Massachusetts gubernatorial election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2006 was held on November 7, 2006. Former US Assistant Attorney General Deval Patrick
was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American governor in the United States since Reconstruction. Every four years, Massachusetts
holds elections for Governor
and Lieutenant Governor
, as part of the general statewide election
. The Primary election was September 19, 2006.
Mitt Romney
did not seek re-election; his term ended January 4, 2007. Polls had been mixed prior to Romney's announcement, with one poll showing Romney slightly leading Democrat Attorney General
Tom Reilly
and other polls showing Reilly, who was then the Democratic frontrunner, in the lead. Romney endorsed Lieutenant Governor
Kerry Healey
to succeed him in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Republican Christy Mihos
left his party to run as an Independent, and the Green-Rainbow Party
nominated a slate of candidates for statewide office. While the Libertarian Party
has often run candidates for governor in the past, the deadline for filing signatures passed this year without a nominated Libertarian candidate. State law requires that candidates for state-wide office be registered in their party (or unenrolled for independent candidates) by March 7.
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary election. On September 19, 2006, Patrick won the Democratic primary with 50% of the vote, ahead of Gabrieli (27%) and Reilly (23%).
News hosted a debate between Democratic candidates Chris Gabrieli, Deval Patrick, and Tom Reilly on April 21 and it aired at 8:30 AM on April 23. A second Democratic candidate debate, moderated by Sy Becker from WWLP TV 22
, was held at Agawam
Middle School on April 27. On April 25, Healey called for a series of four debates involving all four candidates between the September primaries and November general election, and this proposition was seconded by Patrick.
The final two televised debates played a key role in the primary campaign, as they took place during the two weeks between Labor Day
and Primary Day when the public and the media hold their greatest focus on the election. The first of the two was carried about by the media consortium (which includes the Boston Globe, NECN, and WBUR
, among others) and moderated by former New Hampshire governor Jeanne Shaheen
, while the second and final debate was held by WBZ-TV
and moderated by their political analyst, Jon Keller.
wrote that Reilly's campaign had been coordinating with an alleged attempt to swiftboat Deval Patrick over his experience at Coca-Cola
. The "Campaign to Stop Killer Coke", a group dedicated to holding Coca-Cola accountable for violence in its Colombia
n bottling plant in the mid-1990s, had begun to attack Patrick and his candidacy, even though he resigned from the company and said he'd done so after his attempts to get them to carry out an independent investigation were ignored and undermined. Before the revelation of the Reilly campaign involvement, five Massachusetts unions filed a complaint against the group with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, a move supported by former Secretary of the Commonwealth
candidate John Bonifaz
and based on research by David Kravitz of Blue Mass Group.
and the Boston Herald
] on September 25 on WFXT
. Moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace
on the day after his infamous Bill Clinton interview, he was equally unsuccessful at keeping it under much control: despite a set of topics very in line with Kerry Healey's major issues, instead of helping her, the debate was dominated by Christy Mihos's attacks on her administration's handling of the Big Dig.
The second debate was held in Springfield and broadcast on WGBH
and NECN. By comparison and perhaps by reaction, this debate was much more subdued and tightly controlled by the moderator.
Also, Grace Ross generated some controversy in the GBLT media for not promoting herself through her sexuality in the course of the televised debates. Also, after the final debate, WRKO talk radio host John DePetro
came under scrutiny for referring to Ross as a "fat lesbian". DePetro was suspended earlier in the year for calling Turnpike Authority chief Matt Amorello a "fag".
, Springfield Republican The Eagle-Tribune Sentinel & Enterprise Lowell Sun Cape Cod Times
Deval Patrick: The Boston Globe
, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
, MetroWest Daily News
, Providence Journal, Berkshire Eagle, Boston Phoenix, Newton Tab, West Roxbury & Roslindale Transcript
Christy Mihos: Walpole Gazette
Grace Ross: In City Times
Patrick won a majority of the vote in every county in the state.
**Polls from when Mihos was considering running in Republican primary.
|-
|}
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary election. Tim Murray won the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor on September 19 with 43% of the vote.
, Tim Murray, and Andrea Silbert was released on SaintKermit.com, hosted by Jim Henderson and 2002 Green-Rainbow
Lieutenant Governor candidate Tony Lorenzen. The Greater Lowell Area Democrats, the Lowell Democratic City Committee, and BlogLeft held a debate between all four candidates on May 21 at the Lowell Telecommunications Corporation, was broadcast on public-access television
cable TV. Four days later, on May 25, Kelley dropped out of the race and joined the Deval Patrick campaign as a volunteer advisor on health care
issues.
