Republican Brian Shortsleeve Jumps Into Massachusetts Governor's Race

Another Republican has jumped into the 2026 Massachusetts governor's race..Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority chief administrator Brian Shortsleeve, a 52-year-old Barnstable resident, announced his 2026 bid on Monday morning in a Facebook video.In the announcement video, Shortsleeve discusses his time in the U.S. Marine Corps, contending that the state needs a veteran to cut taxes and make the Bay State affordable for businesses and families. “I’ll restore common sense to the commonwealth and put Massachusetts first. This is our home where we’re raising our boys, and I’m not letting it fall apart without a fight. This isn’t a campaign. It’s a mission for Massachusetts, and I’m ready. You in?” Shortsleeve says in the video.Shortsleeve says his priorities include dealing with the migrant crisis, curtailing taxes and fees, auditing every state agency to cut government waste, and repealing the MBTA Communities Act. The Republican also hit Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat, for spending “hundreds of millions on migrants while raising taxes on us.”“It’s no wonder people and businesses are fleeing the state,” he said. “This isn’t leadership, it’s insanity, and Massachusetts deserves better. I’ve got my mission as governor on day one, I’ll cut spending. The budget is soaring, up 50 percent in just six years.”Shortsleeve was the MBTA's chief administrator from July 2015 to July 2017 under then-Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican; he also served on the now-defunct MBTA Fiscal Management and Control Board from July 2017 to July 2020. Shortsleeve is the second Republican to announce a bid for governor this election cycle. The other is Mike Kennealy, who served as the secretary of housing and economic development under then-Governor Baker.Kennealy also cited affordability and the migrant crisis as two of his chief issues in his announcement last month.“Everything from gas to housing to taxes is too expensive. Too many kids aren’t receiving the education they need to compete in a global economy. Our transportation system is still broken. The unspeakable violence in migrant shelters is a human tragedy and a national embarrassment … Our beacon on a hill has become a beacon in the rearview mirror,” Kennealy said in his April 7 launch video. “I’m running for governor because I believe in the unlimited potential of our state through the power of our people.”Other Republicans considering runs for governor include GOP megadonor Mike Minogue, the former chief executive officer of the medical technology company Abiomed; and state Senator Peter Durant (R-Spencer). Those two are expected to announce their decisions later this year.The Cook Political Report says Massachusetts is a solid Democratic state in the 2026 governor's race; it puts the Commonwealth in the same category as the governor's races in California and Hawaii.Healey beat former state representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) 63.7 percent to 34.6 percent in the 2022 race; Diehl had the endorsement of then-former President Donald Trump in a state where the president has never received more than 36 percent of the vote in a general election.The incumbent, Healey, had a 52 percent approval rating in a February 2025 UMass Amherst poll, while 36 percent of Bay Staters disapproved of her. Healey's office could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.

Republican Brian Shortsleeve Jumps Into Massachusetts Governor's Race

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