A Trump-endorsed candidate for governor in Massachusetts, who if successful would replace outgoing Republican Charlie Baker, is losing to his Democratic challenger by nearly 30 percent.
The polling in the Massachusetts governor’s race mirrors surveys from the gubernatorial election in Maryland, where Republican Dan Cox, a state legislator, is facing Democratic challenger Wes Moore in a race to replace outgoing Republican — and Trump critic — Larry Hogan. Moore is far ahead of Cox in polling in a state where registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans but Hogan secured enough bipartisan support — including currently high approval levels from Democrats — to serve for two terms. As for Massachusetts, the Republican in the race is Geoff Diehl, who is challenging Democratic candidate Maura Healey.
Trump endorsed Diehl late last year before the GOP’er won that state’s primary. The first issue Trump mentioned in the endorsement was energy costs, although he eventually got to his favorite talking point: election integrity, which to the former president means something along the lines of his side winning — or else. “Baker is bad on crime, disrespects our police, does nothing for our Veterans, has totally botched the Vaccination rollout, presided over the collapse of the MBTA, and has seen crime go to record levels,” Trump complained, referring to the current governor.
In contrast, Trump called Diehl “a true patriot, a believer in low energy costs and our independent energy policy.” Well, in a new poll associated in part with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Diehl was supported by just 32 percent. When those merely leaning towards one of the major party contenders was included, his support reached 33 percent. In sharp contrast, Healey had 59 percent without so-called leaners and 61 percent including them. It won’t be close. Overall, most respondents also said they felt Healey more closely resembled Baker in ideology, policy priorities, and leadership style.
Healey is the state Attorney General in Massachusetts. Diehl, who has also previously run against Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), has experience as a state legislator. In other noteworthy gubernatorial polling, Democratic candidate Joy Hofmeister has led in multiple polls against Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt. Hofmeister is a state-level education official overseeing public schools, a position to which she was elected twice — as a Republican. She changed her partisan affiliation prior to challenging Stitt, the latter of whom has been among the most avowedly anti-abortion GOP governors in the country. Hofmeister has also criticized Stitt for pushing a school voucher plan that would provide government support for students seeking to attend private school — potentially undercutting resources available for public school, particularly in areas where few other educational options are available. Doug Mastriano, the election-denying Trump guy in the Pennsylvania governor’s race, is also significantly down in polling.
