Spill of the Hill: Vive la Maura
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Donald Trump returning to the White House next year could provide a silver lining for Gov. Maura Healey, who's poised to become one of the top figures of Democrats' new "resistance."
Why it matters: Based on Healey's track record, it's very likely she'll be front and center on cable TV as one of the most high-profile Democratic critics of Trump's second administration.
- That could turn the first-term governor into a national figure.
What they're saying: "I've spoken quite a bit about Donald Trump and my feelings about him. We have to see whether he makes good on what he promised and ran on, in terms of Project 2025, or other things," Healey said at a State House press conference Wednesday in the aftermath of the election.
Between the lines: With regular cable appearances, Trump 2 could launch the governor into a hero of the defeated left and be a boon for Healey's political profile here and nationally.
Catch up quick: Healey was already a top surrogate for Vice President Harris throughout the truncated presidential race, popping up on TV and delivering a prime-time speech at the DNC to tout the legal backgrounds both women share.
State of play: This year, Healey was the Harris campaign's go-to public prosecutor — a former attorney general, like Harris, who could attack Trump for being a convicted felon and two-time impeached president.
- That line of attack is unlikely to go away with Trump back in the White House.
Flashback: Before she was in the corner office, Healey made a name for herself as a crusading AG, launching or joining numerous lawsuits against the first Trump administration that tied some of the GOP's agenda up in court.
- Look to current AG Andrea Campbell to carry on that tradition next year, with the support of her prime-time predecessor.
What we're watching: If Healey finds success in the spotlight, it could elevate her desire to play a bigger role in national politics — for instance, as part of the U.S. Senate or the mix of names batted around for 2028.