Democrat Maura Healey sailed to victory in Massachusetts governor’s race on Tuesday, soundly defeating Republican Geoff Diehl to become the first woman and openly gay candidate to win the state’s top elected post.
Healey and her running mate Kim Driscoll, a Salem Democrat, had more than 64% of the vote against Republican challenger Diehl and his running mate, Leah Allen of Danvers.
“I’m here tonight because of the people of this state who talked to me about their lives and their dreams, what they want, and what they need,” Healey told supporters at the Fairmont Copley Plaza hotel Tuesday night. “To those who voted for me, and those who didn’t, I want you to know I’ll be a governor for everyone.”
Healey and Driscoll both thanked their family, friends and supporters and reminded them that the duo will break through Beacon Hill’s traditional glass-ceiling with the first, all-female gubernatorial administration.
“Hey Massachusetts, tonight we made history,” Driscoll told the crowd to a roar of applause. “Actually, we made herstory!”
The Associated Press called the race shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. but Diehl’s campaign didn’t immediately accept the outcome of the election.
Healey and Driscoll will replace two-term Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, who weren’t seeking another term.
They will also shift control of the governor’s corner office back to Democrats for the first time in eight years.
In other statewide races, Democrat Andrea Campbell, a former Boston city councilor, defeated Republican Jay McMahon, a Bourne lawyer, in the race to replace Healey as the state’s attorney general. She will become the state’s first Black attorney general.
Incumbent Secretary of State William Galvin, a Democrat, deflected a challenge from Republican nominee Rayla Campbell and Green-Rainbow candidate Juan Sanchez to win a historic eighth term, making him one of the longest-serving secretaries of state in the nation.
In the state auditor’s race, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, D-Methuen, appeared poised to edge out Republican Anthony Amore of Winchester and three independent candidates to replace Democrat Suzanne Bump, who isn’t seeking a fourth term.
And incumbent Treasurer Deb Goldberg easily fended off a challenge from Libertarian candidate Cristina Crawford to win another term as the state’s top financial watchdog.
Despite her loss, Crawford received more than the 3% of the vote needed to restore the Libertarian Party’s status as a major political party ahead of the 2024 presidential election.