The 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the governor of Massachusetts, concurrently with the election of Massachusetts's Class II U.S. Senate seat, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick was eligible to seek a third term but stated in January 2011 that he would not run for re-election. The office of lieutenant governor had been vacant since the resignation of Tim Murray in June 2013.
Primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor were conducted separately on September 9, 2014: the Democrats nominated Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and former CEO of the Democratic National Convention Steve Kerrigan, and the Republicans nominated former state cabinet secretary and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Charlie Baker and former state representative Karyn Polito.
Baker defeated Coakley and three other candidates in the general election. This was the second time in four years that Coakley, despite running as a Democrat in one of the most Democratic-leaning states in the union, lost a statewide election to a Republican. This was her final attempt at winning public office. This election, as of 2026, was the last Massachusetts gubernatorial election where the winning candidate did not both win every county and at least 63% of the vote.
Democratic primary
Governor
Candidates Donald Berwick, former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvementhttp://www.ihi.org/offerings/IHIOpenSchool/resources/Pages/ProfilesInLeadershipDonBerwick.aspx Profiles in Leadership: Don Berwick Martha Coakley, attorney general of Massachusetts and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010 Steven Grossman, treasurer and receiver-general of Massachusetts, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Massachusetts Democratic Party
Eliminated at convention Joseph Avellone, executive at PAREXEL, former COO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and former chairman of the Wellesley board of selectmen Juliette Kayyem, former assistant U.S. secretary of Homeland Security
Withdrew Dan Wolf, state senator from Harwich and CEO of Cape Air
Declined Suzanne M. Bump, Massachusetts state auditor (ran for re-election) Mike Capuano, U.S. representative from Somerville and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2010 (ran for re-election) Mo Cowan, former U.S. senator Joseph Curtatone, mayor of Somerville Robert DeLeo, speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Barney Frank, former U.S. representative Therese Murray, president of the Massachusetts Senate Tim Murray, former lieutenant governor of Massachusetts and former mayor of Worcester Carmen Ortiz, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts Deval Patrick, incumbent governor of Massachusetts Rick Sullivan, chief of staff to Governor Deval Patrick and former secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs and mayor of Westfield
Endorsements
Debate + 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial election Democratic primary debate Date Host Moderator Link Democratic Democratic Democratic Democratic DemocraticKey: Participant Absent Not invited Invited Withdrawn Joseph Avellone Donald Berwick Martha Coakley Steven Grossman Juliette Kayyem1 January 29, 2014 Jim MadiganYouTube
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JosephAvellone DonaldBerwick MarthaCoakley StevenGrossman JulietteKayyem DanWolf Other UndecidedWBUR/MassINCWBUR/MassINC September 2–7, 2014 234 ± 6.4% — 12% 41% 20% — — 1% 27%Boston GlobeBoston Globe September 2–3, 2014 400 ± 4.8% — 13% 47% 25% — — — 14%UMass LowellUMass Lowell August 25–31, 2014 685 ± 4.55% — 9% 52% 20% — — — 19%WBUR/MassINCWBUR/MassINC August 24–31, 2014 340 ± 5.3% — 6% 47% 23% — — <1% 24%Boston GlobeBoston Globe August 17–19 & 24–26, 2014 361 ± 5.2% — 10% 46% 24% — — — 21%SuffolkSuffolk August 21–24, 2014 400 ± 4.9% — 15.75% 42.25% 30% — — — 12%Boston GlobeBoston Globe August 10–12 & 17–19, 2014 358 ± 5.2% — 10% 45% 24% — — — 21%Boston GlobeBoston Globe August 3–5 & 10–12, 2014 357 ± 5.2% — 10% 45% 21% — — — 24%Boston GlobeBoston Globe 361 ± 5.2% — 9% 45% 18% — — — 28%Boston GlobeBoston Globe July 20–22 & 27–29, 2014 369 ± 5.1% — 5% 45% 20% — — — 30%Boston GlobeBoston Globe July 13–15 & 20–22, 2014 374 ± 5.1% — 5% 46% 18% — — — 30%Boston GlobeBoston Globe July 7–8 & 13–15, 2014 362 ± 5.1% — 6% 50% 16% — — — 28%Boston GlobeBoston Globe June 29–July 1 & 7–8, 2014 365 ± 5.1% — 5% 53% 17% — — — 26%Boston GlobeBoston Globe 373 ± ? — 6% 52% 18% — — — 24%Boston GlobeBoston Globe June 15–17 & 22–24, 2014 392 ± ? — 8% 52% 19% — — — 21%Boston GlobeBoston Globe June 8–10 & 15–17, 2014 198 ± ? — 8% 52% 19% — — — 21%Boston GlobeBoston Globe June 1–3 & 8–10, 2014 442 ± 4.7% 2% 3% 49% 14% 3% — — 30%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University June 4–7, 2014 450 ± 4.6% 1.78% 4% 44% 12% 2.44% — — 35.77%WBUR/MassINCWBUR/MassINC May 16–18, 2014 262 ± 6.1% 1% 3% 51% 7% 4% — 1% 32%UMassUMass March 31–April 6, 2014 156 ± ? — 3% 39% 9% 3% — 2% 44%WBUR/MassINCWBUR/MassINC March 14–16, 2014 237 ± ? 1% 4% 45% 14% 2% — 2% 32%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University January 29–February 3, 2014 309 ± 4% 0.97% 0.97% 56.31% 10.68% 4.21% — — 26.86%Public Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling September 20–23, 2013 324 ± 5.4% 4% 6% 57% 10% 2% 3% — 17%
With Capuano and Coakley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JosephAvellone DonaldBerwick MikeCapuano MarthaCoakley StevenGrossman JulietteKayyem DanWolf UndecidedPublic Policy Polling September 20–23, 2013 324 ± 5.4% 8% 4% 21% 41% 9% 1% 2% 13%
Without Coakley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JosephAvellone DonaldBerwick MikeCapuano MoCowan WilliamGalvin StevenGrossman CarmenOrtiz UndecidedPublic Policy PollingPublic Policy Polling May 1–2, 2013 666 ± 3.9% 5% 4% 17% 4% 13% 6% 5% 44%
With Coakley and Murray Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror SuzanneBump MarthaCoakley StevenGrossman TimMurray SettiWarren Other UndecidedSuffolk UniversitySuffolk University May 20–22, 2012 600 ± 4.1% 3% 35% 11% 13% 6% 10% 23%Suffolk UniversitySuffolk University February 11–15, 2012 600 ± 4.1% 1% 43% 7% 11% 8% 15% 16%
Results
Bold denotes candidate met the minimum threshold of fifteen percent to appear on the primary ballot.
