Kennealy and Shortsleeve Pitch Economic Relief and Government Reform at Hopkinton GOP Forum.

HOPKINTON — Two Republican candidates for governor brought their campaigns to the Hopkinton Public Library on Saturday, March 14. Two Republican candidates visited Hopkinton to make their case to local delegates and residents. The event came ahead of the 2026 Massachusetts Republican Party convention in Worcester on April 25.

Mike Kennealy of Lexington and Brian Shortsleeve of Barnstable each spoke at the Hopkinton Republican Town Committee forum. Both outlined plans to cut taxes, reduce energy costs, and overhaul state government. They made their case to local delegates and residents ahead of the 2026 Massachusetts Republican Party convention in Worcester on April 25.

The third candidate in the race, Michael Minogue of Hamilton, did not attend.

Kennealy Stresses Experience in Business and Government

Kennealy opened with a sharp critique of Gov. Maura Healey’s administration. He called the state’s economic struggles a “moral failure” of leadership and argued that Massachusetts has lost its competitive edge.

Kennealy described a career that spans private equity, public education, and state government. He co-founded Spectrum Equity, a firm that holds stakes in Ancestry.com and GoodRx. Under his leadership, its assets grew from $360 million to $4.7 billion. He later helped turn around Lawrence Public Schools. The high school graduation rate there rose from 52 to 72 percent in two years.

He later spent eight years in the Baker administration, including four years as Secretary of Housing and Economic Development.

Kennealy also highlighted his work at the MBTA. He said the agency faced a $300 million deficit when he arrived. He found unchecked overtime, unused cell phones billed to taxpayers, and weak financial controls. After two years, he said, the T posted its first balanced budget in 20 years.

Kennealy Lays Out “Day One” Agenda

Kennealy told delegates he would move quickly if elected. He said his first priority would be to end what he called “sanctuary state” policies. He also pledged to sign a cooperation agreement with federal immigration authorities under the 287(g) program. Kennealy pledged to cut regulations and state spending and to oppose new taxes at both the state and local levels.

He also said he would push to build new energy pipelines and repeal the MBTA Communities Act, which he described as an unfunded mandate that strips local zoning authority. Supporters of the law say it is needed to expand housing supply near transit and combat the state’s housing shortage.

Shortsleeve Focuses on Affordability and Energy Costs

Shortsleeve, a Marine Corps veteran and co-founder of M33 Growth, focused on what he called a crisis of affordability. He said Massachusetts ranked last in private-sector job growth over the past three years. He added that more businesses closed than opened in 2024.

“We don’t need a new commission. We need a new governor. And we need new policies,” Shortsleeve said, responding to Healey’s decision to appoint a panel to study rising energy costs.

He held up his electric bill and pointed to 12 state‑mandated fees he said add up to roughly 1.5 billion dollars a year in charges to ratepayers. He pledged to strip those fees on his first day in office.

Shortsleeve also said he would suspend the state gas tax until prices fall below 2.50 dollars per gallon. He told delegates he would sign the pending income tax rollback from 5 percent to 4 percent, exempt tips and overtime from state income tax, and reverse the state’s ban on new natural gas hookups.

Shortsleeve Cites MBTA Audit Experience

Shortsleeve pointed to his tenure at the MBTA as proof that he can manage large public agencies. He said that when he reviewed the agency’s books, he found a 3.2 million Verizon wireless bill with about a third of the phones unused. Overtime abuse is so severe that one employee logged more overtime hours than there are waking hours in a year. He said he would bring the same auditing mindset to every state agency as governor.

Shortsleeve praised the work of state auditor Diana DiZoglio. He said her audits of programs like SNAP showed the kind of oversight he wants to see and claimed the Healey administration has refused to cooperate with federal oversight of those programs.

Lieutenant Governor Candidates Address Immigration and Public Safety

Anne Manning‑Martin, a Peabody City Councilor and deputy superintendent with the Massachusetts Department of Correction, joined Kennealy.

She said her 34 years in law enforcement shape her views on immigration enforcement. She said transfers of custody to federal immigration authorities are routine and safe. A Kennealy administration, she added, would sign a 287(g) agreement to formalize that cooperation.

Another candidate for lieutenant governor, Anne Brensley, believes the Lieutenant Governor should always prioritize local families and communities. Her vision for Massachusetts calls for a state budget that prioritizes local needs.

She wants to give young people the tools to support themselves and their families. She also emphasizes protecting individual rights. Anne says she’s listening to local leaders and focused on solutions to help families and communities statewide.

Shortsleeve also tackled immigration directly. He argued that current “sanctuary” policies make Massachusetts less safe and pledged to end them. Immigrant‑rights groups dispute that claim and say such policies improve trust between communities and law enforcement.

On guns, Shortsleeve called for repeal of what he described as a recent gun control law known as “Chapter 135.” He said it has turned law‑abiding gun owners into potential criminals. Most state gun regulations fall under Chapter 140 of the Massachusetts General Laws, and the exact citation of the new package remains disputed.

Delegates Press Candidates on Winning Over Independents

During a question‑and‑answer session, delegates returned repeatedly to the issue of electability. They asked how Republicans can reach the roughly two‑thirds of Massachusetts voters who are registered as unenrolled independents.

Kennealy said his focus on affordability, education choice, and energy costs can cross party lines. He noted that Healey recently said on television that cutting the income tax rate would not make Massachusetts more affordable and argued that this stance could hurt her with swing voters.

Shortsleeve pointed to social media as a key tool to reach non‑Republican voters. He said his campaign has earned endorsements from eight Republican legislators who can carry his message in their districts. He argued that affordability, fiscal discipline, and tax relief resonate strongly with independent voters based on his campaign’s online engagement.

One attendee urged the candidates to look beyond the Republican base. “You are preaching to the choir,” he said. “How are you going to get the Democrats and independents?” Both candidates replied that kitchen‑table economic issues — high utility bills, gas prices, and the overall cost of living — offer common ground with voters outside the GOP.

Concerns About Party Strength and Minogue’s Absence

Delegates also raised concerns about the state of the Republican Party in Hopkinton. The Hopkinton RTC chair said the committee has shrunk from 35 convention delegates to 15 in recent years, making it harder to recruit candidates for local offices.

Kennealy criticized Minogue for skipping the forum and other candidate events. He drew a parallel to the 2022 Republican nominee for governor, who declined to debate and finished with about 35 percent of the vote statewide. “Let’s not do that again,” Kennealy said. He also told delegates that Minogue began donating to local Republican candidates only after entering the governor’s race.

Shortsleeve said rebuilding the party will require strong leadership at the top of the ticket. He described the state party as nearly bankrupt and said that at one point it had only $460 in its account. He argued that the 2026 governor’s race is a chance to reset the party’s brand and broaden its appeal.

What Comes Next for the GOP Field

Kennealy and Shortsleeve must each win at least 15 percent of delegate votes at the Republican Party convention to qualify for the Sept. 1 primary ballot. The convention will be held on April 25 at the DCU Center in Worcester. Minogue has also paid to take part but did not appear in Hopkinton. The GOP primary will decide which Republican faces Gov. Maura Healey, who is seeking a second term, in the Nov. 3 general election.

Saturday’s forum gave Hopkinton delegates a close look at two of the three Republican hopefuls before they cast their convention votes. Minogue’s absence meant they couldn’t make a full, side‑by‑side comparison on immigration, taxes, and party strategy. Those issues are likely to shape the contest heading into Worcester and beyond.

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