Tim Murray was endorsed by a voice vote after receiving 49% on the first ballot. Deborah Goldberg
and Andrea Silbert both qualified for the ballot with 22% and 29% respectively. Christy Mihos announced on June 8 that John Sullivan would join him as his running mate.
Deval Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
was elected to a four-year term, from January 4, 2007 until January 6, 2011. In his first elected office, Patrick is the second African-American governor in the United States since Reconstruction. Every four years, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
holds elections for Governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
and Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts...
, as part of the general statewide election
Massachusetts general election, 2006
A Massachusetts general election was held on November 7, 2006 in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.The election included:* statewide elections for U.S. Senator, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer, and Auditor;* district elections for U.S...
. The Primary election was September 19, 2006.
Candidates for Governor
One-term Republican governorGovernor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
Mitt Romney
Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney is an American businessman and politician. He was the 70th Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.The son of George W...
did not seek re-election; his term ended January 4, 2007. Polls had been mixed prior to Romney's announcement, with one poll showing Romney slightly leading Democrat Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
Tom Reilly
Thomas Reilly
Thomas F. Reilly is an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Massachusetts Attorney General. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents....
and other polls showing Reilly, who was then the Democratic frontrunner, in the lead. Romney endorsed Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts...
Kerry Healey
Kerry Healey
Kerry Murphy Healey was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. She served from 2003 to 2007 with Governor Mitt Romney. She was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, losing to Democrat Deval Patrick in November 2006...
to succeed him in the 2006 gubernatorial election. Republican Christy Mihos
Christy Mihos
Christy P. Mihos is an American politician and businessman from the U.S. commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was an Independent candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006 and ran again as a Republican in the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election...
left his party to run as an Independent, and the Green-Rainbow Party
Green-Rainbow Party
The Green-Rainbow Party is a political party in Massachusetts. It is the Massachusetts state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.-Establishment of official party status:...
nominated a slate of candidates for statewide office. While the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
has often run candidates for governor in the past, the deadline for filing signatures passed this year without a nominated Libertarian candidate. State law requires that candidates for state-wide office be registered in their party (or unenrolled for independent candidates) by March 7.
| Note: All candidates and parties are listed in alphabetical order. |
Democratic
- Party nominee: Deval PatrickDeval PatrickDeval Laurdine Patrick is the 71st and current Governor of Massachusetts. A member of the Democratic Party, Patrick served as an Assistant United States Attorney General under President Bill Clinton...
- Ex-Assistant United States Attorney GeneralUnited States Attorney GeneralThe United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
for Civil RightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
; ex-corporate legal executive. - Chris GabrieliChris GabrieliChris Gabrieli is an American businessman and a leading national education reformer. He is currently driving the movement to reform the school calendar.-Biography:...
- Businessman, 2002 nomineeMassachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002. Businessman Mitt Romney was elected to a four-year term, to be served from January 2, 2003 until January 4, 2007. Every four years, Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney...
for Lieutenant Governor. Lost in the primary election. - Thomas ReillyThomas ReillyThomas F. Reilly is an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Massachusetts Attorney General. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents....
- Massachusetts Attorney General; ex-Middlesex CountyMiddlesex County, Massachusetts-National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge...
District Attorney. Lost in the primary election.
Green-Rainbow
- Grace RossGrace RossGrace Ross, is a Massachusetts activist. Ross was a Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 2010 until she left the race, citing a lack of signatures. She is from Worcester, Massachusetts...
- Long-time Green-Rainbow PartyGreen-Rainbow PartyThe Green-Rainbow Party is a political party in Massachusetts. It is the Massachusetts state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.-Establishment of official party status:...
activist and former party Co-Chair, she has been heavily involved in the March to Abolish Poverty campaign and is the first openly gay woman to run for governor.
Republican
- Kerry HealeyKerry HealeyKerry Murphy Healey was the 70th Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. She served from 2003 to 2007 with Governor Mitt Romney. She was the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts, losing to Democrat Deval Patrick in November 2006...
- incumbent Lieutenant Governor, elected in 2002 on ticket with Mitt Romney; has a background as a criminologistCriminologyCriminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society...
, former Massachusetts Republican Party chairwoman.
Independent
- Christy MihosChristy MihosChristy P. Mihos is an American politician and businessman from the U.S. commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was an Independent candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006 and ran again as a Republican in the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election...
- Owner of Christy's Convenience Stores on Cape CodCape CodCape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, and former board member of the Massachusetts Turnpike AuthorityMassachusetts TurnpikeThe Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
.
