A new poll of Massachusetts residents finds a majority approve of the job Gov. Maura Healey is doing. But respondents are critical of how she has handled two key issues.
The poll was conducted by UMass Amherst and WCVB-TV and 52% of those taking part said they approve of Healey. While still strong, that number is down six percentage points from October. And a majority did not approve of how the governor has been handling the housing and immigration crises.
Healey has indicated she's running for re-election next year. UMass political science professor and pollster Tatishe Nteta said despite these issues, Healey is in good shape for that bid.
"She still has this wellspring of support amongst most residents of the commonwealth, which positions her really well as she looks towards her re-election campaign," Nteta said.
As for housing and immigration, Healey has tried to take steps towards improving both issues. Last year, she signed a $5 billion bond bill to help create more affordable housing. Her administration has also modified the state's emergency shelter system, which has been taxed during the migrant crisis.
"Now whether or not these solutions are going to address the problems enough for her to again win re-election in 2026, I think is going to be the story of the next few months, and years," he said.
The poll also found Healey had large leads over five potential Republican challengers, although none have declared candidacy. They included Michael Kennealy, a member of former Gov. Charlie Baker’s cabinet, John Deaton, who ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate last year, Former MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve, Lew Evangelidis, the sheriff of Worcester County and State Senator Peter Durant. In all cases, between 25 and 39% of those taking the survey said they did not know who they would pick in any of the hypothetical races.
The poll also measured what and how state officials should deal with the stream of executive orders which have come out during the first weeks of President Donald Trump’s second administration. The poll shows 60% said they support efforts by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell to sue in order to block some of these actions. And large majorities said Healey, the state legislature and the Massachusetts congressional delegation should be pushing back or challenging actions by Trump that might violate state law or the U.S. Constitution.
And not surprisingly in a heavily Democratic state like Massachusetts, 64% of respondents said they don’t approve of the job Trump has been doing since returning to the White House, while half that number said they approve.
The poll was conducted between February 14-20 and sampled 700 Massachusetts residents.
