The
Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2006
was held on November 7, 2006. Former US Assistant Attorney General
Deval Patrick was elected to a
four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his
first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American
governor in the United States since
Reconstruction.
Every four
years, Massachusetts
holds elections for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, as
part of the general
statewide election. The Primary election was September
19, 2006.
| Note: All
candidates and parties are listed in alphabetical order. |
Candidates for Governor
One-term
Republican
governor Mitt
Romney did not seek re-election; his term ended January 4,
2007. Polls had been mixed prior to Romney's announcement, with one
poll showing Romney slightly leading
Democrat Attorney General Tom Reilly and other polls showing Reilly, who
was then the Democratic frontrunner, in the lead. Romney endorsed
Lieutenant
Governor Kerry Healey to succeed
him in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Republican
Christy Mihos left his party to run as an
Independent, and the
Green-Rainbow
Party nominated a slate of candidates for statewide office.
While the
Libertarian
Party has often run candidates for governor in the past, the
deadline for filing signatures passed this year without a nominated
Libertarian candidate. State law requires that candidates for
state-wide office be registered in their party (or unenrolled for
independent candidates) by March 7.
Democratic
Green-Rainbow
Republican
- Kerry Healey -
incumbent Lieutenant Governor, elected in 2002 on ticket with Mitt
Romney; has a background as a criminologist, former Massachusetts Republican
Party chairwoman.
Independent
Democratic Primary
- See Election results below
for details.
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary
election. On September 19, 2006, Patrick won the Democratic primary
with 50% of the vote, ahead of Gabrieli (27%) and Reilly
(23%).
Caucuses
The Democratic State Caucuses were held in February in all cities
and towns to elect delegates to the convention. The Patrick
campaign organized their supporters, many of whom had never been
involved in such party processes before, to win twice as many
pledged delegates as the Reilly campaign. (Chris Gabrieli did not
join the race until a month later, which played a major role in his
difficulty in getting on the ballot).
Debates
The first
two debates took place in late April, and were the first of many
between then and September: WBZ-CBS4
News hosted
a debate between Democratic candidates Chris Gabrieli, Deval
Patrick, and Tom Reilly on April 21 and it aired at 8:30 AM on
April 23. A second Democratic candidate debate,
moderated by Sy Becker from WWLP TV 22
, was held at Agawam
Middle School on April 27. On April 25,
Healey called for a series of four debates involving all four
candidates between the September primaries and November general
election, and this proposition was seconded by Patrick.
The final two televised debates played a key role in the primary
campaign, as they took place during the two weeks between
Labor Day and Primary Day when the public and the
media hold their greatest focus on the election.
The first of the two
was carried about by the media consortium (which includes the
Boston Globe, NECN,
and WBUR
, among
others) and moderated by former New Hampshire governor Jeanne Shaheen, while the second and final
debate was held by WBZ-TV and
moderated by their political analyst, Jon Keller.
Convention
At the Democratic Convention on June 3 at the DCU Center in
Worcester, Massachusetts, each candidate needed to receive support
from 15% of the delegates to be on the primary ballot in September,
and there was some question as to whether Gabrieli could succeed
after entering the race so late. Patrick received the convention's
endorsement with 57.98% of the vote, Reilly made it with 26.66%,
and Gabrieli just made it with 15.36%.
Major events and controversies
On August 11, Joan Vennochi of
The
Boston Globe wrote that Reilly's campaign had been
coordinating with an alleged attempt to
swiftboat Deval Patrick over his experience at
Coca-Cola.
The "Campaign to Stop Killer Coke",
a group dedicated to holding Coca-Cola accountable for violence in
its Colombian
bottling plant in the mid-1990s, had begun to
attack Patrick and his candidacy, even though he resigned from the
company and said he'd done so after his attempts to get them to
carry out an independent investigation were ignored and
undermined. Before the revelation of the Reilly campaign
involvement, five Massachusetts unions filed a complaint against
the group with the
Office of Campaign and
Political Finance, a move supported by former
Secretary of the
Commonwealth candidate
John Bonifaz
and based on research by
David Kravitz
of
Blue Mass Group.
Media endorsements
- Deval Patrick: Attleboro
Sun Chronicle, Bay State
Banner, Blue Mass
Group, Boston Globe,
Brookline Tab, Cambridge Chronicle, Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle,
Wellesley Townsman,
Worcester Magazine
- Tom Reilly: Boston
Herald, Cape Cod
Times, Springfield
Republican
General election
The general election campaign kicked off officially around 10 PM on
Primary Election Day (September 19, 2006) after Tom Reilly and
Chris Gabrieli conceded and Kerry Healey accepted her uncontested
nomination. Deval Patrick followed with his acceptance speech at
about 11 PM, appearing with his new running mate Tim Murray and
former opponent Chris Gabrieli.
