Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Governor Kerry Healey, 46, is a native of Daytona Beach, Fla. Healey is a current resident of Beverly, Mass., where she resides with her husband, Sean, and their two children.

Healey attended Harvard University, where she received a degree in government in 1982. She was awarded a Rotary International Scholarship in 1983 and earned her Ph.D. in political science and law from Trinity College in Dublin. She also served as visiting researcher in the International and Comparative Legal Studies Program at Harvard Law School and continues to be a member of the Council on Foreign Affairs. Healey has significant criminal justice experience working for the U.S. Department of Justice on issues dealing with child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and gang violence.

For over a decade, Healey served as a law and public safety consultant for Abt Associates, Inc. Healey co-chaired a campaign to rebuild a branch library in Beverly raising over $1 million in funds and grants, and in 2001 co-chaired Beverly's United Way campaign to support community development efforts.

Healey has served as lieutenant governor for the Romney administration and has received his support in her race for governor. Healey's candidacy is particularly important to Massachusetts Republicans who hope to extend the 16 years of Republican leadership on Beacon Hill.

The lieutenant governor recently joined the efforts of activist Phyllis Lopes in hopes of gaining support for an anti-gang bill pending in Congress. Healey is known for her work campaigning for tougher drunken driving laws and her concern for the safety of children online. In 2004, eight regional post-release supervision centers, organizations that seek to help criminal offenders adjust to life without crime, were opened in Massachusetts under Healey's leadership.

In her efforts to end domestic violence, Healey recently filed legislation that would enable the courts to impose global positioning system tracking for domestic abuse offenders who are violating civil restraining orders. As lieutenant governor, Healey also served as municipal leaders' central contact for local finance and budget issues. Healey currently leads the Governor's Council, which is responsible for the governor's judicial appointments.

On The Issues:

Education: Believes that promoting math and science curriculums will best prepare today’s students for success in tomorrow’s economy. Will continue to advocate charter schools and will seek to raise the drop out age from 16 to 18.

Healthcare: Supports making affordable healthcare available for all Massachusetts residents using market based solutions that do not place unfair burdens on our state’s businesses through new or additional taxes.

Environment: Will look to continue expanding state and local partnerships to protect open space and will work with the state’s development community to promote the use of new technologies that will improve efficiency, reduce pollution and lower energy consumption.

Economy/Taxes: Wants the state’s income tax to be rolled back to 5 percent and is committed to maintaining a stable, predictable tax environment for the benefit of Massachusetts' employers.

Crime: Will work to make our communities safer by seeking tougher restrictions for sex offenders and will provide the law enforcement community with the support they need to carry out their duties.

Homeland Security: Will work with federal, state and local officials as well as the private sector to ensure that government, law enforcement, first responders and public health officials are trained and prepared to identify, evaluate and address security threats should they occur.