Maura Healey, who served as attorney general for the state of Massachusetts since 2015, is running to be the next governor of the state. 

Healey, a Democrat, is running against Republican candidate Geoff Diehl and Libertarian candidate Kevin Reed. There is no incumbent candidate in this election. 

In 2014, Healey was elected the first openly gay attorney general in the United States, running on a platform that focused on civil rights, clean energy, criminal justice reform, and economic inequality, according to Ballotpedia. She was re-elected in 2018; while in office, she led charges to “sue Exxon mobile for lying about climate change, held Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family accountable for their role in fueling the opioid epidemic and made the AG’s office the first statewide office to implement paid leave for families,” according to her website. 

In her previous tenure in public office, Healey has pledged to “run an office that serves people across the state,” according to the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts. Her previous initiatives included launching a Community Engagement Division, advocating for workplace inclusivity and working towards civil rights improvements across the state.

Her 2022 campaign for governor focuses on investing in housing, public transportation, clean energy, and job training. According to her campaign website, Healey is running for governor in an attempt to help Massachusetts families and invest in climate change initiatives.

Healey declined an interview. All information provided has been found through alternate sources. and attributed as such. 

Healey’s current campaign for governor places a heavy emphasis on teamwork and her concerted effort to “…cut taxes, reduce costs in housing and transportation, improve education and make vocational training available so every student has the skills they need,” per her advertisement covered by the Boston Globe. 

Her effort to unite Massachusetts is reaffirmed by her commitment to teamwork. Healey says in her ad, “I’ve stood with you as the people’s lawyer, and now I’m running to be your governor. I grew up one of five kids raised by a single mom, a school nurse. It wasn’t always easy, but teamwork got us through. I believe in teamwork. I’ve seen it on the court and in the court as your attorney general.”

In regard to critical election issues, Healey has a history of fighting for accessible and affordable reproductive care, according to her campaign website.

Continuing her efforts from her time as attorney general, Healey’s website states that “Maura will work closely with legislative leaders, public health experts, and advocates like the Beyond ROE Coalition to ensure Massachusetts remains a beacon of hope for all who are seeking care. She was also an early and strong supporter of the ACCESS Law, which expanded access to contraception, and the ROE Act, which removed several anti-abortion restrictions from Massachusetts law in 2020.” 

Housing is another critical issue Massachusetts voters will be thinking about in November. Healey’s website stresses her campaign’s commitment to “ensure that housing is available at all income levels, especially for our public sector workers, such as teachers, public safety workers and others that may be currently priced out of local markets.”

Especially for younger voting blocs, climate change is a top issue. Per her campaign website, Healey is committed to “innovating state government, working directly with communities, implementing science-based policy, partnering with clean technology businesses, and supporting clean energy research and development,” according to her website. 

As the mental health crisis in the United States grows, Healey says that she will “lower the cost of prescription drugs by increasing transparency in the pharmaceutical industry” and “expanding and supporting our local and regional public health agencies to integrate their expertise into [our] healthcare system,” according to her website. During her time as attorney general, she worked to address rising healthcare costs and plans to continue that work if elected governor, according to the National Association of Attorney General and her campaign website. 

While many of these initiatives focus on national issues, Healey also reaffirms her commitment to improving the state of Massachusetts at a local level. Originally reported by NBC Boston, Healey said that as governor, she plans to “urgently address the failings at the MBTA, expand rail and buses across our state, and continue to fix our roads and bridges. This will drive economic growth, create good-paying jobs and support residents and businesses.”

Healey has currently raised about $4.5 million since Jan. 1, 2022 from about 18,000 donations according to OCPF. This is more than four times the amount her Republican competitor for governor, Geoff Diehl, has raised.His contributions total , his contributions totaling just over $1 million. per OCPF. Most of her donors for this election campaign are from those who listed their occupation as “unemployed,” according to her donor records from OCPF.

Healey, 51, grew up in New Hampshire before attending Harvard College and captaining the basketball team there. After a brief stint playing professional basketball overseas in Austria, she attended Northeastern University’s School of Law, “motivated by a commitment to public service and desire to help people,” according to her campaign website. She currently lives in Boston. 

Healey’s time spent as attorney general and her campaign for governor both affirm that the people and state of Massachusetts are her biggest priority. As quoted on The Jimmy Tingle Show, Healey said “we need leadership, we need leadership from the states. And there’s no better state to lead from or lead by example, than Massachusetts.”