CNN’s Wallace: Dems MA, MD Governor Wins ‘Impressive,’ Barrier-Breaking

CNN anchors Chris Wallace, Dana Bash and Abby Phillip discussed the “impressive” barrier-breaking Democratic wins in the Maryland and Massachusetts governor’s races by Wes Moore and Maura Healey Tuesday during their networks midterm election coverage.

Partial transcript as follows: 

ABBY PHILLIP: But in Maryland, in Wes Moore, I think what you’re seeing there is someone who Democrats agree is perhaps the future of the party, a huge rising star, someone who, as Boris said, has never held public office before taking over that governor’s mansion from a very popular Republican governor. I think that’s definitely one place I would be watching.

CHRIS WALLACE: Yeah, there’s no question. We obviously here in Washington, we’ve seen a lot of the ads for Wes Moore, an enormously impressive candidate. I agree with you. He’s going to have a national profile. What’s so interesting? These are two deep blue states, Maryland and Massachusetts. And for the last eight years, both of them have been governed by moderate, moderate Republicans. Larry Hogan and Charlie Baker, both very popular. But both Healey and and Moore were advantaged by the fact that they had hard right candidates, candidates who were strongly against abortion, strongly for Trump. And one of them said that Pence was a traitor. The other one said the 2020 election was rigged. That kind of politics from a Republican isn’t going to work in Maryland. Massachusetts.

DANA BASH: No question. And the resumé that Wes Moore has is just stellar. It’s he was a veteran from Afghanistan in the 82nd Airborne. But I want to go back to Maura Healey and Massachusetts, because I’m sorry when you think about it, the history making moment of her being the first openly lesbian. Okay, but the first woman, there’s never been a female governor in Massachusetts?

ABBY PHILLIP: I mean, it is amazing. And Massachusetts is not the only place where that is a piece of history that has not happened. I mean, there are a lot of places in this country, but especially when you look at these statewide contests where it is still a barrier to reach for women to be elected to those positions, for Black people to be elected to those positions. I believe Wes Moore would be only the third Black governor that’s been elected in this country. So since Reconstruction, I should say. So there are a lot of barriers that we thought we had gotten past, that people are still breaking in 2022.

WALLACE: You know, and you’re exactly right about what’s more. I mean, the first black governor of Maryland, another deep blue state, a few barriers, big broken. And we may see how the national race goes. But in a couple of very blue states, a couple of very impressive blue candidates.

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