Massachusetts set to elect first female, gay governor over Trumpist opponent

Massachusetts is on course to elect its first woman and first gay governor after Maura Healey won the Democratic primary on Tuesday and a Trump-backed candidate, Geoff Diehl, won the Republican contest to face her.

Healey, a former college and professional basketball player, has been attorney general since 2015. Polls give her huge leads over Diehl.

The abortion issue alone has driven electoral successes that have Democrats hoping they can prosper in the midterm elections.

Healey is set to be the second woman to govern Massachusetts but the first elected to the office. In 2001, Jane Swift, a Republican, took over from Paul Cellucci when he became US ambassador to Greece. Swift was succeeded by Mitt Romney, who became the 2012 Republican nominee for president and is now a senator from Utah.

The Democratic candidate for governor in Oregon, Tina Kotek, is also gay. If elected, she and Healey will be the first gay women to govern US states.