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How the 3 major Republican candidates for Massachusetts governor say they'd deal with Trump
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It's a leave-early kind of Tuesday. The 2026 election is more than 11 months away. But today we're taking Massachusetts' simmering Republican gubernatorial primary race off the back burner for a closer look.
The elephants in the room: Three well-funded Republicans have launched campaigns to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura Healey next year. And as WBUR’s Chris Van Buskirk reports, a key focus of the race is how the state’s governor should deal with President Trump. The Trump administration has hit Massachusetts with a series of ICE raids, yanked permits for green energy projects, battled with local universities and undermined major economic sectors like biotech via federal policy changes and funding cuts. In response, Healey has used her office to push back hard on Trump. But what if it was a fellow Republican leading the state? In a series of interviews, Chris asked all three GOP candidates how they'd manage the rocky Trump-Massachusetts relationship.
- Brian Shortsleeve, a Trump supporter and venture capitalist who ran the MBTA under former Gov. Charlie Baker, blames Healey for what he calls "political grandstanding." "She has national ambitions," he said. "She continues to poke the president in the eye. I don't think that's good for Massachusetts." Shortsleeve declined to say what if any blame goes to Trump for federal cutbacks that have hurt local residents. But he suggested "we'd all be a lot better off" if the governor flew to Washington, D.C., to "sit down with this president and do a deal."
- Mike Kennealy, who served as Baker's housing and economic development secretary, isn't exactly a Trump supporter; he said he didn't vote for president in last year's election. But he argues for a similar approach as Shortsleeve when it comes to Trump. "No governor in any state at any time, no matter who is president, would be in favor of funding leaving their state — in no circumstance," Kennealy said. "I would go down to Washington and make the case for why people should invest in Massachusetts, OK? And if funding does get cut, I would figure out a plan with people here on how to address it."
- Michael Minogue, the latest candidate to enter the race, is a former biotech executive and mega-donor who has given to both Democrats and Republicans, including Trump. "I don't think we want a governor that antagonizes either political party," Minogue said. But he made a point of saying he'd stand up for certain local interests like biotech. "The president did not exempt the life sciences, medical devices industry from the tariffs. I disagree with that," he said. "We have to protect this industry, and that's the kind of governor I'll be. I'll protect the industries. Same thing with the defense industry or fishing."
- Healey, for her part, has visited Washington multiple times, including to meet with officials in the Trump administration. But she has also continued to criticize the president. "I think the Trump administration continues to make moves that are not consistent with growing the American economy, putting America first, making America more competitive," Healey said at the State House last week.
Hit the play button atop the page to hear more from Chris' conversations with the candidates or click the following links to read the full interviews: Brian Shortsleeve, Mike Kennealy, Michael Minogue.
P.S.— Unlike the Republican gubernatorial candidates, one local politician is not super interested in dealmaking with Trump: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. Asked about New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's recent cordial meeting with Trump, Wu said yesterday that she's not interested in "flattery" or "a bromance with the federal regime." WBUR's Eve Zuckoff has more on Wu's response to the meeting here.
This segment aired on November 25, 2025.