Democratic Primary
- See Election results below for details.
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary election. On September 19, 2006, Patrick won the Democratic primary with 50% of the vote, ahead of Gabrieli (27%) and Reilly (23%).
Caucuses
The Democratic State Caucuses were held in February in all cities and towns to elect delegates to the convention. The Patrick campaign organized their supporters, many of whom had never been involved in such party processes before, to win twice as many pledged delegates as the Reilly campaign. (Chris Gabrieli did not join the race until a month later, which played a major role in his difficulty in getting on the ballot).Debates
The first two debates took place in late April, and were the first of many between then and September: WBZ-CBS4WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
News hosted a debate between Democratic candidates Chris Gabrieli, Deval Patrick, and Tom Reilly on April 21 and it aired at 8:30 AM on April 23. A second Democratic candidate debate, moderated by Sy Becker from WWLP TV 22
WWLP
WWLP is the NBC-affiliated television station for the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts that is licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 11 from a transmitter on Provin Mountain in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam. The station can also be seen...
, was held at Agawam
Agawam, Massachusetts
The Town of Agawam is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,438 at the 2010 census. Agawam sits on the western side of the Connecticut River, directly across from the City of Springfield, Massachusetts...
Middle School on April 27. On April 25, Healey called for a series of four debates involving all four candidates between the September primaries and November general election, and this proposition was seconded by Patrick.
The final two televised debates played a key role in the primary campaign, as they took place during the two weeks between Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
and Primary Day when the public and the media hold their greatest focus on the election. The first of the two was carried about by the media consortium (which includes the Boston Globe, NECN, and WBUR
WBUR
WBUR refers to two radio stations in Massachusetts, WBUR AM and FM, both owned by Boston University. WBUR is the largest of three NPR member stations in Boston, Massachusetts, along with WGBH and WUMB-FM, and the only one to focus exclusively on news and talk...
, among others) and moderated by former New Hampshire governor Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the Senior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor and U.S. Senator, she was the first woman to be elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving from...
, while the second and final debate was held by WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV
WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,...
and moderated by their political analyst, Jon Keller.
Convention
At the Democratic Convention on June 3 at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, each candidate needed to receive support from 15% of the delegates to be on the primary ballot in September, and there was some question as to whether Gabrieli could succeed after entering the race so late. Patrick received the convention's endorsement with 57.98% of the vote, Reilly made it with 26.66%, and Gabrieli just made it with 15.36%.Major events and controversies
On August 11, Joan Vennochi of The Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
wrote that Reilly's campaign had been coordinating with an alleged attempt to swiftboat Deval Patrick over his experience at Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
. The "Campaign to Stop Killer Coke", a group dedicated to holding Coca-Cola accountable for violence in its Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n bottling plant in the mid-1990s, had begun to attack Patrick and his candidacy, even though he resigned from the company and said he'd done so after his attempts to get them to carry out an independent investigation were ignored and undermined. Before the revelation of the Reilly campaign involvement, five Massachusetts unions filed a complaint against the group with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, a move supported by former Secretary of the Commonwealth
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
The Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth is the principal public information officer of the state government of the U.S...
candidate John Bonifaz
John Bonifaz
John C. Bonifaz is a Boston-based attorney and political activist specializing in constitutional law and voting rights, and founder of the National Voting Rights Institute. He is also a former candidate for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth...
and based on research by David Kravitz of Blue Mass Group.
Media endorsements
- Deval Patrick: Attleboro Sun Chronicle, Bay State Banner, Blue Mass Group, Boston Globe, Brookline Tab, Cambridge ChronicleCambridge ChronicleThe Cambridge Chronicle is a weekly newspaper that serves Cambridge, Massachusetts. The newspaper was founded by Andrew Reid in May 1846 and is the oldest surviving weekly newspaper in the United States...
, Hamilton-Wenham Chronicle, Wellesley Townsman, Worcester MagazineWorcester MagazineWorcester Magazine is a weekly free alternative media magazine in Worcester, Massachusetts. Established in 1976, the magazine is distributed at more than 400 locations across Central Massachusetts....
- Tom Reilly: Boston HeraldBoston HeraldThe Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
, Cape Cod TimesCape Cod TimesThe Cape Cod Times is a broadsheet daily newspaper serving Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States. It is owned by the Dow Jones Local Media Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation. It is also the sister paper of the weekly The Barnstable Patriot.-History:The paper...
