Michael Minogue, a major donor to federal conservatives, announced a campaign for Massachusetts governor Wednesday morning after months of speculation over whether the South Hamilton resident would jump into the increasingly crowded Republican primary next year.
Minogue joins Mike Kennealy, a former cabinet secretary under Gov. Charlie Baker, and Brian Shortsleeve, a venture capitalist, in competing for the Republican nomination to challenge Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, as she seeks a second term in office.
In a video announcing his bid, Minogue criticized a “one-party system” in Massachusetts.
“This state has given us so much … but too many families don’t feel that promise anymore. They’re being squeezed by higher costs, ignored by politicians who care more about themselves than the citizens they serve. Working people have been left behind, and many are leaving,” he said.
Minogue is the former head of the medical technology company Abiomed and previously served in Operation Desert Storm as an infantry platoon leader. He also has a lengthy history of donating to national Republican causes, according to federal campaign finance records.
He contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last 12 months to the Republican National Committee, a fundraising committee associated with President Donald Trump, and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, records show.
Any Republican hoping to challenge Healey next year faces an uphill battle with Trump in the White House, and local Democrats are already tying Shortsleeve and Kennealy to the president’s actions. Mingoue’s entrance to the race is sure to supercharge that strategy.
Minogue’s name has floated amidst Republican circles since at least April, when he discussed a potential campaign with top brass at the Massachusetts Republican Party. He told the Herald in May that he was considering running for governor.
His entrance to the 2026 race will further test the campaigns of Shortsleeve and Kennealy, which have already attacked each other over key Republican issues like immigration.
Minogue is also likely to face questions about past issues with his company.
Abiomed agreed in March 2018 to shell out $3.1 million to settle kickback allegations that included allegedly purchasing “lavish” meals for physicians in order to persuade them into using the company’s line of heart pumps, according to federal prosecutors.
The company also recalled one of its heart pumps last year after reports of 129 people suffering “serious injuries,” including 49 reports of people dying, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This is a developing story…