Debates
The first
televised debate of the general election was held by WFXT
and the
Boston Herald] on September
25 on WFXT.
Moderated
by Fox News' Chris
Wallace on the day after his infamous Bill Clinton
interview, he was equally unsuccessful at keeping it under much
control: despite a set of topics very in line with Kerry Healey's
major issues, instead of helping her, the debate was dominated by
Christy Mihos's attacks on her administration's handling of the
Big
Dig
.
The second debate was held in Springfield and broadcast on
WGBH and
NECN. By comparison and
perhaps by reaction, this debate was much more subdued and tightly
controlled by the moderator.
Major events and controversies
The general election campaign was very heated and was referred to
by
Mike Dukakis as "the dirtiest
gubernatorial campaign in my memory". Blame for this has primarily
been placed on the Healey campaign and its supporters, for many
reasons, including their reliance on attack ads implying that Deval
Patrick supports sexual assault or murder of police (culminating in
the now infamous "parking lot rape" ad), her supporters protesting
at the homes of Patrick and campaign manager John Walsh (including
intimidating Walsh's 12-year-old son waiting for the school bus) ,
and documents leaked anonymously to media about Patrick's
brother-in-law's criminal history.
Also, Grace Ross generated some controversy in the GBLT media for
not promoting herself through her sexuality in the course of the
televised debates. Also, after the final debate, WRKO talk radio
host
John DePetro came under scrutiny
for referring to Ross as a "fat lesbian". DePetro was suspended
earlier in the year for calling Turnpike Authority chief Matt
Amorello a "fag".
Media endorsements
Kerry Healey:
Boston Herald,
Springfield Republican The Eagle-Tribune
Sentinel & Enterprise Lowell Sun Cape Cod
Times
Deval Patrick:
The Boston
Globe,
Worcester Telegram &
Gazette,
MetroWest
Daily News,
Providence
Journal,
Berkshire Eagle,
Boston Phoenix,
Newton Tab,
West Roxbury & Roslindale Transcript
Christy Mihos:
Walpole
Gazette
Grace Ross:
In City Times
Election results
Democratic Primary
General Election
Official results certified by the Massachusetts Secretary of State,
as of December 6, 2006, with all 2,166 precincts reporting.
Patrick won a majority of the vote in every county in the
state.
Opinion polls
General election
| Poll |
Date |
MoE |
Patrick (D) |
Healey (R) |
Mihos (I) |
Ross (GR) |
Und/Other |
Lead |
| Suffolk University |
November 2-November 5, 2006 |
±4.9% |
53% |
31% |
6% |
2% |
9% |
D+22 |
| State House News |
November 1-November 2, 2006 |
±5% |
50.9% |
27.1% |
8.0% |
2.1% |
6.7% |
D+23.8 |
| SurveyUSA/WBZ |
October 31-November 1, 2006 |
±3.9% |
55% |
34% |
6% |
3% |
|
D+21 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
October 23-October 27, 2006 |
±3.7% |
58.1% |
32.7% |
4% |
|
|
D+25.4 |
| UNH/Boston Globe |
October 22-25, 2006 |
±4.1% |
54% |
29% |
8% |
2% |
6% |
D+25 |
| Survey USA |
October 21-23, 2006 |
±4% |
56% |
31% |
8% |
2% |
4% |
D+25 |
| Suffolk University |
October 20-23, 2006 |
±4.9% |
53% |
26% |
9% |
2% |
11% |
D+27 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
