Keller @ Large: Hidden winners and losers of Massachusetts primary
BOSTON - You know who won and lost Tuesday's Massachusetts primary races. But what about some of the night's hidden winners and losers?
HEALEY'S COATTAILS
Maura Healey's victory didn't come as a surprise, but her political coattails were a hidden winner.
Healey's intervention helped boost Attorney General nominee Andrea Campbell past Shannon Liss-Riordan, and Healey supporters were part of Kim Driscoll's victory in the race for lieutenant governor. That's quite the political muscle-flex.
WU'S WOES
But the meltdowns of Ricardo Arroyo and Liss-Riordan made a hidden loser of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who chose to risk political capital on both candidates, and lost big, raising doubts about her clout.
A WIN FOR WOMEN
Healey isn't just the first gay woman nominated for governor. She's one of five Democratic women nominated for the six constitutional offices, an unprecedented yield.
And with former President Trump's endorsement of Geoff Diehl likely to be a major focus of the Healey campaign, that could help another hidden winner, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, who hopes to surf a similar theme in her re-election bid.
BIG MONEY, LITTLE RESULTS
And as you watch the high-dollar ad campaigns pour out of New Hampshire, consider how big money was a hidden loser on Tuesday.
Liss-Riordan spent almost $10 million of her own dough.
GOP gubernatorial candidate Chris Doughty also spent millions, as did lieutenant governor candidate Eric Lesser. All three of them lost, and it wasn't even close.
NOVEMBER BALANCING ACT
Another a final hidden winner - opponents of the income-tax hike question on the November ballot and supporters of repeal of the new law allowing undocumented immigrants to get drivers licenses.
Voters here have a long track record of seeking some form of balance, so if they're going to put in a relatively liberal Democratic governor, they might want to send her a few messages on other issues.