Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is the big wild card in the suddenly wide open 2022 Democratic gubernatorial contest.
The former Boston mayor has been telling associates and advisers that while he won’t run against Attorney General Maura Healey, he would be interested in the race if Healey bows out.
The big question is, does Walsh — who may be the last white, Irish Catholic mayor of Boston for a long time — even have a path to the Corner Office? Same goes for former Rep. Joseph Kennedy III, who is also mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate.
There’s a good chance that Walsh would have lost if he tried to run for a third mayoral term. The Wu-Train would have run him over.
So if he can’t even win his hometown of Boston, why would he have a chance statewide?
Running a statewide campaign is much different than running a Boston mayoral campaign. Boston is much more liberal and diverse than the rest of the state. Sonia Chang-Diaz will find that out when she campaigns outside of her hometown.
Voters in the suburbs are much more moderate and independent than in the capital city. That’s how Gov. Charlie Baker won two terms.
Walsh is more moderate than Mayor Michelle Wu or most of the rest of the Democrats running, and would have the benefit of getting strong support from unions and blue-collar workers.
So in a crowded primary, it’s possible he could roll up big margins in Boston and ride that to the Democratic nomination.
But Walsh also has a mixed track record that his opponents would no doubt use against him.
His quick appointment of Dennis White as Police Commissioner — without any vetting at all — was a disaster. He also oversaw the Mass and Cass mess.
If Walsh does run, he won’t have to move back to Boston, because he’s never really left. Walsh has been living in a Washington hotel two days a week and comes back to his Boston home every weekend.
Democrat Danielle Allen, who also has announced her candidacy, could be an intriguing choice for voters. The Harvard professor is a Beacon Hill outsider calling for major reforms — something that could appeal to liberals.
She would also make history as the first Black female to win the governor’s office.
Chang-Diaz, who has been in the state Senate for a dozen years, is also running as an outsider promising bold changes, and she would be the state’s first Latina governor.
But the big question for Democrats is whether Healey, who would be the state’s first openly gay governor, will take the plunge. She says she’ll announce her decision soon after weighing personal considerations.
Healey is best known for her barrage of lawsuits against former President Donald Trump, and Trump is no longer in office.
But Healey gets high statewide approval ratings in polls and would come in the race as the heavy hitter.
Sources close to Walsh say he’ll likely throw his support to Healey if she decides to run. The two forged a close relationship when Walsh was in office.
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December 02, 2021 at 07:44AM
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Battenfeld: Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh would face no easy path in run for governor - Boston Herald
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