Former biotech executive Michael Minogue pours $2M into his campaign for governor

Michael Minogue poured $2 million of his own cash into his Republican campaign for governor last month, adding to the $1.5 million he contributed when he entered the race in October, state records show.

The wealthy former biotechnology executive's cash infusion over the past two months exceeds fundraising by his Republican rivals, and tops the more than $2.8 million Gov. Maura Healey has raised from donors over the previous 11 months, according to data from the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

Joe Caiazzo, a Democratic political strategist based in Massachusetts, said Minogue’s “$2 million is a lot at this stage of the game” for a gubernatorial candidate to donate to his own campaign.

“But I also think he’s starving for oxygen, so the only way to break out and to get noticed is to make some kind of move like this,” Caiazzo said in an interview. “Ultimately, the problem for him is going to be the albatross of Donald Trump.”

Minogue is one of three deep-pocketed Republicans looking to challenge Healey in the 2026 statewide elections. Brian Shortsleeve, a venture capitalist and former MBTA official, and Mike Kennealy, a cabinet secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, are also competing in the primary for a spot on the GOP ticket.

Some recent polls show Minogue behind Shortsleeve and Kennealy. In a statement Friday, Minogue said the “support we’ve seen” during his first two months in the race shows “voters want a new kind of governor.”

“I am grateful to all the donors and volunteers joining our campaign. We are focused on bringing accountability, affordability, opportunity, and keeping communities safe in Massachusetts,” he said.

Donors have contributed $608,000 to Minogue’s campaign, state records show.

Minogue and his competitors are hardly the first gubernatorial candidates in Massachusetts to open their wallets wide.

In 2006, businessman Chris Gabrieli spent roughly $9.5 million on his unsuccessful Democratic campaign, according to state records. Kerry Healey, a lieutenant governor under Gov. Mitt Romney, spent $9.4 million on her own failed gubernatorial bid that cycle.

Romney, a private equity executive before getting into politics, spent $6.3 million of his own money when he won the 2002 race for governor, records show.

Kennealy has loaned his campaign $1.6 million since jumping into the race in April, according to state data. He has pledged to seed his gubernatorial bid with a total of $2 million. Shortsleeve said Friday he donated $200,000 to his campaign in November, his first personal contribution since launching his bid in May.

Gov. Healey’s cash intake through November leaves her with $4.5 million in her campaign account — millions of dollars more than her Republican rivals.

Unlike the Republicans competing to challenge her, Healey is not likely to have to spend money to win a primary in her own party. Instead, she’ll need to tap the funds for the general election to convince voters her record over the past three years merits a second term as the state’s chief executive.

Katie Prisco-Buxbaum, Healey’s campaign manager, said the governor’s fundraising numbers “are a demonstration of the deep and enthusiastic support we are seeing across Massachusetts.”

“Voters know she is the only candidate who can be trusted [to] lower costs, grow our economy and stand up to the damage President Trump is doing every day,” Prisco-Buxbaum said in a statement.

Minogue has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on television advertising since launching his campaign last month. He has turned to AxMedia to place his ads, a firm run by Brad Mont, who oversaw media placement for Romney’s gubernatorial campaign.

Caiazzo said Minogue is trying to “define the field of play before anybody else can,” with television ads airing more than eight months before the primary election in September.

“If he’s the only one who is up there advertising, then he’s in a position where he can do some polling to show him in a … stronger position, chiefly because he’ll have the most name ID,” Caiazzo said.