October 10-16, 2006 |
±3.6% |
56% |
33.6% |
6.4% |
|
4% |
D+22.4 |
| Suffolk University |
October 10-11, 2006 |
±4.9% |
46% |
33% |
7% |
1% |
12% |
D+13 |
| Survey USA |
October 8-10, 2006 |
±4% |
52% |
34% |
9% |
1% |
4% |
D+18 |
| Suffolk University |
October 2-4, 2006 |
±4.5% |
49% |
28% |
6% |
1% |
16% |
D+21 |
| Boston Globe/WBZ |
September 26-29, 2006 |
±4.3% |
55% |
30% |
7% |
1% |
7% |
D+25 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
September 25, 2006 |
±3.9% |
58.7% |
27.3% |
8.3% |
|
5.7% |
D+31.4 |
| Merrimack College |
September 20 - 24, 2006 |
±4.5% |
54.2% |
20.9% |
5.3% |
0.5% |
19.1% |
D+33.3 |
| Rasmussen |
September 20, 2006 |
±4.5% |
57% |
24% |
9% |
|
10% |
D+33 |
| Survey USA |
September 19 - 21, 2006 |
±3.9% |
64% |
25% |
5% |
1% |
5% |
D+39 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
September 11, 2006 |
±3.9% |
57.5% |
33.0% |
|
|
9.5% |
D+24.5 |
| State House News |
September 7 - 10, 2006 |
±4.7% |
43% |
30% |
7% |
1% |
19% |
D+13 |
| Suffolk University |
August 17 - 21, 2006 |
±4.1% |
38% |
30% |
10% |
2% |
20% |
D+8 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
August 15 - 21, 2006 |
±3.8% |
49.6% |
23.9% |
|
|
26.5% |
D+25.7 |
| Rasmussen |
August 12, 2006 |
±4.5% |
39% |
29% |
14% |
|
18% |
D+10 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
July 24, 2006 |
±4.2% |
57.4% |
30.8% |
|
|
11.8% |
D+26.6 |
| Rasmussen |
June 27, 2006 |
±4.5% |
43% |
23% |
15% |
|
19% |
D+20 |
| State House News |
June 28 - 30, 2006 |
±5.0% |
40.1% |
30.5% |
9.3% |
1.7% |
18.4% |
D+9.6 |
| Suffolk University |
June 22 - 26, 2006 |
±4.0% |
38% |
25% |
10% |
1% |
26% |
D+13 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
June 21, 2006 |
±3.5% |
55.7% |
33.7% |
|
|
10.6% |
D+22 |
| Rasmussen |
May 15, 2006 |
±4.5% |
36% |
26% |
16% |
|
22% |
D+10 |
| Survey USA |
May 8, 2006 |
±4.4% |
34% |
32% |
17% |
|
17% |
D+2 |
| State House News |
May 5, 2006 |
±4.8% |
29% |
31% |
15% |
|
17% |
R+2 |
| Suffolk University |
May 3, 2006 |
±4.9% |
26% |
28% |
10% |
4% |
33% |
R+2 |
| Rasmussen |
April 14, 2006 |
±4.5% |
34% |
27% |
19% |
|
20% |
D+7 |
| Suffolk University |
April 3, 2006 |
±4.9% |
29% |
24% |
9% |
1% |
38% |
D+5 |
| Zogby/WSJ |
March 30, 2006 |
±3.5% |
53% |
31.5% |
|
|
|
D+21.5 |
| State House News |
March 16-18, 2006 |
±4.8% |
25% |
32% |
18% |
|
25% |
R+7 |
| Suffolk University |
March 18-March 20, 2006 |
±4.9% |
29% |
26% |
13% |
|
32% |
D+3 |
| Rasmussen |
March 13, 2006 |
±4.5% |
38% |
25% |
17% |
|
20% |
D+13 |
| Merrimack College |
February 25, 2006 -
March 8, 2006
|
±5.6% |
32.0% |
28.0% |
13.0% |
|
27.0% |
D+4 |
| ±4.8% |
34.5% |
39.4% |
** |
|
26.1% |
R+4.9 |
| Boston Globe |
March 3-9, 2006 |
±4.4% |
36% |
29% |
13% |
|
22% |
D+5 |
| 44% |
38% |
** |
|
18% |
D+6 |
| Survey USA |
March 3-5, 2006 |
±3.8% |
30% |
35% |
20% |
|
14% |
R+5 |
| UMass Lowell |
February 16, 2006 |
±5% |
34% |
34% |
12% |
|
20% |
T |
| 40% |
38% |
** |
|
22% |
D+2 |
| Suffolk University |
February 6, 2006 |
±4.9% |
39% |
32% |
|
|
29% |
D+7 |
| State House News |
November 17 - 20, 2005 |
±4.8% |
44% |
32% |
|
|
24% |
D+12 |
**Polls from when Mihos was considering running in Republican
primary.
