First MA Governor's Debate: Diehl, Healey Showdown Wednesday

NEEDHAM, MA — The 2022 Republican and Democratic candidates for Massachusetts governor will meet Wednesday in a televised debate, a high point of a race that has so far leaned in favor of Attorney General Maura Healey.

Healey and Republican Geoff Diehl have been campaigning for the governor's seat since the Sept. 6 primary, but the two have yet to meet face-to-face. In recent weeks, the two candidates have largely stuck to talking about initiatives rather than attacks on each other.

The last poll conducted in mid-September by Suffolk University had Healey up by 25 points; an Emerson poll taken around the same time had her up by about 18 points.

The Healey campaign has sought to remind voters of Diehl's ties to former president Donald Trump, who held a televised rally for Diehl before the September primary election. The campaign highlighted a recent Bloomberg interview with Diehl where the former member of the state House gave his thoughts on the Jan. 6 riot and claims that the 2020 election was rigged.

Wednesday's debate will take place at 7 p.m. and will be widely broadcast online and on NBC10 Boston, NECN and in Spanish on Telemundo Boston. NBC10 anchor Latoyia Edwards will moderate, with broadcasters Alison King, Grace Gomez and Cory Smith serving as debate panelists.

Questions for the candidates were not released before the debate, but it's likely the gubernatorial candidates will be asked about hot topics in Massachusetts, like the state of the MBTA, the recent Martha's Vineyard migrant drop and the performance of outgoing Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.

Morning Consult on Tuesday released a poll showing that Baker was the most popular governor in the U.S. with an approval rating of about 74 percent. Baker barely beat out Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, who has 73 percent approval, according to the poll.