, Springfield RepublicanSpringfield RepublicanThe Republican is a newspaper based in Springfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Newhouse Newspapers, a division of Advance Publications. It played important roles in the United States Republican Party's founding, Charles Dow's career, and the invention of the pronoun "Ms."-Beginning:Established...
General election
The general election campaign kicked off officially around 10 PM on Primary Election Day (September 19, 2006) after Tom Reilly and Chris Gabrieli conceded and Kerry Healey accepted her uncontested nomination. Deval Patrick followed with his acceptance speech at about 11 PM, appearing with his new running mate Tim Murray and former opponent Chris Gabrieli.Debates
The first televised debate of the general election was held by WFXTWFXT
WFXT is a television station owned and operated by the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station's studio and office facility is in Dedham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter is located in Needham, Massachusetts...
and the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
] on September 25 on WFXT
WFXT
WFXT is a television station owned and operated by the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station's studio and office facility is in Dedham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter is located in Needham, Massachusetts...
. Moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace
Chris Wallace (journalist)
Christopher "Chris" Wallace is an American journalist, currently the host of the Fox Network program, Fox News Sunday. Wallace has won three Emmy Awards, the Dupont-Columbia Silver Baton Award, and a Peabody Award. Wallace has been with Fox News since 2003...
on the day after his infamous Bill Clinton interview, he was equally unsuccessful at keeping it under much control: despite a set of topics very in line with Kerry Healey's major issues, instead of helping her, the debate was dominated by Christy Mihos's attacks on her administration's handling of the Big Dig.
The second debate was held in Springfield and broadcast on WGBH
WGBH-TV
WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming...
and NECN. By comparison and perhaps by reaction, this debate was much more subdued and tightly controlled by the moderator.
Major events and controversies
The general election campaign was very heated and was referred to by Mike Dukakis as "the dirtiest gubernatorial campaign in my memory". Blame for this has primarily been placed on the Healey campaign and its supporters, for many reasons, including their reliance on attack ads implying that Deval Patrick supports sexual assault or murder of police (culminating in the now infamous "parking lot rape" ad), her supporters protesting at the homes of Patrick and campaign manager John Walsh (including intimidating Walsh's 12-year-old son waiting for the school bus), and documents leaked anonymously to media about Patrick's brother-in-law's criminal history.Also, Grace Ross generated some controversy in the GBLT media for not promoting herself through her sexuality in the course of the televised debates. Also, after the final debate, WRKO talk radio host John DePetro
John DePetro
John DePetro is an American talk radio host on WPRO , television host and analyst, stand-up comedian,on-line columnist.-Background:DePetro was raised in Edgewood, Rhode Island, the youngest of seven children to Thomas and Virginia DePetro. With seven children in the house, the DePetro household was...
came under scrutiny for referring to Ross as a "fat lesbian". DePetro was suspended earlier in the year for calling Turnpike Authority chief Matt Amorello a "fag".
Media endorsements
Kerry Healey: Boston HeraldBoston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
, Springfield Republican The Eagle-Tribune Sentinel & Enterprise Lowell Sun Cape Cod Times
Deval Patrick: The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
The Telegram & Gazette is Worcester, Massachusetts's only daily newspaper. The paper, known locally as the Telegram or the T & G is owned by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The New York Times Company .It offers coverage of all of...
, MetroWest Daily News
MetroWest Daily News
The MetroWest Daily News is a morning and afternoon daily newspaper in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA, serving the MetroWest region of suburban Boston...
, Providence Journal, Berkshire Eagle, Boston Phoenix, Newton Tab, West Roxbury & Roslindale Transcript
Christy Mihos: Walpole Gazette
Grace Ross: In City Times
General Election
Official results certified by the Massachusetts Secretary of State, as of December 6, 2006, with all 2,166 precincts reporting.Patrick won a majority of the vote in every county in the state.
