Mike Kennealy is ready to spend a lot money during his run for governor..The Republican, who served as the secretary of housing and economic development under former Governor Charlie Baker, has committed to spending $2 million of his own money in the race for governor, and his campaign says he is raising money from donors at a healthy clip.Kennealy formally entered the 2026 governor's race on April 7, 2025, and raised $130,000 over the rest of the month, his campaign said in a May 1 press release.“This outpouring of support sends a powerful message: the people of Massachusetts are ready for new leadership," Kennealy said in the press release. "The Healey Administration has failed on affordability, public safety, housing, energy, and managing the migrant crisis. I’m honored to stand with Bay Staters from across the Commonwealth and lead this fight for a better future. Thank you to the generous contributors who made this milestone possible.”The Kennealy campaign noted this figure beats what former Governor Baker raised in the first month of his 2010 ($10,350.21 in July 2009) and 2014 ($119,342.00 in September 2013) campaigns and what former state representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) raised in the first month of his 2022 campaign ($73,761.87 in July 2021). Baker's adjusted-for-inflation number in his 2014 bid is higher than Kennealy's total, but Baker had run for governor before.Baker spent more than $5.5 million in his 2014 campaign, while Diehl, whose campaign struggled financially, spent just $1.46 million in his 2022 bid. Meanwhile, Governor Maura Healey spent $8.4 million in the 2022 race.The Kennealy camp says their candidate will have the money necessary to run a serious campaign that gets his message to the people.They contend that he will appeal to people across the political spectrum.“This level of support — this early in the race — is unprecedented for a non-incumbent," Kennealy for Governor campaign manager Ben Hincher told NewBostonPost via email. "The fact that Mike outraised past candidates that represented opposite ends of the Republican spectrum shows that he’s uniting conservatives, moderates, and everyone in between. Mike is the only candidate who can win the primary and defeat Maura Healey in 2026." The Kennealy campaign says their candidate's three focus points will be "a state we all can afford," "great future for everyone," and "government we can believe in."Though Kennealy is the first Republican to jump in the race, the GOP primary could have several candidates.Former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority chief administrator Brian Shortsleeve has announced that he is running.Also considering bids are GOP megadonor Mike Minogue, the former chief executive officer of the medical technology company Abiomed; and state Senator Peter Durant (R-Spencer).The Cook Political Report rates Massachusetts as a solid Democratic state in the 2026 governor's race. It puts the Bay State's governor's races in the same category as 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 Trump has never gotten more than 36 percent of the vote in a general election.The Healey campaign could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Mike Kennealy is ready to spend a lot money during his run for governor..The Republican, who served as the secretary of housing and economic development under former Governor Charlie Baker, has committed to spending $2 million of his own money in the race for governor, and his campaign says he is raising money from donors at a healthy clip.Kennealy formally entered the 2026 governor's race on April 7, 2025, and raised $130,000 over the rest of the month, his campaign said in a May 1 press release.“This outpouring of support sends a powerful message: the people of Massachusetts are ready for new leadership," Kennealy said in the press release. "The Healey Administration has failed on affordability, public safety, housing, energy, and managing the migrant crisis. I’m honored to stand with Bay Staters from across the Commonwealth and lead this fight for a better future. Thank you to the generous contributors who made this milestone possible.”The Kennealy campaign noted this figure beats what former Governor Baker raised in the first month of his 2010 ($10,350.21 in July 2009) and 2014 ($119,342.00 in September 2013) campaigns and what former state representative Geoff Diehl (R-Whitman) raised in the first month of his 2022 campaign ($73,761.87 in July 2021). Baker's adjusted-for-inflation number in his 2014 bid is higher than Kennealy's total, but Baker had run for governor before.Baker spent more than $5.5 million in his 2014 campaign, while Diehl, whose campaign struggled financially, spent just $1.46 million in his 2022 bid. Meanwhile, Governor Maura Healey spent $8.4 million in the 2022 race.The Kennealy camp says their candidate will have the money necessary to run a serious campaign that gets his message to the people.They contend that he will appeal to people across the political spectrum.“This level of support — this early in the race — is unprecedented for a non-incumbent," Kennealy for Governor campaign manager Ben Hincher told NewBostonPost via email. "The fact that Mike outraised past candidates that represented opposite ends of the Republican spectrum shows that he’s uniting conservatives, moderates, and everyone in between. Mike is the only candidate who can win the primary and defeat Maura Healey in 2026." The Kennealy campaign says their candidate's three focus points will be "a state we all can afford," "great future for everyone," and "government we can believe in."Though Kennealy is the first Republican to jump in the race, the GOP primary could have several candidates.Former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority chief administrator Brian Shortsleeve has announced that he is running.Also considering bids are GOP megadonor Mike Minogue, the former chief executive officer of the medical technology company Abiomed; and state Senator Peter Durant (R-Spencer).The Cook Political Report rates Massachusetts as a solid Democratic state in the 2026 governor's race. It puts the Bay State's governor's races in the same category as 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 Trump has never gotten more than 36 percent of the vote in a general election.The Healey campaign could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
