BOSTON (WHDH) - Voters are hitting the polls for the primary Tuesday morning with some key decisions to make.
Two GOP candidates are at the top of today’s ticket to keep the governor’s office in the party. Trump-endorsed candidate Geoff Diehl, a former state representative, is going up against businessman and political newcomer Chris Doughty for the state’s top job.
“Go and vote for a really incredible champion for your rights and your values and your jobs, the next governor of Massachusetts, Geoff Diehl,” former president Donald Trump said in a call during Diehl’s rally on Monday.
“When you have the former president in the Republican primary giving you his blessing and letting people know that he trusts my vision to make Massachusetts stronger for the people of the Commonwealth, that’s exciting,” said Diehl.
Doughty, who also rallied on Monday, spoke about appealing to a more moderate crowd.
“I think we’ve become too extreme,” said Diehl. “We need to work towards the middle, we need to unite people, after COVID this is at the time of hope and optimism and bringing people together to solve specific problems.”
The winner of Tuesday’s primary will take on Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey in the governor’s race this November after her opposing candidate dropped out in June.
Healey said the differences are clear between herself and whoever emerges out of the Republican primary.
“Whether it’s funding for access to abortion, climate, standing up for consumers, small businesses, affordability, I am somebody who is just completely opposite of where they are,” Healey said.
The vacancy comes after Governor Charlie Baker chose not to seek re-election, with Healey running for his post.
Three candidates are running for Massachusetts Attorney General including Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, who will face off against Labor Attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan for the Democratic nomination. Whoever wins will face off against Republican Jay McMahon, a trial attorney out of Bourne, Massachusetts, in November.
7NEWS will have live coverage of the election throughout the day Tuesday.
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