2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial election


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 2025, was the last Massachusetts gubernatorial election where the winning candidate did not both win every county and a majority of the vote.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Polling

With Capuano and Coakley

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Donald
Berwick
Mike
Capuano
Martha
Coakley
Steven
Grossman
Juliette
Kayyem
Dan
Wolf
Undecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013324± 5.4%8%4%21%41%9%1%2%13%

Without Coakley

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Donald
Berwick
Mike
Capuano
Mo
Cowan
William
Galvin
Steven
Grossman
Carmen
Ortiz
Undecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 2013666± 3.9%5%4%17%4%13%6%5%44%

With Coakley and Murray

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Suzanne
Bump
Martha
Coakley
Steven
Grossman
Tim
Murray
Setti
Warren
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityMay 20–22, 2012600± 4.1%3%35%11%13%6%10%23%
Suffolk UniversityFebruary 11–15, 2012600± 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

Results

Bold denotes candidate met the minimum threshold of 15 percent to appear on the primary ballot

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Campaign

At the Republican State Convention on March 22, 2014, Baker received 2,095 votes, businessman and Tea Party activist Mark Fisher received 374 votes, and there were 64 blank votes. 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.
A debate was held between Baker and Fisher on August 21. They clashed on jobs, gun control and higher education. Baker called for "constructive friction" in electing him governor to counterbalance the Democratic-controlled General Court and said that he would "clean up the regulatory morass, control spending reduce taxes." Fisher criticised the rise in food stamps, rising cost of entitlement programmes and illegal immigration. In the primary election on September 9, Baker defeated Fisher 116,004 votes to 40,240. In February 2015, Fisher settled with the State Party for $240,000. Executive Director Brian Wynne said that despite the settlement, the Party denied his accusations and said that the settlement was forced on them because of mounting legal costs.

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Independents and third parties

Candidates

Declared

General election

Polling

With Avellone

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014697± 3.7%19%36%9%37%
Suffolk UniversityJune 4–7, 2014800± 3.5%17%30%5%49%
Boston GlobeMay 29–June 3, 2014602± 4%17%36%11%36%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%19%38%5%39%
WBUR/MassINCJanuary 16–19, 2014504± 4.4%13%36%12%39%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%30%40%30%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%24%33%43%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%29%46%24%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Mark
Fisher
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%21.83%19.33%7.17%51.66%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph
Avellone
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%29%25%46%

With Berwick

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Donald
Berwick
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
WBUR/MassINCSeptember 2–7, 2014500± 4.4%18%39%10%33%
WBUR/MassINCAugust 24–31, 2014700± 3.7%19%37%10%33%
Boston GlobeAugust 17–19 & 24–26, 2014605± 4%19%44%8%29%
Boston GlobeAugust 10–12 & 17–19, 2014605± 4%22%40%8%30%
Boston GlobeAugust 3–5 & 10–12, 2014606± 4%22%37%7%33%
Boston GlobeJuly 27–29 & August 3–5, 2014605± 4%23%36%7%34%
Boston GlobeJuly 20–22 & 27–29, 2014601± 4%24%37%8%30%
Boston GlobeJuly 13–15 & 20–22, 2014625± 3.9%20%41%11%28%
Boston GlobeJuly 7–8 & 13–15, 2014605± 4%18%42%12%29%
Boston GlobeJune 29–July 1 & 7–8, 2014604± 4%17%40%11%32%
Boston GlobeJune 22–24 & 29–July 1, 2014601± 4%17%37%11%35%
WBUR/MassINCJune 27–29, 2014502± 4.4%19%31%14%38%
Boston GlobeJune 15–17 & 22–24, 2014604± 3.9%19%37%10%35%
Boston GlobeJune 8–10 & 15–17, 2014630± 3.9%20%36%7%36%
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014697± 3.7%20%36%8%36%
Suffolk UniversityJune 4–7, 2014800± 3.5%18.63%29.63%4.76%47.01%
Boston GlobeMay 29–June 3, 2014602± 4%18%37%11%35%
WBUR/MassINCMay 16–18, 2014504± 4.4%16%35%11%39%
UMass AmherstMarch 31–April 6, 2014500± 5.9%29%32%39%
WBUR/MassINCMarch 14–16, 2014500± 4.4%17%36%7%40%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%18.5%38.33%5.33%37.84%
WBUR/MassINCJanuary 16–19, 2014504± 4.4%13%36%12%40%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%31%38%31%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%25%35%41%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Donald
Berwick
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingJanuary 29–30, 2013763± 3.6%32%49%19%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Donald
Berwick
Mark
Fisher
OtherUndecided
WBUR/MassINCJune 27–29, 2014502± 4.4%21%14%18%48%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%21.17%19.17%7.5%47.33%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Donald
Berwick
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%28%24%48%

With Capuano

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mike
Capuano
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%42%37%21%
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%36%24%40%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%35%33%32%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mike
Capuano
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%33%45%22%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%38%45%17%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mike
Capuano
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%40%20%40%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%38%24%39%

With Coakley

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Martha
Coakley
Mark
Fisher
OtherUndecided
WBUR/MassINCJune 27–29, 2014502± 4.4%43%13%14%30%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%48.67%16.33%5%30%
Purple StrategiesJanuary 21–23, 2014500± 4.4%50%30%20%

With Cowan

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mo
Cowan
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%26%33%41%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mo
Cowan
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%31%48%21%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Mo
Cowan
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%30%25%45%

With Galvin

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
William F.
Galvin
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%37%31%33%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
William F.
Galvin
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%39%43%19%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
William F.
Galvin
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%39%24%27%

