Massachusetts Democrats finalized their primary ballot for the 2018 elections at the party’s convention in Worcester Saturday, endorsing Jay Gonzalez, a former budget chief for Governor Deval Patrick, for governor; Quentin Palfrey, a former advisor to President Barack Obama, for lieutenant governor; and Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim for secretary of the commonwealth.
Gonzalez’s victory was emphatic: He received the support of 70 percent of the party’s delegates. While his opponent, longtime activist Bob Massie, easily reached the 15-percent threshold required to make the primary ballot, the outcome suggests Gonzalez is clearly the preferred candidate of the Democratic establishment.
The outcome in the lieutenant governor’s race was also decisive. Palfrey received 59 percent of the vote, easily outpacing his opponent, comedian Jimmy Tingle. But the secretary of the commonwealth contest was closer, with Zakim, who’s challenging six-term incumbent Bill Galvin, tallying 55 percent.
Massie was the first gubernatorial candidate to take the stage in Worcester’s DCU Center. He vowed to create what he called a “justice economy,” featuring affordable childcare, debt-free college, and food security for all Massachusetts residents, as well as fully connected rail and innovative public schools.
Massie also accused Republican Gov. Charlie Baker of presiding over a creeping increase in inequality in Massachusetts, and of failing to push back in any meaningful way against President Donald Trump.
“Charlie Baker is not Trump. He does not say hurtful things,” Massie said. “It is what he does not say that shows the emptiness of his heart and the slack of his spine.”
After knocking Baker for not attending the Women’s March and other anti-Trump protests, Massie urged Democrats to jettison the “choking apathy and defeatism that says Charlie Baker can’t be beaten.”
Gonzalez was similarly pointed when it came to Baker, saying he “hides behind the chaos Trump creates” and expects credit for not being “crazy” like the president.
“Not being crazy is not good enough,” Gonzalez said to resounding applause.
Like Massie, Gonzalez also detailed a number of liberal policy goals. By “aim[ing] high,” he said, Massachusetts can achieve things like debt-free college, affordable housing, and a money-saving single-payer health care system.
Gonzalez, who is short of stature, gave this vision a personal twist, calling himself a “little guy” who’ll fight for ordinary men and women rather than the powerful and well connected.
While the gubernatorial primary fight is this year’s marquee Democratic contest, the battle for the secretary of the commonwealth nomination may be more politically intriguing.
Galvin is a six-term incumbent, but Zakim recently received high-profile endorsements from Congressman Seth Moulton and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who missed this weekend’s convention but urged his delegates to back Zakim beforehand.
In his convention speech, Galvin said he’s modernized and strengthened the state’s election systems, expanded early voting, and championed automatic-voter registration on Beacon Hill. In addition, Galvin said, he’s vigorously opposed the Trump administration’s push to inquire about citizenship on the next census, a proposal many immigrant-rights advocates find ominous.
“That’s a fight I want to lead into 2020,” Galvin said.
While Galvin has previously been sharply critical of Zakim — at one point, describing him as “sneaky” for jumping in the race right after winning re-election to the Boston City Council — he didn’t mention Zakim by name in Worcester. Galvin did, however, claim that there’s been “a little bit of disinformation” circulating about his record.
Zakim, in his speech, claimed that Massachusetts has “fallen far behind when it comes to voting rights and access” under Galvin’s stewardship, citing declining turnout and the fact that statewide same-day and automatic voter registration still don’t exist.
“Massachusetts can and must show people what progress can look like once again,” he said.
The convention, which began on Friday evening and wrapped up Saturday afternoon, also highlighted a sharp divide among Massachusetts Democrats over how to engage Baker, who enjoys consistently high approval ratings
Some — like Gonzalez, Massie, and Attorney General Maura Healey, who’s seeking re-election but has no primary opponent — offered pointed criticisms of Baker’s stewardship of the state. But others — including U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Mayor Walsh — steered clear of any anti-Baker remarks.
In a pre-taped message for delegates, for example, Walsh seemed to take aim at Scott Lively, Baker’s aggressively conservative primary opponent, saying that there’s a Republican candidate for governor who cheers Trump’s every move. In addition, Walsh accused unnamed Republican officials of turning a blind eye to Trump’s more egregious actions. But at no point did Walsh say that Massachusetts would benefit if Democrats can retake the corner office.
