BOSTON (AP) — Geoff Diehl, a former state consultant endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has received the Republican nomination for Massachusetts governor over businessman Chris Doughty, who was thought of the extra average candidate within the race.

The victory for Diehl units up a common election contest towards Democratic Lawyer Normal Maura Healey, who can be the primary brazenly homosexual individual and the primary girl elected governor of Massachusetts if she wins in November. The state’s present governor, Republican Charlie Baker, determined towards searching for a 3rd time period.

Republican voters made Massachusetts the newest blue state this midterm season to appoint a Trump loyalist in a high-profile race, doubtlessly dooming the celebration’s probabilities of profitable in November. Voters in Connecticut and Maryland, liberal states the place centrist Republicans have discovered some success in earlier elections, additionally chosen far-right candidates to go up towards a Democrat within the common election.

Healey, whose solely rival for the nomination dropped out of the race however remained on the poll, would be the heavy favourite in November towards Diehl in one of the liberal states within the nation.

At her victory celebration Tuesday night time earlier than the GOP race was referred to as for Diehl, Healey informed cheering supporters that no matter which candidate emerged as her opponent, “We all know he’ll be out of contact with the values we stand for.” Talking of each candidates, she added, “They’ll deliver Trumpism to Massachusetts.”

Diehl, the favourite amongst state Republican Occasion delegates, has ties to Trump stretching to 2016, when he served as co-chair for Trump’s presidential marketing campaign in Massachusetts. Diehl has additionally opposed COVID-19 protocols and hailed the Supreme Court docket ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.

Doughty mentioned he supported a few of Trump’s initiatives however needed to deal with challenges going through Massachusetts, which he mentioned is more and more unaffordable.

Throughout a telerally Monday night time, Trump mentioned Diehl would “rule your state with an iron fist.”

Diehl has come to embrace Trump’s false claims that he received the 2020 election. Diehl mentioned final 12 months that he didn’t assume it was a “stolen election” however later mentioned the election was rigged, regardless of dozens of courts, native officers and Trump’s personal legal professional common saying the vote was legit. Doughty, in the meantime, has mentioned he believes President Joe Biden was legitimately elected.

The problem for Diehl within the common election is that help of Trump might play effectively among the many celebration’s conservative wing however may very well be a political albatross in a state the place registered Republicans make up lower than 10% of the voters in comparison with about 31% for Democrats and about 57% for independents.

Diehl confronted the same battle when he challenged Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2018. He received a three-way Republican main solely to seize simply over a 3rd of the vote within the common election.

Massachusetts has a historical past of electing fiscally conservative, socially average Republican governors — together with former Govs. William Weld and Mitt Romney — to offer a test on overwhelming Democratic legislative majorities. Baker, one other Republican in that mould, has remained well-liked within the state.

Healey has mentioned she would work to increase job coaching applications, make baby care extra reasonably priced and modernize faculties. Healey has additionally mentioned she would shield “entry to secure and authorized abortion in Massachusetts” within the wake of the Supreme Court docket’s determination overturning Roe v. Wade.

However Healey does face an oddball hurdle in Massachusetts — the so-called curse of the legal professional common. Since 1958, six former Massachusetts attorneys common have sought the governor’s workplace. All failed.

The state has beforehand had a feminine governor, although she was appointed to the place. Republican Jane Swift served as appearing governor after Gov. Paul Cellucci stepped down in 2001 to turn out to be U.S. ambassador to Canada.

Tuesday’s election additionally featured a number of statewide contested Democratic primaries, together with for legal professional common and secretary of the commonwealth.

Former Boston Metropolis Councilor Andrea Campbell defeated employees’ rights legal professional Shannon Liss-Riordan within the Democratic main for legal professional common. Per week earlier than the election, a 3rd candidate, former assistant legal professional common Quentin Palfrey, introduced he was suspending his marketing campaign and endorsed Campbell; he remained on the poll.

Campbell can be the primary Black girl to carry the workplace in Massachusetts if elected in November. She’s going to face Republican Jay McMahon, a trial legal professional who beforehand ran towards Healey and misplaced.

Liss-Riordan pumped hundreds of thousands of her personal cash into her marketing campaign — together with $6.3 million in August alone. Healey earned an annual wage of greater than $185,000 as legal professional common.

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, who’s vying for an eighth time period in workplace, defeated fellow Democrat Tanisha Sullivan, president of the Boston department of the NAACP. Sullivan would have been the primary Black individual to serve within the publish if elected.

Galvin will face Republican Rayla Campbell in November. Campbell can also be Black.

Within the Democratic three-way race for lieutenant governor, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll defeated state Rep. Tami Gouveia of Acton and state Sen. Eric Lesser of Longmeadow.

There are additionally contested races within the Democratic main for auditor and within the Republican races for lieutenant governor.

Not one of the state’s 9 incumbent Democratic U.S. Home members is going through main challengers. There have been two contested Republican primaries within the eighth and ninth congressional districts.