Lower than half of Massachusetts residents approve of Gov. Maura Healey’s efficiency as governor, and much fewer say she “deserves to be reelected” in 2026, in keeping with a survey launched by the College of New Hampshire this week.
The 2 Republicans hoping to problem Healey in the course of the statewide basic election subsequent 12 months instantly latched onto the outcomes of the ballot as proof that the Democrat’s reputation is slipping greater than midway by means of her first time period in workplace.
However Massachusetts Democratic Celebration Chair Steve Kerrigan mentioned Healey shall be reelected as a result of she is “focused on the issues that matter to most voters” within the state, like reducing the price of dwelling, constructing extra housing, enhancing transportation and schooling, and standing as much as Donald Trump
“What is undeniable is that Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly reject Donald Trump and his disastrous agenda. Try as they might, Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve cannot hide from their support for Trump’s policies. Voters will reject their brand of failed MAGA Republican politics,” Kerrigan mentioned in a press release to the Herald.
The ballot of 907 Massachusetts residents, performed by means of a web based survey, discovered 49% authorised of Healey’s job efficiency, 45% disapproved, and 6% had been impartial or uncertain. Her approval score was three share factors decrease than a UMass Amherst ballot from February.
An awesome 78% of Democrats suppose Healey is doing a very good job whereas solely 39% of independents — the most important group of voters in Massachusetts — and 5% of Republicans gave the governor a thumbs up, in keeping with the ballot.
Brian Shortsleeve, a enterprise capitalist and former MBTA official operating for governor as a Republican, mentioned the survey is “devastating” for Healey as a result of it exhibits voters have “clearly lost confidence in her.”
“I don’t blame them,” he mentioned in a press release. “She’s driven up spending, driven out jobs, and made life more expensive for everyone except illegal immigrants. I’ve led turnarounds in business and in state government, and I’m the Marine who can take Beacon Hill and fix Healey’s mess.”
A spokesperson for Mike Kennealy, one other Republican operating for governor who beforehand served in Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, mentioned the College of New Hampshire survey validated their personal inside polling from February that discovered Healey had a forty five% approval score.
“Maura Healey is vulnerable and Mike Kennealy is the only Republican candidate that can defeat her,” the spokesperson, Logan Trupiano, mentioned in a press release.
A spokesperson for Healey didn’t reply to a Herald inquiry Friday.
Healey introduced earlier this 12 months that she plans to hunt a second time period as governor. However solely 37% of Massachusetts residents suppose she “deserves to be reelected while 40% say she does not “deserve” a second time period, and 23% don’t know or haven’t any opinion, the UNH survey discovered.
Massachusetts Republican Celebration Government Director John Milligan mentioned the ballot outcomes present Healey is “beatable” subsequent 12 months.
“The problems that she has that are dragging her approval ratings down are not going away anytime soon,” he instructed the Herald Friday afternoon. “I wouldn’t be surprised if we see them dip further, which, again, is good news for us. An incumbent underwater this far out from the general election, there’s blood in the water.”
A majority of Democrats, 60%, suppose voters ought to ship Healey again to Beacon Hill’s nook workplace, however solely 32% of independents and 4% of Republicans agree, in keeping with the ballot.
Healey had robust reputation marks in different polls launched this 12 months.
A Morning Seek the advice of survey from April confirmed Healey had a 58% approval score, whereas a Fiscal Alliance Basis ballot from March discovered 66% of doubtless voters both had a “strong” or “somewhat” favorable opinion of the governor.
An inside ballot performed by the Democratic Governors’ Affiliation discovered Healey had a 59% job approval score, in keeping with a abstract of the survey offered to the Herald.
Massachusetts residents listed acquainted matters within the College of New Hampshire survey as the highest points dealing with the Bay State.
Twenty-one p.c of survey respondents cited housing as the highest difficulty dealing with the state, with immigration and price of dwelling coming in second and third, respectively, in keeping with the ballot.
The survey additionally discovered that 9% of these surveyed listed “left/leftish politicians” as a significant difficulty, whereas 7% listed “corrupt/incompetent government” as a high downside.
Respondents additionally expressed concern about U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, who can be up for reelection in 2026. Greater than half of the Massachusetts residents surveyed, 55%, mentioned they’re very or considerably involved concerning the 78-year-old’s age.
Solely 33% suppose he deserves to be reelected, whereas 43% don’t, and 25% don’t know or haven’t any opinion. A majority of Democrats surveyed, 54%, suppose voters ought to ship Markey again to Washington, however solely 26% of independents and a pair of% of Republicans agree, in keeping with the ballot.
Markey mentioned final 12 months he would search a 3rd time period.
John Deaton, who ran final 12 months as a Republican in opposition to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, has mentioned he’s contemplating difficult Markey subsequent 12 months.
However his resolution comes with caveats, together with that he doesn’t need to face a candidate backed by President Donald Trump in a main election.
