Massachusetts Republicans Endorse Minogue for Governor, Deaton for Senate at Worcester Convention

Massachusetts Republicans gathered in Worcester Saturday to endorse their slate of candidates for what could be a bruising midterm election year, throwing their weight behind political outsider Mike Minogue for governor and veteran attorney John Deaton for U.S. Senate.

Minogue, an Army combat veteran and former biotech executive who has been a consistent donor to Donald Trump's campaigns, defeated two former Baker administration officials — Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve — to win the party's endorsement. Campaigning as "a new kind of governor," Minogue promised to push for a long-stalled audit of the state legislature and laid out what he called a blueprint for accountability, affordability, and opportunity.

He won decisively with 70.38% of delegate votes, while Shortsleeve secured 15.5% and Kennealy fell below the 15% threshold needed to make the ballot.

On the Senate side, cryptocurrency attorney John Deaton secured the endorsement by acclamation. Deaton, who ran unsuccessfully against Elizabeth Warren in 2024, has spent two years building support and organization within the state party. He'll face the winner of the Democratic primary between incumbent Ed Markey and Rep. Seth Moulton.

The convention also endorsed Anne Brensley for lieutenant governor, Elizabeth Dionne for state treasurer, and Mike Walsh for attorney general. All will face Democratic incumbents in November.

The GOP faces a steep climb in Massachusetts. A University of New Hampshire poll released Thursday showed Democratic Gov. Maura Healey with double-digit leads over all Republican contenders, though 13-17% of voters remain undecided.

**What This Means For You:** If you live in Massachusetts, this race will shape everything from your property taxes to health insurance mandates. Watch whether Minogue can turn his outsider appeal into a real challenge to Healey — and whether the GOP can field competitive candidates down the ballot, which they've struggled to do in recent cycles.