In a predictable primary election, Attorney General Martha Coakley secured her place on November’s ballot as the Democratic candidate for governor, pitting her against Charlie Baker, who won the Republican primary Tuesday night.
Both candidates had lost bids for higher office in recent years, setting November’s general election up to be a story of redemption. Coakley disappointed many Democrats by losing the January 2010 special Senate election to Scott Brown, while Baker lost the 2010 gubernatorial race to then-incumbent Deval Patrick.
Coakley obtained 42 percent of the votes, beating out Steve Grossman’s 37 percent and Donald Berwick’s 21 percent. Grossman conceded around 10:15 p.m. Tuesday night.
Baker beat opponent Mark Fisher in a landslide, winning 75 percent of the vote to his Tea Party opponent’s 26 percent.
At his victory party, Baker said that Democrats are “stuck in the past,” and vowed to “bring balance to state government and opportunity for all citizens.”
Coakley thanked her supporters via Twitter, saying that the election will be decided by hardworking families, not SuperPACs, and that every part of Massachusetts will thrive.
The victor of the general election will replace Governor Patrick who was elected in 2006.
Other races
Stephen Kerrigan won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, beating out Leland Cheung and Mike Lake with 51 percent of the vote. Karyn Polito, the Republican candidate, ran unopposed.
The Democratic nomination for attorney general went to Maura Healey, who bested Warren Tolman by about 25 percent. Healey will face Republican John Miller who ran unopposed.
Deborah Goldberg beat Barry Finegold and Thomas Conroy as the Democratic candidate for treasurer. Goldberg received 43 percent of the vote, while Finegold and Conroy received 31 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
In U.S. House District 1, Amherst’s Congressional district, Richard Neal went uncontested in the Democratic primary. There was no Republican primary.
William Gavin and David D’Arcangelo, the respective Democratic and Republican candidates for secretary of state, each had no opponents in their primaries. Candidates for auditor Democrat Suzanne Bump and Republican Patricia Saint Aubin also ran unopposed in their primaries.
Neither U.S. Senate candidate had a primary challenger, leaving Democratic Senator Ed Markey and Republican Brian Herr to fight for the seat in the general election.
Patrick Hoff can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter @Hoff_Patrick16.
