Sonia Chang-Diaz Drops Out Of MA Governor's Race

BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey has a clear path to the Democratic nomination as the state's next governor after State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz said Thursday morning that she will no longer actively campaign for a spot on the November ballot.

While Chang-Diaz's name will still appear on the September primary ballot, she said she is "directing her focus and movement's energy to elect down-ballot candidates who share her values and approach to put 'courage over politics.'"

"The reality is, this race has always been about more than just me," she said in a statement. "It's been about all of us coming together and building a movement for courage and urgency in this state.

"A good leader calls the question and focuses resources not just on themselves — but on the best way to build our power and win real change for the long-term."

Chang-Diaz was seen as the progressive alternative to Healey's establishment power within the party, and became the lone opposition for the nomination after rival candidates either dropped out or did not gain the 15 percent of support necessary at the Democratic State Convention last month to make the primary ballot.

But Healey remained the heavy favorite as Chang-Diaz expressed public frustration with her inability to engage the attorney general in debates, which Chang-Diaz acknowledged on Thursday: "I've looked at the numbers and there is no good-faith path I can lead my supporters on to win the governor's office."

"I am going to be spending my time campaigning and marshaling my supporters and the movement we've built for these courage Democrats down ballot, candidates who walk the walk when it comes to our values," she added. "I have no doubt that they will fight to put courage over politics in our state, and I am going to be using my energy to help put them into office."

She added that she will also concentrate her efforts on driving up voter registration and turnout in "communities that have been long overlooked."

"This is an important part of how we keep building power for years to come," she said.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)