Democratic Primaries
| Source |
Date |
MoE |
Patrick |
Reilly |
Gabrieli |
Other |
Und. |
| Survey USA |
September 15 - 17, 2006 |
±3.8% |
46% |
22% |
29% |
|
3% |
| Suffolk University |
September 15 - 17, 2006 |
±4.0% |
37% |
21% |
29% |
|
11% |
| Boston Globe |
September 12 - 15, 2006 |
±4.4% |
46% |
18% |
25% |
4% |
6% |
| Survey USA |
September 9 - 11, 2006 |
±4.1% |
45% |
21% |
29% |
|
4% |
| State House News |
September 7 - 10, 2006 |
±6.8% |
35.6% |
19.4% |
25.6% |
1.0% |
16.2% |
| Boston Globe |
August 18 - 23, 2006 |
±4.4% |
30% |
24% |
27% |
3% |
15% |
| (including "leaners") |
31% |
27% |
30% |
4% |
8% |
| Survey USA |
August 19 - 21, 2006 |
±4.8% |
34% |
30% |
30% |
|
6% |
| Suffolk University |
August 17 - 21, 2006 |
±5.2% |
24% |
20% |
32% |
|
24% |
| Survey USA |
July 31 - August 2, 2006 |
±4.6% |
35% |
27% |
30% |
|
8% |
| Survey USA |
July 9 - 11, 2006 |
±4.9% |
37% |
26% |
27% |
|
10% |
| State House News |
June 28 - 30, 2006 |
±7.0% |
34.8% |
19.3% |
21.8% |
1.6% |
21.4% |
| Suffolk University |
June 22 - 26, 2006 |
±4.0% |
31% |
25% |
22% |
|
21% |
| Survey USA |
June 16 - 18, 2006 |
±4.8% |
36% |
31% |
23% |
|
9% |
| State House News |
May 3 - 5, 2006 |
±6.8% |
15% |
37% |
25% |
5% |
17% |
| Survey USA |
May 1 - 3, 2006 |
±4.9% |
28% |
32% |
29% |
|
10% |
| Suffolk University |
May 3, 2006 |
±4.9% |
20% |
35% |
15% |
|
29% |
| Survey USA |
April 7 - 8, 2006 |
±4.8% |
36% |
33% |
19% |
|
11% |
| Suffolk University |
April 3, 2006 |
±4.9% |
21% |
32% |
11% |
|
36% |
| Merrimack College |
February 25 - March 8, 2006 |
±4.8% |
21.8% |
37.5% |
|
|
40.7% |
| Boston Globe |
March 12, 2006 |
±4.9% |
22% |
35% |
4% |
14% |
25% |
| Survey USA |
March 5-6, 2006 |
±5% |
37% |
47% |
|
|
17% |
| UMass Lowell |
February 16, 2006 |
±5% |
40% |
40% |
|
|
20% |
| Suffolk University |
February 2-4, 2006 |
±4.9% |
30% |
39% |
|
2% |
29% |
| State House News |
January 25-27, 2006 |
±7.1% |
18% |
58% |
|
4% |
19% |
| Rasmussen
Reports |
January 15-18, 2006 |
±5% |
30% |
29% |
|
11% |
30% |
|
Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
As incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey ran for Governor, the
position was open. In Massachusetts, the Lieutenant Governor
candidates are nominated separately from the Gubernatorial
candidates, then the nominated tickets from each party run
together.
Candidates
Democratic
Green-Rainbow
- Party nominee: Martina Robinson – former Belchertown
selectman candidate and disability rights activist picked by her
running mate, Grace Ross, on the
deadline, September 7. She uses a wheelchair, as she has cerebral palsy, and has been involved for 15
years with the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today
(ADAPT).
- Wendy Van Horne (GRP) - Former
Co-chair of the Green-Rainbow
Party and a nurse, was Grace Ross's
running mate until September 1. At 22, she was not only the
youngest person to run for Lieutenant Governor in recent history,
but also the first Asian-American nominee for statewide office.
Green-Rainbow Party LG candidate drops out
Political Intelligence September 1, 2006
Nurse quits lieutenant governor race Boston
Globe September 2, 2006
Republican
Independent
Democratic Primary
- See Election results for
details.
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary
election. Tim Murray won the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant
Governor on September 19 with 43% of the vote.
Debates
On April 23, 2006, a "virtual debate" between Democrats
Sam Kelley,
Tim Murray,
and
Andrea Silbertwas released on
SaintKermit.com, hosted by
Jim
Hendersonand 2002
Green-RainbowLieutenant Governor
candidate
Tony Lorenzen. The Greater
Lowell Area Democrats, the Lowell Democratic City Committee, and
BlogLeft held a debate between all four candidates on May 21 at the
Lowell Telecommunications Corporation, was broadcast on public
access TV. Four days later, on May 25, Kelley dropped out of the
race and joined the Deval Patrick campaign as a volunteer advisor
on
health careissues.
Convention
At the
Democratic convention on June 3, Worcester
Mayor
Tim Murray was endorsed by a voice vote after
receiving 49% on the first ballot.Deborah Goldbergand
Andrea Silbertboth qualified for the ballot
with 22% and 29% respectively. Christy Mihos announced on June 8
that John Sullivan would join him as his running mate.
Opinion Polls
Media endorsements
See also
Other 2006 US elections
References
External links
Campaign sites
General Election
Former Candidates
District Attorney. Lost in the primary
election.
, and former board member of the Massachusetts Turnpike
Authority.
Board of
Selectmen and granddaughter of the founder of Stop & Shop. Lost in the primary
election.
, former selectman, and chair of the Winchester
Co-operative Bank. A former Democrat, he disenrolled in
March and became Christy Mihos's
running mate.
Wikis
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