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UMass poll: Majority say Gov. Healey is doing her job well, but fewer think she is keeping her campaign promises
The survey asked how well she has performed on issues like the economy, education, housing, transportation, and crime.
UMass Poll:
Just over half of Massachusetts residents who responded to a recent poll said Gov. Maura Healey is doing her job as governor “very well” or “somewhat well.”
The poll, conducted by UMass Amherst in conjunction with WCVB, surveyed 700 people according to a “politically representative ‘modeled frame’ of MA adults.” Of the participants, 75% are white and 25% are people of color. They include men and women between 18 and over 55 with varying levels of education who were also asked their opinions on Trump’s first month in office.
Sixteen percent of respondents said Healey is doing her job very well, 41% somewhat well, 12% not too well, 21% not well at all, and 10% said they don’t know.
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Evaluated on an issue-by-issue basis, Healey gets the highest approval rating for the way she has handled reproductive rights, followed by education and then crime. Respondents are least impressed with her work on housing, with 56% saying she has handled that issue “not too well” or “not well at all,” followed by her handling of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, and then taxes.
Gov. Healey rated on the issues
| Very Well or Somewhat Well | Not Too Well or Not Well At All | Don’t Know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The economy | 49% | 38% | 13% |
| Migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers | 35% | 52% | 13% |
| Climate change | 44% | 29% | 27% |
| Education | 56% | 26% | 17% |
| Taxes | 40% | 44% | 16% |
| Housing | 30% | 56% | 13% |
| Transportation | 49% | 34% | 17% |
| Childcare | 39% | 28% | 33% |
| The MBTA (N=536) | 48% | 34% | 19% |
| Reproductive rights | 62% | 18% | 20% |
| Crime | 52% | 32% | 16% |
When respondents were asked what one issue they would most like Healey and the Massachusetts State Legislature to address in the coming year, housing was chosen by just under a quarter of respondents, down from 34% when respondents were asked the same question in May 2024. Immigration, healthcare, homelessness, and taxes rounded out the top five.
Rating the coming year priorities
| February 2025 | May 2024 | October 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | 23% | 34% | 31% |
| Immigration | 18% | 18% | 12% |
| Crime | 3% | 4% | 8% |
| Transportation and infrastructure | 6% | 9% | 9% |
| Healthcare | 15% | 8% | 9% |
| Reproductive rights | 4% | 2% | 2% |
| Taxes | 12% | 7% | 8% |
| Climate change | 5% | 9% | 9% |
| Homelessness | 13% | 9% | 11% |
Of three promises Healey made during her campaign for governor — to reform the state’s tax laws, encourage more people to live in Massachusetts, and be more transparent than past governors — fewer than half of respondents said she has kept any of those promises as of yet.
Has Gov. Healey kept her promises?
| Kept Her Promise | Broken Her Promise | Don’t Know | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reform the state’s tax laws | 21% | 36% | 43% |
| Encourage more people to live in Massachusetts | 36% | 24% | 40% |
| Be more transparent than past governors | 40% | 29% | 31% |
Healey’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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The poll also measured the governor, who announced she will run for reelection in 2026, against potential challengers. In every case, respondents indicated she would receive more votes than the potential candidates, a list that included state Sen. Peter Durant, Sheriff of Worcester County Lew Evangelidis, former MBTA Chief Administrator Brian Shortsleeve, former Republican candidate for Senate John Deaton, and former secretary of Housing and Economic Development Michael Kennealy.
Respondents were asked to describe Healey in one word. The responses included “good,” “liberal,” “fair,” “competent,” “trying,” and “progressive,” as well as “weak,” “terrible,” “unsure,” “incompetent,” “useless,” and “okay.”
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