Brian Shortsleeve, a enterprise capitalist and former MBTA official operating a Republican marketing campaign for governor, outraised his potential main opponent, Mike Kennealy, and Gov. Maura Healey final month, in line with state marketing campaign finance data.
Greater than $848,000 poured into the three campaigns in Might, the primary month with two Republicans and an incumbent, first-term Democrat formally within the 2026 race for governor of Massachusetts. The candidates additionally spent a collective $638,000 final month, information confirmed.
Holly Robichaud, a political strategist for Shortsleeve, mentioned the 52-year-old Barnstable resident proved “he is the only candidate (with) broad base support by even out-raising Maura Healey.”
“He has the strength and determination to win,” Robichaud mentioned in an announcement. “To defeat Healey, it takes more than a Kennealy just writing a check. In 20 days, Brian raised four times more than his GOP opponent and outraised the incumbent governor because he has the strong message of restoring affordability for Massachusetts.”
Shortsleeve, who introduced his bid for governor Might 12, initially reported elevating greater than $417,000 final month from a swath of enterprise executives like Niraj Shah, the co-founder of Wayfair, and native billionaire Ernie Boch Jr. He refunded a single $1,000 donation to convey his whole fundraising haul to $416,000 for the month, information exhibits.
However state data present he pulled in $321,247 in Might, a discrepancy probably brought on by the timing of donations to the marketing campaign in comparison with when Shortsleeve’s financial institution reported the {dollars} to the Workplace of Marketing campaign and Political Finance.
He ended the month with greater than $275,000 money readily available, a large sum for a Republican who launched his marketing campaign roughly over a yr earlier than the statewide basic election in Massachusetts.
Healey introduced within the least amount of money final month of the three declared candidates, raking in simply over $236,000 and spending greater than $477,000, in line with state marketing campaign finance data.
The governor had $3.1 million money readily available as of the tip of Might, an enormous warchest that dwarfs the financial institution accounts of the 2 Republicans within the race, state information confirmed.
A spokesperson for Healey’s marketing campaign mentioned the governor is “headed into this election with unmatched fundraising strength, widespread grassroots support, and a strong record of delivering for the people of Massachusetts.”
“Voters know she is the candidate they can count on to make the state more affordable, build more housing, and improve education and transportation, while also standing up to Donald Trump when he hurts our residents,” the spokesperson mentioned.
Healey’s largest expense in Might was a $383,445 switch into an interest-bearing cash market account and a $40,000 fee to Beacon Analysis for an inner ballot, in line with state data.
Kennealy pulled in additional than $291,000 final month, a majority of which got here by way of a $200,000 mortgage the Lexington Republican handed his marketing campaign as a part of a pledge to seed his bid for governor with $2 million.
Kennealy’s marketing campaign mentioned it raised $104,000 in Might from donors. The discrepancy between what the marketing campaign and state regulators report for fundraising is a results of delays by Kennealy’s financial institution in handing state regulators information, the candidate’s aides mentioned.
Kennealy’s last tally for final month may additionally change due to no less than 5 extra donations that marketing campaign officers might want to refund. Massachusetts Democrats known as for an investigation into Kennealy early final month after his marketing campaign reported greater than 50 over-the-limit donations in April.
He spent $114,651 in Might, together with $14,000 to the analysis agency Opinion Diagnostics and $11,333 to the Florida-based fundraising agency Crimson Beacon Methods. Kennealy had greater than $433,000 money readily available as of the tip of final month, in line with Tate information.
Logan Trupiano, a spokesperson for Kennealy, mentioned the marketing campaign has raised greater than $630,000 since its inception.
“Mike Kennealy personally invested $400,000, underscoring Mike’s unwavering determination to bring commonsense, pragmatic leadership to Massachusetts. With $433,338.64 cash on hand, we’re leading the primary field and building real momentum — and we’re just getting started,” Trupiano mentioned in an announcement to the Herald.
