BOSTON (AP) — The 2022 race for lieutenant governor is beginning to shape up on Beacon Hill.
On the Democratic side Acton state Rep. Tami Gouveia and businessman Bret Bero are both stepping into the political waters.
Gouveia on Monday formally launched a bid for the office with a campaign video.
In the video, Gouveia — who grew up in Lowell — said as the state enters the second year of the pandemic, many families do not have the same protections that helped her parents enter the middle class.
“The crises facing us require a public health response guided by and for the people,” said Gouveia, who has a background in public health and founded the Massachusetts Chapter of the Women’s March, which opposed President Donald Trump’s policies.
Gouveia ticked off a series of policy initiatives she supports, including universal pre-kindergarten, Medicare for all, debt-free education, ending racist policies and backing the fight against climate change.
Bero also released a video Monday in which he says he’s weighing a run for lieutenant governor on the Democratic side.
“I believe as a small business owner and part of the faculty at the number one school for entrepreneurship in the world that I can help lead a revitalization of small business and restore Massachusetts’ economic performance,” said Bero, who is also a Babson College business professor.
On the Republican side, the big question looming is whether Gov. Charlie Baker will pursue a third term.
Baker hasn’t yet said one way or the other, but waiting in the wings is Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito.
If Baker launches a campaign for a third term, Polito could opt to follow suit and run with him again. If he decides to limit his terms to two, Polito could jump in and run for the top office.
Given her high profile as Baker’s political partner, Polito would be the favorite on the Republican side to again win the nomination for lieutenant governor, but she still faces competition for the post from within the party.
Rayla Campbell, a Randolph resident who has worked in insurance and claims management, has said she plans to run for lieutenant governor next year.
Campbell on her website said she believes the state deserves a lieutenant governor “focused on bipartisanship and solutions, a conservative leader that understands both the struggles and the aspirations of the hard-working people” of Massachusetts.
Also Monday, state Senator Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen, announced she’s running for state auditor.
“I will begin by auditing the Baker Administration’s actions during the pandemic crisis," DiZoglio said in a written statement. “The millions of taxpayer dollars spent on no-bid contracts during the failed vaccine rollout requires greater transparency. I will also launch an audit into the tragedy surrounding the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home.
Current Democratic State Auditor Suzanne Bump has opted not to seek re-election next year.