Maura Healey may win in a walk — but that's not good for her or Mass. voters

The first poll to be released since the Massachusetts’ state primary last week was not a surprise: the Democrat, Attorney General Maura Healey leads the Republican nominee, Geoff Diehl, by 18%. (Some 12% of voters remain undecided.) While there are still events that could dramatically upend the race, it seems far more likely that as it was in the primary election, Healey will barely break a sweat en route to making history as the first woman to be elected to the office of governor of the commonwealth.

As the first woman to serve in that seat — and the mother of three daughters — I will cheer that glass-breaking moment. But none of us are well-served by non-competitive elections. I suspect there will come a day when even the attorney general may realize that a vigorous race would have served her well.