General election
| Poll | Date | MoE Margin of error The margin of error is a statistic expressing the amount of random sampling error in a survey's results. The larger the margin of error, the less faith one should have that the poll's reported results are close to the "true" figures; that is, the figures for the whole population... |
Patrick (D) | Healey (R) | Mihos (I) | Ross (GR) | Und/Other | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk University | November 2-November 5, 2006 | ±4.9% | 53% | 31% | 6% | 2% | 9% | D+22 |
| State House News | November 1-November 2, 2006 | ±5% | 50.9% | 27.1% | 8.0% | 2.1% | 6.7% | D+23.8 |
| SurveyUSA/WBZ | October 31-November 1, 2006 | ±3.9% | 55% | 34% | 6% | 3% | D+21 | |
| Zogby/WSJ | October 23-October 27, 2006 | ±3.7% | 58.1% | 32.7% | 4% | D+25.4 | ||
| UNH/Boston Globe | October 22-25, 2006 | ±4.1% | 54% | 29% | 8% | 2% | 6% | D+25 |
| Survey USA | October 21-23, 2006 | ±4% | 56% | 31% | 8% | 2% | 4% | D+25 |
| Suffolk University | October 20-23, 2006 | ±4.9% | 53% | 26% | 9% | 2% | 11% | D+27 |
| Zogby/WSJ | October 10-16, 2006 | ±3.6% | 56% | 33.6% | 6.4% | 4% | D+22.4 | |
| Suffolk University | October 10-11, 2006 | ±4.9% | 46% | 33% | 7% | 1% | 12% | D+13 |
| Survey USA | October 8-10, 2006 | ±4% | 52% | 34% | 9% | 1% | 4% | D+18 |
| Suffolk University | October 2-4, 2006 | ±4.5% | 49% | 28% | 6% | 1% | 16% | D+21 |
| Boston Globe/WBZ | September 26-29, 2006 | ±4.3% | 55% | 30% | 7% | 1% | 7% | D+25 |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 25, 2006 | ±3.9% | 58.7% | 27.3% | 8.3% | 5.7% | D+31.4 | |
| Merrimack College | September 20–24, 2006 | ±4.5% | 54.2% | 20.9% | 5.3% | 0.5% | 19.1% | D+33.3 |
| Rasmussen | September 20, 2006 | ±4.5% | 57% | 24% | 9% | 10% | D+33 | |
| Survey USA | September 19–21, 2006 | ±3.9% | 64% | 25% | 5% | 1% | 5% | D+39 |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 11, 2006 | ±3.9% | 57.5% | 33.0% | 9.5% | D+24.5 | ||
| State House News | September 7–10, 2006 | ±4.7% | 43% | 30% | 7% | 1% | 19% | D+13 |
| Suffolk University | August 17–21, 2006 | ±4.1% | 38% | 30% | 10% | 2% | 20% | D+8 |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 15–21, 2006 | ±3.8% | 49.6% | 23.9% | 26.5% | D+25.7 | ||
| Rasmussen | August 12, 2006 | ±4.5% | 39% | 29% | 14% | 18% | D+10 | |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | ±4.2% | 57.4% | 30.8% | 11.8% | D+26.6 | ||
| Rasmussen | June 27, 2006 | ±4.5% | 43% | 23% | 15% | 19% | D+20 | |
| State House News | June 28–30, 2006 | ±5.0% | 40.1% | 30.5% | 9.3% | 1.7% | 18.4% | D+9.6 |
| Suffolk University | June 22–26, 2006 | ±4.0% | 38% | 25% | 10% | 1% | 26% | D+13 |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | ±3.5% | 55.7% | 33.7% | 10.6% | D+22 | ||
| Rasmussen | May 15, 2006 | ±4.5% | 36% | 26% | 16% | 22% | D+10 | |
| Survey USA | May 8, 2006 | ±4.4% | 34% | 32% | 17% | 17% | D+2 | |
| State House News | May 5, 2006 | ±4.8% | 29% | 31% | 15% | 17% | R+2 | |
| Suffolk University | May 3, 2006 | ±4.9% | 26% | 28% | 10% | 4% | 33% | R+2 |
| Rasmussen | April 14, 2006 | ±4.5% | 34% | 27% | 19% | 20% | D+7 | |
| Suffolk University | April 3, 2006 | ±4.9% | 29% | 24% | 9% | 1% | 38% | D+5 |
| Zogby/WSJ | March 30, 2006 | ±3.5% | 53% | 31.5% | D+21.5 | |||
| State House News | March 16–18, 2006 | ±4.8% | 25% | 32% | 18% | 25% | R+7 | |
| Suffolk University | March 18-March 20, 2006 | ±4.9% | 29% | 26% | 13% | 32% | D+3 | |
