Maura Healey is poised to become the first lesbian elected to be governor of Massachusetts. The State Attorney General would become one of the first openly lesbian governors in America.
Healey won the Democratic nomination for governor in early September. She will probably be joined by prospective Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, in an all-female governing team after the election in November.
Massachusetts’ The Sun reports that “the attorney general will be the prohibitive favorite in the general election.”
According to her website, “Maura grew up the eldest of five siblings raised by their mom Tracy, a school nurse, on a farm in New Hampshire. She spent her childhood getting into trouble with her brothers and sisters, playing sports, and waitressing at the local Hampton Beach Casino. Maura captained her college basketball team, and then spent two years as a 5’4” starting point guard on a professional basketball team in Austria.”
Maura was even called to trial by the US Olympics team for basketball.
“She returned home to begin her career as a civil rights lawyer, and she’s been standing up for the people of Massachusetts ever since. She’s taken on some powerful interests – Purdue Pharma, ExxonMobil, predatory student lenders – and now she’s running for Governor to build an economy in which every family can thrive.”
If Healey wins this election, it will not be the first ceiling she has smashed for lesbians. In 2014, she was the first out member to be elected attorney general for any state in the U.S. While in the position, she has taken action against opioid makers and oil companies. Previously, as a civil rights lawyer, she fought the Defense of Marriage Act.
Healey is not the only lesbian running for governor’s office this year. Tina Kotek won the Democratic primary for Oregon back in May. Kotek, who is speaker of the Oregon House, was the first lesbian to be speaker of any state House.
Both Healey and Kotek easily won their primaries.
Healey took to Twitter to celebrate her recent nomination. “I am honored to receive the Democratic nomination for Governor of Massachusetts.
Together, we’re going to win in November and build a Massachusetts that works for everyone.”
