Massachusetts Republicans Face $20 Million Loss in Failed Governor Bid
Mike Minogue spent $20 million on a campaign that failed to unseat Democratic Governor Maura Healey, leaving the state GOP out of power and financially strained.
By Mateo Thompson ·
Massachusetts voters have returned Democratic Governor Maura Healey to the top job, leaving state Republicans without a governor for the first time in a generation. The result confirms that the party has not yet found a viable path to the corner office since the Baker era.
Jon Keller, a political observer for WBZ-TV, noted that local Republicans once held a winning formula. That strategy combined fiscal management that avoided broad-based tax hikes with social tolerance. It helped elect Bill Weld, Paul Cellucci, and Charlie Baker twice. Keller argued that Mitt Romney might have won had he not reversed course toward conservative Republicanism.
Healey is a Democrat, but Keller said she mirrored the moderate instincts of former Governor Baker. He claimed she picked fights with her party's left to earn centrist credibility. She also kept her base engaged through generous spending and homage to liberal principles. Keller said she knew when to cut her losses.
The financial cost of the defeat falls heavily on candidate Mike Minogue. Keller said Minogue may rue the squandering of $20 million on the campaign. While Minogue is unlikely to go hungry, Keller argued he needs to learn how to fight if he plans to return to politics. He criticized Minogue for shunning free media opportunities like primary debates and post-debate press availabilities. Keller called the decision sheer foolishness.
Keller also mocked the candidate's trademark online videos. Those clips showed Minogue goofing around in a hoodie, name-dropping Dunkin and Market Basket, and basking in the adulation of sparse crowds. He argued that paid media is great, but avoiding aggressive piggybacking on the news cycle was a mistake.
The state GOP's financial struggles are real. It is understandable that the party prioritized self-funders over a genuine political process. That choice might have produced a better candidate. Now the party is out of power, broke, and wondering why it cannot cultivate electable candidates like Maura Healey.