| Rasmussen | March 13, 2006 | ±4.5% | 38% | 25% | 17% | 20% | D+13 | |
| Merrimack College | February 25, 2006 - March 8, 2006 |
±5.6% | 32.0% | 28.0% | 13.0% | 27.0% | D+4 | |
| ±4.8% | 34.5% | 39.4% | ** | 26.1% | R+4.9 | |||
| Boston Globe | March 3–9, 2006 | ±4.4% | 36% | 29% | 13% | 22% | D+5 | |
| 44% | 38% | ** | 18% | D+6 | ||||
| Survey USA | March 3–5, 2006 | ±3.8% | 30% | 35% | 20% | 14% | R+5 | |
| UMass Lowell | February 16, 2006 | ±5% | 34% | 34% | 12% | 20% | T | |
| 40% | 38% | ** | 22% | D+2 | ||||
| Suffolk University | February 6, 2006 | ±4.9% | 39% | 32% | 29% | D+7 | ||
| State House News | November 17–20, 2005 | ±4.8% | 44% | 32% | 24% | D+12 |
**Polls from when Mihos was considering running in Republican primary.
Democratic Primaries
| Source | Date | MoE Margin of error The margin of error is a statistic expressing the amount of random sampling error in a survey's results. The larger the margin of error, the less faith one should have that the poll's reported results are close to the "true" figures; that is, the figures for the whole population... |
Patrick | Reilly | Gabrieli | Other | Und. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA | September 15 - 17, 2006 | ±3.8% | 46% | 22% | 29% | 3% | |
| Suffolk University | September 15 - 17, 2006 | ±4.0% | 37% | 21% | 29% | 11% | |
| Boston Globe | September 12 - 15, 2006 | ±4.4% | 46% | 18% | 25% | 4% | 6% |
| Survey USA | September 9 - 11, 2006 | ±4.1% | 45% | 21% | 29% | 4% | |
| State House News | September 7 - 10, 2006 | ±6.8% | 35.6% | 19.4% | 25.6% | 1.0% | 16.2% |
| Boston Globe | August 18 - 23, 2006 | ±4.4% | 30% | 24% | 27% | 3% | 15% |
| (including "leaners") | 31% | 27% | 30% | 4% | 8% | ||
| Survey USA | August 19 - 21, 2006 | ±4.8% | 34% | 30% | 30% | 6% | |
| Suffolk University | August 17 - 21, 2006 | ±5.2% | 24% | 20% | 32% | 24% | |
| Survey USA | July 31 - August 2, 2006 | ±4.6% | 35% | 27% | 30% | 8% | |
| Survey USA | July 9–11, 2006 | ±4.9% | 37% | 26% | 27% | 10% | |
| State House News | June 28–30, 2006 | ±7.0% | 34.8% | 19.3% | 21.8% | 1.6% | 21.4% |
| Suffolk University | June 22–26, 2006 | ±4.0% | 31% | 25% | 22% | 21% | |
| Survey USA | June 16–18, 2006 | ±4.8% | 36% | 31% | 23% | 9% | |
| State House News | May 3–5, 2006 | ±6.8% | 15% | 37% | 25% | 5% | 17% |
| Survey USA | May 1–3, 2006 | ±4.9% | 28% | 32% | 29% | 10% | |
| Suffolk University | May 3, 2006 | ±4.9% | 20% | 35% | 15% | 29% | |
| Survey USA | April 7–8, 2006 | ±4.8% | 36% | 33% | 19% | 11% | |
| Suffolk University | April 3, 2006 | ±4.9% | 21% | 32% | 11% | 36% | |
| Merrimack College | February 25 - March 8, 2006 | ±4.8% | 21.8% | 37.5% | 40.7% | ||
| Boston Globe | March 12, 2006 | ±4.9% | 22% | 35% | 4% | 14% | 25% |
| Survey USA | March 5–6, 2006 | ±5% | 37% | 47% | 17% | ||
| UMass Lowell | February 16, 2006 | ±5% | 40% | 40% | 20% | ||
| Suffolk University | February 2–4, 2006 | ±4.9% | 30% | 39% | 2% | 29% | |
| State House News | January 25–27, 2006 | ±7.1% | 18% | 58% | 4% | 19% | |
| Rasmussen Reports | January 15–18, 2006 | ±5% | 30% | 29% | 11% | 30% | |
|-
|}
Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
As incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey ran for Governor, the position was open. In Massachusetts, the Lieutenant Governor candidates are nominated separately from the Gubernatorial candidates, then the nominated tickets from each party run together.Democratic
- Party nominee: Tim Murray - Mayor of WorcesterWorcester, MassachusettsWorcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. - Chris GabrieliChris GabrieliChris Gabrieli is an American businessman and a leading national education reformer. He is currently driving the movement to reform the school calendar.-Biography:...
- Businessman, 2002 nomineeMassachusetts gubernatorial election, 2002The Massachusetts gubernatorial election of 2002 was held on November 5, 2002. Businessman Mitt Romney was elected to a four-year term, to be served from January 2, 2003 until January 4, 2007. Every four years, Massachusetts holds state-wide elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney...
for Lieutenant Governor. Declined Tom ReillyThomas ReillyThomas F. Reilly is an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Massachusetts Attorney General. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents....
