Poll shows Massachusetts Dems leading in all statewide races

Matt Murphy

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey’s position as the odds-on favorite to become the next governor of Massachusetts has been solidified three weeks out from the election with a poll showing the Democrat holding a 56-33 advantage over Republican Geoff Diehl.

The Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC10 poll released Tuesday night had Healey leading Diehl with voters of all ages, genders, races and in every region of the state. “This race is about [Healey], and it’s really not about anyone else,” David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center, told The Boston Globe. “Nothing has broken against her too much.”

The narrative around Healey being an unstoppable force has not changed much since she entered the race in early 2022 and her prospective primary opponents dropped out one by one. Diehl has never been given much of a chance by observers who looked at Gov. Charlie Baker enduring popularity (69 percent job approval) and the efforts by Diehl and the MassGOP to distance themselves from the governor as a recipe for failure.

Democratic candidates lead by double digits in every other statewide race as well, according to the poll. The closest contest appears to be that for auditor, but even then, Republican Anthony Amore trails Sen. Diana DiZoglio 40 percent to 25 percent.

The poll also indicated voters are likely to approve a new surtax on high-income earners (58-37) and allow a law to stand (56-39) giving immigrants who are unable to prove their legal status access to driver’s licenses.

The poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday, after Healey and Diehl’s first televised debate. Diehl will have one more shot to blunt Healey momentum Thursday night in the final debate of the season.