周二是马萨诸塞州的初选日，人们的注意力转向唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)支持的候选人和更“务实”的政治家之间的共和党州长竞选，因为共和党人的目标是保持对行政办公室的控制。投票于美国东部时间晚上8点结束。
随着州司法部长莫拉·希利(Maura Healey)在初选中扫清障碍后成为推定的民主党提名人，所有人的目光都集中在谁将面对她。得到特朗普支持的前州众议员杰夫·迪尔(Geoff Diehl)将与商人兼政治新人克里斯·多尔蒂(Chris Doughty)争夺共和党提名。
迪尔今年早些时候赢得了该党的支持，并将自己定位为更保守的选择，并专注于基础设施、扩大住房选择和支持执法等问题。他还对2020年的总统选举表示怀疑，反对新冠肺炎的授权，并支持推翻罗伊诉韦德案。
迪尔此前曾在2018年的参议院竞选中与伊丽莎白·沃伦竞争，但以24%的票数败北。
与此同时，Doughty在整个初选期间一直专注于三个主要领域:降低税收，保持州议会平衡，让马萨诸塞州的人们更容易负担得起。他称自己既是“温和派”，又是“务实、有常识的人”...财政保守。”
尽管马萨诸塞州在许多方面被认为是民主党的大本营——它已经近30年没有投票给共和党总统了——但该州选举共和党州长的历史悠久，包括从1991年到2007年连续16年。
现任州长查理·贝克在该州广受欢迎，但他决定不寻求第三个任期，也没有在周二的初选中支持任何一位候选人。
Geoff Diehl speaks to reporters outside the Statehouse, in Boston, March 21, 2022.
史蒂文·塞恩/美联社，文件
在伊利诺伊州和马里兰州的初选之后，这场比赛是最新的例子，表明蓝色州的共和党选民不得不在两种不同类型的保守派之间做出选择，因为他们希望要么保持对州长职位的控制，要么在上次选举后夺回控制权。
无论谁赢得共和党初选，如果希利在11月获胜，历史都可能在马萨诸塞州被创造。如果她获胜，希利将成为马萨诸塞州第一位当选的女州长和第一位公开同性恋身份的州长。
Primary day in Massachusetts sees key GOP race, while Dem candidate could make history
Tuesday is primary day in Massachusetts, where attention turns to the GOP gubernatorial race between a Donald Trump-backed hopeful and a more "pragmatic" politician as Republicans aim to keep control of the executive office. Polls closed at 8 p.m. ET.
With state Attorney General Maura Healey now the presumptive Democratic nominee after clearing the field in her primary, all eyes are on who will face her. Former state Rep. Geoff Diehl, who has the support of Trump, is going up against businessman and political newcomer Chris Doughty for the Republican nomination.
Diehl won the state party's endorsement earlier this year and has positioned himself as the more conservative choice as well as focusing on issues like infrastructure, expanding housing options and supporting law enforcement. He also cast doubts on the 2020 presidential election, opposed COVID-19 mandates and supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Diehl previously ran against Elizabeth Warren in the 2018 Senate race but lost by 24%.
Meanwhile, Doughty has focused on three main areas throughout the primary season: lowering taxes, keeping the statehouse balanced and making Massachusetts more affordable for people to live in. He has described himself as both a "moderate" and as "pragmatic, common sense [and] ... fiscally conservative."
Even though Massachusetts is considered a Democratic stronghold in many ways -- it hasn't voted for a Republican president in nearly 30 years -- the state has a long history of electing GOP governors, including an unbroken 16-year stretch from 1991-2007.
The incumbent, Charlie Baker, is widely popular in the state but decided not to seek a third term and has not endorsed either candidate in Tuesday's primary.
After primaries in Illinois and Maryland, the race is the latest example of Republican voters in blue states having to choose between two different types of conservatives as they hope to either retain control of the governorship or retake it after the last election.
Whoever wins the GOP primary, history could be made in Massachusetts if Healey is victorious in November. If she wins, Healey would be Massachusetts' first elected female governor and first openly gay governor.