's offer to be running mate and then ran for Governor (see above). - Deborah GoldbergDeborah GoldbergDeborah Goldberg served on the Board of Selectmen for the town of Brookline, Massachusetts from 1998–2004, the last two as Chairman, and was a candidate in the 2006 Massachusetts Democratic primary election for Lieutenant Governor....
- Former chairwoman of the BrooklineBrookline, MassachusettsBrookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
Board of SelectmenBoard of selectmenThe board of selectmen is commonly the executive arm of the government of New England towns in the United States. The board typically consists of three or five members, with or without staggered terms.-History:...
and granddaughter of the founder of Stop & ShopStop & ShopThe Stop & Shop Supermarket Company is a chain of supermarkets located mostly in the northeastern United States. Its main rivals are Shaw's Star Market and Hannaford in New England, while ShopRite and the A&P family of supermarkets are its main competition in New York and New Jersey.- History :Stop...
. Lost in the primary election. - Sam KelleySam KelleyDr. Sam Kelley was a Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 2006, but dropped out on May 25 and plans to join the Deval Patrick campaign as a volunteer advisor on health care issues. -Biography:...
- Child psychologist and former legislative aide to Congressman Jim McDermottJim McDermottJames Adelbert "Jim" McDermott is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The 7th District includes most of Seattle and Vashon Island, and portions of Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, Tukwila, SeaTac, and Burien.He serves on the House Ways and Means...
. Dropped out of race. - Andrea Silbert - Businesswoman, co-founder and former CEO of the Center for Women & Enterprise, a non-profit entrepreneurial training center. Lost in the primary election.
- Marie St. FleurMarie St. FleurMarie P. St. Fleur is a former Massachusetts State Representative who represented the Fifth Suffolk district from 1999-2011. Her district consists of parts of the Boston neighborhoods Dorchester and Roxbury. She is the first Haitian-American to hold public office in Massachusetts. Representative...
- State representativeMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
. Picked by ReillyThomas ReillyThomas F. Reilly is an American attorney and politician who served as the 45th Massachusetts Attorney General. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts to Irish immigrant parents....
to be his running mate, but dropped out the next day.
Green-Rainbow
- Party nominee: Martina Robinson – former BelchertownBelchertown, MassachusettsAs of the census of 2000, there were 12,968 people, 4,886 households, and 3,517 families residing in the town. The population density was 245.9 people per square mile . There were 5,050 housing units at an average density of 95.8 per square mile...
selectman candidate and disability rights activist picked by her running mate, Grace RossGrace RossGrace Ross, is a Massachusetts activist. Ross was a Democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 2010 until she left the race, citing a lack of signatures. She is from Worcester, Massachusetts...
, on the deadline, September 7. She uses a wheelchairWheelchairA wheelchair is a chair with wheels, designed to be a replacement for walking. The device comes in variations where it is propelled by motors or by the seated occupant turning the rear wheels by hand. Often there are handles behind the seat for someone else to do the pushing...
, as she has cerebral palsyCerebral palsyCerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, and has been involved for 15 years with the American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today (ADAPT). - Wendy Van Horne (GRP) - Former Co-chair of the Green-Rainbow PartyGreen-Rainbow PartyThe Green-Rainbow Party is a political party in Massachusetts. It is the Massachusetts state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.-Establishment of official party status:...
and a nurse, was Grace Ross's running mate until September 1. At 22, she was not only the youngest person to run for Lieutenant Governor in recent history, but also the first Asian-American nominee for statewide office.
Republican
- Reed V. HillmanReed V. HillmanReed V. Hillman is an American law enforcement officer and politician who was the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor for the 2006 gubernatorial election in Massachusetts, as well as a former Massachusetts State Representative...
- a former state representativeMassachusetts House of RepresentativesThe Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from single-member electoral districts across the Commonwealth. Representatives serve two-year terms...
and colonel of the Massachusetts State PoliceMassachusetts State PoliceThe Massachusetts State Police is an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Executive Office of Public Safety and Security responsible for criminal law enforcement and traffic vehicle regulation across the state...
, he was chosen by Kerry Healey to be her running mate in early March 2006.
Independent
- John J. SullivanJohn J. SullivanJohn J. Sullivan is the town moderator and a former selectman of Winchester, Massachusetts, and a 2006 candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. A lifelong Democrat, he ran as an independent in the 2006 election as running mate to Christy Mihos...
