Massachusetts GOP Governor Hopeful Distances Himself From Trump

Mike Kennealy, the first high-profile Republican to enter the Massachusetts governor’s race, is walking a careful line: criticizing Democratic leadership while keeping an arm’s length from Trump-era policies that he says threaten the state’s economy.

A longtime private equity executive who served as housing and economic development secretary under previous Republican Governor Charlie Baker, Kennealy launched his 2026 gubernatorial campaign this month. He’s a prominent contender in what’s expected to be a crowded field of Republican challengers seeking to unseat Governor Maura Healey, a Democrat seeking her second term.