congressman Seth Moulton, Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell and former US Attorney Andrew Lelling.

While four candidates have already jumped into the now wide-open 2022 governor’s race in Massachusetts, all eyes are on one democrat still contemplating: Attorney General Maura Healey.

Would Healey dominate if she gets in?

“I don’t see how she couldn’t,” said 2014 lt. governor nominee Steve Kerrigan.

Kerrigan says it’s unfortunate for the democrats who have been campaigning this past year but Healey’s numbers don’t lie.

“She’d be ahead immediately in the money primary. She’d be ahead immediately in the name ID primary and she’d be ahead in the viability primary,” Kerrigan added.

Another possible candidate that could match those numbers is former Boston Mayor now Labor Secretary Marty Walsh who is said to be considering.

But Kerrigan warned, “When I ran for lieutenant governor, once you stepped outside of the City of Boston, there is a lot of appeal for candidates who aren’t from the City Of Boston.”

Former state Republican party Chair Jennifer Nassour says, “Right now, the Democratic Party is just stumbling over themselves to go to the left.”

Nassour says Massachusetts voters have shown they like a moderate in the corner office.

As for President Donald Trump’s 2016 state campaign co-chair Geoff Diehl, who has the support of current MassGOP leadership, Nassour said Diehl is not her candidate.

“No, he’s not. I don’t believe that Geoff Diehl could actually win the governor’s race," Nassour said. "I think there’s definitely a dark-horse out there.”

But time is starting to run out for any dark horses.

Many are watching Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George, Congressman Seth Moulton, Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell and former US Attorney Andrew Lelling.

Massachusetts will elect a new governor in 2022, with Charlie Baker opting not to run for reelection.

“You’ve got to start collecting signatures in about two months. You’ve got to start raising money about yesterday,” Kerrigan said.

Candidates considering a run for governor will want to decide in the next couple of months before the caucuses begin.

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