- Town moderator of WinchesterWinchester, MassachusettsWinchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...
, former selectman, and chair of the Winchester Co-operative Bank. A former DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he disenrolled in March and became Christy MihosChristy MihosChristy P. Mihos is an American politician and businessman from the U.S. commonwealth of Massachusetts. He was an Independent candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 2006 and ran again as a Republican in the 2010 Massachusetts gubernatorial election...
's running mate.
Democratic Primary
- See Election results for details.
The Democrats were the only party with a contested primary election. Tim Murray won the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor on September 19 with 43% of the vote.
Debates
On April 23, 2006, a "virtual debate" between Democrats Sam KelleySam Kelley
Dr. Sam Kelley was a Democratic Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts in 2006, but dropped out on May 25 and plans to join the Deval Patrick campaign as a volunteer advisor on health care issues. -Biography:...
, Tim Murray, and Andrea Silbert was released on SaintKermit.com, hosted by Jim Henderson and 2002 Green-Rainbow
Green-Rainbow Party
The Green-Rainbow Party is a political party in Massachusetts. It is the Massachusetts state affiliate of the Green Party of the United States.-Establishment of official party status:...
Lieutenant Governor candidate Tony Lorenzen. The Greater Lowell Area Democrats, the Lowell Democratic City Committee, and BlogLeft held a debate between all four candidates on May 21 at the Lowell Telecommunications Corporation, was broadcast on public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV. Four days later, on May 25, Kelley dropped out of the race and joined the Deval Patrick campaign as a volunteer advisor on health care
Health care
Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...
issues.
Convention
At the Democratic convention on June 3, Worcester MayorWorcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
Tim Murray was endorsed by a voice vote after receiving 49% on the first ballot. Deborah Goldberg
Deborah Goldberg
Deborah Goldberg served on the Board of Selectmen for the town of Brookline, Massachusetts from 1998–2004, the last two as Chairman, and was a candidate in the 2006 Massachusetts Democratic primary election for Lieutenant Governor....
and Andrea Silbert both qualified for the ballot with 22% and 29% respectively. Christy Mihos announced on June 8 that John Sullivan would join him as his running mate.
Opinion Polls
| Source | Date | MoE Margin of error The margin of error is a statistic expressing the amount of random sampling error in a survey's results. The larger the margin of error, the less faith one should have that the poll's reported results are close to the "true" figures; that is, the figures for the whole population... |
Goldberg | Murray | Silbert | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk University | September 15 - 17, 2006 | ±4.0% | 35% | 22% | 21% | 31% |
| Boston Globe | September 12 - 15, 2006 | ±4.4% | 26% | 20% | 18% | 27% |
| State House News | September 7 - 10, 2006 | ±6.8% | 18.3% | 15.2% | 10.0% | 53.4% |
| Suffolk University | August 19 - 21, 2006 | ±5.2% | 6% | 11% | 5% | 77% |
| Suffolk University | June 22–26, 2006 | ±4.0% | 10% | 6% | 5% | 79% |
Media endorsements
- Deb Goldberg: Boston HeraldBoston HeraldThe Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
- Tim Murray: Boston Globe, Worcester Telegram & GazetteWorcester Telegram & GazetteThe Telegram & Gazette is Worcester, Massachusetts's only daily newspaper. The paper, known locally as the Telegram or the T & G is owned by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The New York Times Company .It offers coverage of all of...
- Andrea Silbert: Blue Mass Group, Brookline Tab
Other 2006 US elections
- United States gubernatorial elections, 2006United States gubernatorial elections, 2006The U.S. 2006 gubernatorial elections were held on November 7, 2006 in 36 states, with 22 of the seats held by Republicans and 14 by Democrats....
- United States House elections, 2006United States House elections, 2006- House of Representatives prior to the election :As of November 7, 2006, the U.S. House of the 109th Congress was composed of 229 Republicans, 201 Democrats and 1 Independent . There were also four vacancies...
- United States Senate elections, 2006United States Senate elections, 2006Elections for the United States Senate were held on November 7, 2006, with 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate being contested. Senators are elected for six-year terms, with one third of the Senate seats up for a vote every two years. The term of office for those elected in 2006 runs...
External links
General Election
- Kerry Healey for Governor & Reed Hillman for Lt. Governor
- Christy Mihos for Governor & John Sullivan for Lt. Governor
- Deval Patrick for Governor & Tim Murray for Lt. Governor
- Grace Ross for Governor & Martina Robinson for Lt. Governor