Politics

Maura Healey leads money chase in statewide races

No other candidate raised over $1 million this year

By 0 Comments

WHEN IT COMES to political fundraising this cycle, Democratic attorney general and gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey continues to far outpace absolutely everyone.

Healey raised $2.3 million between January and June of 2022, while no other candidate for statewide office even exceeded $1 million.

A look at political contributions for statewide races between January and June, posted on the website of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, gives an early indication of how much donor support each candidate is getting.

One trend in all the races was that Democrats are outraising Republicans, which is unsurprising in a state where voters lean heavily Democratic.

In the governor’s race, other than Healey, Republican Chris Doughty reported raising $775,000, but over $500,000 of that came from his own pocket. Democratic Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz raised $468,000, and Republican Geoff Diehl raised $296,000.

In the race for lieutenant governor, Democratic Sen. Eric Lesser is by far the top fundraiser, raising nearly $650,000 this year. That could make him and Healey a formidable fundraising machine should they win their respective primaries and end up topping the Democratic ticket in November. None of the other candidates for lieutenant governor – Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Bret Bero, Rep. Tami Gouveia, and Sen. Adam Hinds on the Democratic side, or Republicans Kate Campanale or Leah Allen – exceeded $300,000. Driscoll came in second among that pack, with $282,000.

One other formidable fundraiser is attorney general candidate Andrea Campbell, a former Boston city councilor. Campbell was the only other statewide candidate to come close to $1 million, raising $923,000 since she entered the race in February. She benefitted from her Boston roots, raising nearly $340,000 from donors living in the city. Also in the attorney general’s race, Democrat Shannon Liss-Riordan raised $678,000 this year, of which $500,000 she contributed herself, while Democrat Quentin Palfrey raised $230,000. Republican Jay McMahon trailed with just $25,000.

In the secretary of state’s race, Democrat Tanisha Sullivan, a former NAACP Boston president, is launching a strong challenge against incumbent Democrat William Galvin. Unusual for a challenger, Sullivan actually outraised Galvin this year, raising $237,000 to Galvin’s $189,000. Galvin, however, may not need to raise as much money now since he has $2 million in the bank, reflecting a war chest built up over years in office. Republican Rayla Campbell lags in fundraising, having raised just $17,000.

Meet the Author

Shira Schoenberg

Reporter, CommonWealth
Bio » Latest Stories »

About Shira Schoenberg

Shira Schoenberg is a reporter at CommonWealth magazine. Shira previously worked for more than seven years at the Springfield Republican/MassLive.com where she covered state politics and elections, covering topics as diverse as the launch of the legal marijuana industry, problems with the state's foster care system and the elections of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Gov. Charlie Baker. Shira won the Massachusetts Bar Association's 2018 award for Excellence in Legal Journalism and has had several stories win awards from the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Shira covered the 2012 New Hampshire presidential primary for the Boston Globe. Before that, she worked for the Concord (N.H.) Monitor, where she wrote about state government, City Hall and Barack Obama's 2008 New Hampshire primary campaign. Shira holds a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

About Shira Schoenberg

Shira Schoenberg is a reporter at CommonWealth magazine. Shira previously worked for more than seven years at the Springfield Republican/MassLive.com where she covered state politics and elections, covering topics as diverse as the launch of the legal marijuana industry, problems with the state's foster care system and the elections of U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Gov. Charlie Baker. Shira won the Massachusetts Bar Association's 2018 award for Excellence in Legal Journalism and has had several stories win awards from the New England Newspaper and Press Association. Shira covered the 2012 New Hampshire presidential primary for the Boston Globe. Before that, she worked for the Concord (N.H.) Monitor, where she wrote about state government, City Hall and Barack Obama's 2008 New Hampshire primary campaign. Shira holds a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.

In the auditor’s race, the two Democrats have raised similar amounts this year – $203,000 for Sen. Diana DiZoglio and $173,000 for Chris Dempsey. Republican Anthony Amore raised $70,000.

Jerold Duquette, an associate professor of political science at Central Connecticut State University and the author of a blog and book on Massachusetts politics, said while modern candidates have an opportunity to get attention without spending tons of money, Massachusetts maintains a very traditional and transactional political culture. “It’s fair to say [fundraising] success in this period is indicative of electoral viability,” Duquette said. If Healey’s fundraising is impressive, he said, it indicates an assumption by donors that she will be the Democratic nominee, and likely the governor – though the conventional wisdom could still change between now and November.

Tagged in: