AG Healey on track to be Massachusetts' first elected female governor

Driving the news: Healey's challenger, Jamaica Plain Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, bowed out of the race Thursday morning, admitting there was no way to beat the popular Healey at the polls.

• Chang-Diaz said at a press conference that she would dedicate what's left of her campaign to building a "movement" to elect a slate of five progressives in down-ballot races.
• Healey said in a statement that she's grateful for what Chang-Diaz brought to the race.

State of play: Barring an unlikely upset in the GOP primary that would pit a more moderate candidate against Healey, or an unprecedented swing of November voters to Republican frontrunner Geoff Diehl, a Democratic Healey administration will begin in January.

• Democrats will have control of the executive branch and vast majorities in both the House and Senate.

• Progressives will push Healey for policies to the left of what Republican incumbent Gov. Charlie Baker has offered the last eight years.

The other side: Diehl, a former state representative from Whitman and supporter of former President Donald Trump, has a clear lead in the Republican primary against more moderate opponent Chris Doughty.

• Polls show Healey with a nearly 30-point advantage over Diehl in a head-to-head.

The bottom line: Even in what is expected to be a disappointing election cycle for Democrats nationally, Massachusetts' track record of supporting Democrats may make the race a cinch for Healey.