Gov. Maura Healey waded in early to the race for a South Shore and Cape Cod Senate seat Thursday, endorsing Falmouth Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who announced his candidacy for the post at the start of December.

Fernandes, a Democrat, said he was running for the seat after Sen. Susan Moran, also a Democrat from Falmouth, said she would not seek re-election to the Legislature to instead pursue an elected county position. At least one Republican is running for the seat while others are considering bids.

Healey touted Fernandes as a leader in bringing clean energy jobs to the area and protecting abortion access.

He is running for Senate with “a focus on making housing more attainable for working families, creating jobs, and ensuring that the district receives the infrastructure it needs,” a statement sent by the governor’s political spokesperson said.

“Rep. Fernandes knows the district, its people, and has the track record of delivering on the issues that matter most in their lives. I am proud to endorse him and know that he will deliver on the promise to make housing more affordable, create jobs, and build the infrastructure we need for the district and the Commonwealth,” Healey said in the statement.

Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, the former mayor of Salem, also threw her political weight behind Fernandes.

“Rep. Fernandes has been a tremendous leader for not only our Cape residents, but the entire commonwealth. I’m thrilled to endorse him as the next Plymouth and Barnstable state senator,” she said. “Gov. Healey and I need strong partners like Dylan to keep moving Plymouth, the Cape, and Massachusetts forward and we are proud to support him in this campaign.”

In a statement provided by Healey’s political team, Fernandes said he has delivered for the Cape and Islands region his House seat covers by “passing 30 bills and bringing in tens of millions of dollars of state funding.”

“The Plymouth and Barnstable district faces many challenges and, if elected, I look forward to partnering with the Healey-Driscoll Administration to make it a more vibrant and affordable place to live. It is an honor to have the governor’s and lieutenant governor’s support and I look forward to getting to work,” he said in the statement.

Bourne School Committee member Kari MacRae, a Republican, told the Herald earlier this month she is running for the Senate seat. Rep. Mathew Muratore, a Plymouth Republican, has said he plans to make a decision on whether to pursue the post after the start of 2024.

Cape and Islands Assistant District Attorney Thomas Moakley, a Democrat, is running to replace Fernandes while at least two Democrats, Michelle Badger and Scott Hokanson, have filed paperwork to run for Muratore’s seat, according to state campaign finance records.