Lieutenant governor
Candidates
Declared Leland Cheung, Cambridge city councilor and board member of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Steve Kerrigan, former CEO of the Democratic National Convention Michael Lake, candidate for state auditor in 2010
Eliminated at convention James Arena-DeRosa, former United States Department of Agriculture administrator
Withdrew Jonathan Edwards, Whately selectman
Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror JamesArena-DeRosa LelandCheung JonathanEdwards StephenKerrigan MichaelLake Other UndecidedBoston Globe September 2–3, 2014 400 ± 4.8% — 7% — 23% 9% — 60%UMass Lowell August 25–31, 2014 685 ± 4.55% — 10% — 24% 10% — 57%Boston Globe August 17–19 & 24–26, 2014 361 ± 5.2% — 5% — 14% 7% — 74%Suffolk August 21–24, 2014 400 ± 4.9% — 8.75% — 9.5% 9% — 72.75%Boston Globe August 10–12 & 17–19, 2014 358 ± 5.2% — 7% — 12% 5% — 75%Boston Globe June 1–3 & 8–10, 2014 442 ± 4.7% 3% 5% — 5% 3% — 85%SuffolkSuffolk June 4–7, 2014 450 ± 4.6% 0.89% 4% — 4% 2.67% — 88.44%SuffolkSuffolk 309 ± ? 1.94% 4.53% 3.56 5.5% 2.27% — 82.2%
Results
Bold denotes candidate met the minimum threshold of 15 percent to appear on the primary ballot
Republican primary Governor Candidates Charlie Baker, former state cabinet secretary and nominee for governor in 2010 Mark Fisher, businessman and Tea Party activist
Declined Scott Brown, former U.S. senator (ran for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire) Gabriel E. Gomez, nominee for U.S. Senate in 2013 Karyn Polito, former state representative and nominee for state treasurer in 2010 (running for lieutenant governor) Richard Tisei, former state senate minority leader, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2010 and nominee for U.S. representative in 2012 (ran for U.S. representative) William Weld, former governor Daniel Winslow, former state representative and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2013
Campaign At the Republican State Convention on March 22, 2014, Baker received 2,095 votes (82.708%), businessman and Tea Party activist Mark Fisher received 374 votes (14.765%), and there were 64 blank votes (2.527%). The threshold for making the ballot is 15%, and the party announced that Baker had thus received the nomination without the need for a primary election. However, Fisher argued that according to the convention rules, blank votes are not counted for the purposes of determining the winner, and that he thus received 15.148%, enough to make the ballot. He sued the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, and his case was due to be heard in Suffolk Superior Court between May 2 and June 18.
The committee's lawyer, Louis M. Ciavarra, said that in negotiations with the committee, Fisher declined their offer of being placed on the ballot, and instead asked for $1 million in return for dropping the suit. Ciavarra said that after it was pointed out to Fisher and his representatives that this would be illegal, they allegedly lowered their request to $650,000. Fisher's lawyer, Thomas M. Harvey, has confirmed that Fisher had asked for $1 million, which he called a "starting point", saying that Fisher should be "compensated" for his efforts, in addition to receiving a place on the ballot. He later said that the request for $650,000 was "still negotiable" and added that "you don't ask for what you expect". Fisher himself has denied asking for a "payoff", instead saying that party officials had offered him a "bribe" in December 2013 in return for dropping out. He refused to say who made the offer, claiming to have been under a gag order, though no such order existed. He said that he only asked for $1 million during the negotiations because he had been asked for a figure and it was the sum that he claimed the party had offered to him. He further denied the claim that he had offered to withdraw in exchange for the money, saying that he wanted a place on the ballot, for the State Committee to release the "tally sheets" which he claims show that he rightfully won a place on the ballot, and to be reimbursed $100,000 in damages: for the cost of legal fees and of collecting signatures to make the ballot by petition.
On May 9, 2014, a week into the case, Judge Douglas Wilkins accepted the State Committee's offer to certify Fisher on the primary ballot and put off the expedited June 16 trial date. The State Committee had not at that point turned over the "tally sheets" and the judge did not order them to do so, instead inviting Fisher's attorneys to submit an amended complaint. The State Committee also asked that the trial, discovery and deliberation over damages be postponed until after the election. The judge did not rule on that request, but he did rule that the other portions of Fisher's complaint would proceed at a later date, with no need for an expedited trial before the primary.