Politics

Kim Driscoll wins Dem. lieutenant governor race, will run with Healey in November

Driscoll has served as mayor of Salem since 2006.

By Ross Cristantiello

September 7, 2022

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Kim Driscoll will join Maura Healey on the ballot this November. The Salem Mayor was declared the winner of the Democratic primary nomination for lieutenant governor Tuesday evening. She defeated state Sen. Eric Lesser and state Rep. Tami Gouveia in a close yet calm race.

The Healey/Driscoll ticket represents the first time a major party in Massachusetts has nominated two women for governor and lieutenant governor.

“Together, we crisscrossed this state. It was a hard-fought race,” Driscoll told supporters Tuesday in Salem. “It takes a sacrifice to run. We had great candidates this cycle, and I know they are interested in making Massachusetts better.”

With about 78% of ballots counted at 12 a.m. Wednesday, Driscoll held a 46% share of the vote, compared to 33% for Lesser and 20% for Gouveia, according to the Associated Press.

Driscoll has served as mayor of Salem since 2006. Throughout the campaign, she amplified messaging about the experience she gained in this role. During an early August debate, she said that this experience was what set her apart from the other two candidates.

“I’ve been a mayor for the last 16 years, I worked in the city of Chelsea as they came out of receivership, I’ve had to actually do the work on the ground. It’s different to talk about things as a policy leader,” she said.

Polls throughout the summer showed that Driscoll maintained a slight lead, but most voters had no knowledge of any of the candidates.

Driscoll positioned herself as someone who, as lieutenant governor, would be an ally for cities and towns given her municipal experience. In this sense, she’d be working in a similar way to outgoing lieutenant governor Karyn Polito.