With Grossman

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steven
Grossman
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
WBUR/MassINCSeptember 2–7, 2014500± 4.4%28%34%7%30%
UMass LowellAugust 25–31, 20141,624± 2.94%31%33%10%27%
WBUR/MassINCAugust 24–31, 2014700± 3.7%29%34%6%31%
Boston GlobeAugust 17–19 & 24–26, 2014605± 4%33%37%7%22%
Boston GlobeAugust 10–12 & 17–19, 2014605± 4%32%34%7%26%
Boston GlobeAugust 3–5 & 10–12, 2014606± 4%29%32%8%31%
Boston GlobeJuly 27–29 & August 3–5, 2014605± 4%30%31%8%31%
MassINCJuly 28–August 3, 2014388± ?39%35%25%
Boston GlobeJuly 20–22 & 27–29, 2014601± 4%29%34%9%28%
Boston GlobeJuly 13–15 & 20–22, 2014625± 3.9%27%37%10%26%
Boston GlobeJuly 7–8 & 13–15, 2014605± 4%19%37%9%25%
Boston GlobeJune 29–July 1 & 7–8, 2014604± 4%27%36%9%29%
Boston GlobeJune 22–24 & 29–July 1, 2014601± 4%26%34%9%31%
WBUR/MassINCJune 27–29, 2014502± 4.4%28%30%11%30%
Boston GlobeJune 15–17 & 22–24, 2014604± 3.9%28%31%9%32%
Boston GlobeJune 8–10 & 15–17, 2014630± 3.9%27%30%8%35%
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014697± 3.7%28%31%8%33%
Suffolk UniversityJune 4–7, 2014800± 3.5%24.25%26.5%4.01%45.25%
Boston GlobeMay 29–June 3, 2014602± 4%26%32%10%31%
WBUR/MassINCMay 16–18, 2014504± 4.4%25%33%8%34%
WNEUMarch 31–April 7, 2014477± 5%38%29%13%20%
UMass AmherstMarch 31–April 6, 2014500± 5.9%35%29%36%
WBUR/MassINCMarch 14–16, 2014500± 4.4%24%32%8%36%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%28.33%33.33%6%32.33%
Purple StrategiesJanuary 21–23, 2014500± 4.4%34%35%31%
WBUR/MassINCJanuary 16–19, 2014504± 4.4%23%33%8%36%
WNEUOctober 1–7, 2013431± ?%43%30%27%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%38%37%25%
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%27%26%47%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%32%31%37%
Public Policy PollingJune 22–24, 2012902± 3.3%36%34%27%
Public Policy PollingMarch 16–18, 2012936± 3.2%37%30%33%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steven
Grossman
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%26%55%19%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%34%46%19%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 29–30, 2013763± 3.6%37%48%15%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steven
Grossman
Mark
Fisher
OtherUndecided
WBUR/MassINCJune 27–29, 2014502± 4.4%31%15%17%38%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%35.33%17.17%6%41.5%
Purple StrategiesJanuary 21–23, 2014500± 4.4%35%26%38%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Steven
Grossman
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%27%26%47%
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%34%25%41%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 29–30, 2013763± 3.6%37%48%15%

With Kayyem

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Juliette
Kayyem
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Boston GlobeJune 1–3 & 8–10, 2014697± 3.7%20%36%8%36%
Suffolk UniversityJune 4–7, 2014800± 3.5%20%28%4.51%47.5%
Boston GlobeMay 29–June 3, 2014602± 4%20%36%9%36%
WBUR/MassINCMay 16–18, 2014504± 4.4%17%36%9%38%
UMass AmherstMarch 31–April 6, 2014500± 5.9%32%32%36%
WBUR/MassINCMarch 14–16, 2014500± 4.4%19%34%8%39%
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%19%36.83%5.67%38.5%
WBUR/MassINCJanuary 16–19, 2014504± 4.4%15%37%10%38%
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%31%38%31%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Juliette
Kayyem
Mark
Fisher
OtherUndecided
Suffolk UniversityJanuary 29–February 3, 2014600± 4%24.33%19.17%6.83%49.66%

With Kennedy

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph P.
Kennedy II
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%48%25%27%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph P.
Kennedy II
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%41%42%17%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Joseph P.
Kennedy II
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
UMass AmherstMay 30–June 4, 2013500± 5.4%40%33%27%

With Murray

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Tim
Murray
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingJune 22–24, 2012902± 3.3%36%37%27%
Public Policy PollingMarch 16–18, 2012936± 3.2%37%32%31%

With Ortiz

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Carmen
Ortiz
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%27%35%38%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Carmen
Ortiz
Scott
Brown
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%31%49%20%
Public Policy PollingJanuary 29–30, 2012763± 3.6%32%49%19%

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Carmen
Ortiz
Richard
Tisei
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingMay 1–2, 20131,539± 2.5%29%27%44%

With Wolf

Poll sourceDate
administered
Sample
size
Margin of
error
Dan
Wolf
Charlie
Baker
OtherUndecided
Public Policy PollingSeptember 20–23, 2013616± 4%31%37%31%

Results

By county

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

By congressional district

Baker won six of nine congressional districts, which all elected Democrats.
DistrictCoakleyBakerRepresentative
46%45%Richard Neal
43%51%Jim McGovern
43%52%Niki Tsongas
44%52%Joe Kennedy III
53%43%Katherine Clark
41%55%John Tierney
41%55%Seth Moulton
71%25%Mike Capuano
44%52%Stephen Lynch
42%53%Bill Keating