“We’ve got somebody in the White House who acts like a king. We’ve got a government that has engaged in its own form of tyranny … overriding the rule of law, overriding democratic principles,” the Arlington Democrat told the crowd of roughly 70 attendees. “Directionally, you’ve got a choice. In Massachusetts, do you want to vote for people who are trying to take us in the right direction?”

Healey does not yet face a challenger in the Sept. 1 Democratic primary. On the Republican side, three candidates are competing for the nomination: Mike Minogue, who in 2024 hosted a high-dollar fund-raiser in Gloucester for the GOP presidential ticket headlined by JD Vance; former Baker Administration official Mike Kennealy; and former MBTA official Brian Shortsleeve.

Kennealy and Shortsleeve have publicly put some distance between themselves and Trump, with Kennealy saying he did not vote for him and Shortsleeve describing his support as voting “the Republican ticket.” Both campaigns have enlisted Red Curve Solutions, a Beverly firm that handles campaign finance compliance and has worked with Trump.

The town hall marked the start of a three-day stretch of campaign events from New Bedford to North Adams. Healey touted her record on immigration, housing, and energy costs, and fielded questions from attendees on issues affecting them directly.

Emelia Capalla-Cherie, a 15-year-old from Saugus, asked what the governor would do to protect Haitian immigrants facing uncertainty about their Temporary Protected Status, which shields them from deportation. Capalla-Cherie, whose father is a Haitian immigrant, said her community “has faced multiple threats from the Trump administration.”

Healey agreed.

“What the Trump administration did is just rip the rug right out from under them … all of a sudden [people] were finding themselves subject to deportation,” she said.

Erin Howard, a third-year Wellesley College student studying political science and math, asked about the cost of higher education and what the governor is doing to make college more affordable. Healey cited legislative wins from her first term, including free community college, increasing financial aid, and piloting three-year college programs.

“We’re trying to get at [the cost of higher education] from a number of ways,” Healey said.

Ashley Parys, 33, who works with people recovering from addiction, asked what the governor and Legislature can do to expand access to treatment, particularly for women with children.

Healey said the state invests in recovery programs using money gained in a landmark opioid settlement with OxyContin producer Purdue Pharma and added that building more housing will help people, too.

Massachusetts remains well short of the nearly quarter-million new housing units it needs by 2035 to meet demand and maintain a healthy vacancy rate, according to targets suggested by the governor’s own Housing Advisory Committee.

“If you’re struggling with addiction … there are going to be any number of impediments along the way,” Healey said. “We need to remove the impediment of housing, which just makes it too hard to stay sober and to stay on this path.”

In closing, Healey returned to her theme of voter choice.

“I don’t think we’ve ever been up against a federal government like we have now,” she said.

Afterward, Healey and Driscoll shook hands with voters and posed for selfies in front of a custom “Team Healey Driscoll” backdrop.

Among the attendees were former veterans secretary Jon Santiago and several members of the State House’s Boston delegation, including state Senators Sal DiDomenico and Liz Miranda, as well as state Representatives Jay Livingstone and John Moran, a South End Democrat who replaced Santiago when he was appointed to Healey’s cabinet.

Outside, a handful of protesters held signs criticizing Healey’s proposed health care cuts in her $63 billion budget filed last month.

The proposal would eliminate MassHealth coverage for GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, mirroring moves by other states and private insurers. The budget proposal would also create a cap for MassHealth dental benefits at $1,000.

At the time, Healey said the cuts represent “places we can shave a little because we have to.”

Samantha J. Gross can be reached at samantha.gross@globe.com. Follow her @samanthajgross.