Trump-backed Diehl wins Massachusetts GOP governor primary

Former state representative and Donald Trump-backed candidate Geoff Diehl secured the GOP nomination for governor of Massachusetts on Tuesday.

Diehl defeated the more moderate businessman Chris Doughty and will face off this November against Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, who would be the first woman and first openly gay person elected to the office.

Massachusetts’ current governor, Republican Charlie Baker, decided not to run for a third term.

Massachusetts is the latest Democratic stronghold in which Republicans have nominated the Trump-backed candidate following victories by Leora Levy in Connecticut and Dan Cox in Maryland. 

Diehl will have a tough time defeating Healey, who has emerged as the heavy favorite in the race in one of the most liberal states in the country where less than 10% of registered voters are Republican compared to 31% Democrat.

While Massachusetts has a history of electing fiscally conservative, social moderate Republicans as governor — including Mitt Romney and Baker — voters may not warm up to a Trump loyalist.