Republican candidate for governor Michael Minogue says he swore no oath to party, but ‘I am a conservative’
AGAWAM — Michael Minogue , one of three Republicans campaigning for governor, distances himself from the idea that he's trying to distance himself from the party.
"I swore an oath to the Constitution at West Point," the Army Gulf War vet and former biotech CEO said. "I swore it to my country. And I don't swear oaths to political parties."
But he's running as a Republican. And campaign finance records show that Minogue has donated tens of thousands of dollars to state and national Republicans over the last few years. Minogue donated $100,000 to President Donald Trump's reelection campaign and supported John Deaton in his unsuccessful campaign against U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
"And I am conservative. I have been supportive of the Republican Party, but I'm also going out trying to appeal to a broader base because many of the problems we have in the state currently are not Democrat or Republican problems," he said. "They're either budget problems, prioritization problems, or they're common-sense issues."
Minogue was on a swing through Western Massachusetts Wednesday, including a meet-and-greet in Agawam.
He also visited a local factory.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue visits Giovanni's Italian Pastry & Coffee Shop in Agawam on Wednesday afternoon. Minogue is a Republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, known for his background as a combat veteran, former CEO of the medical technology company, Abiomed Inc. Dec. 3, 2025. (Douglas Hook / The Republican)Douglas Hook
"I think we need to continue to boost job growth and we need to bring manufacturing and engineering and innovation back to Massachusetts," he said.
"It's an important part of Massachusetts. I think Boston is a great city, but there's an entire state," Minogue, of Gloucester, said.
Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve — both of while served in the administration of Republican Charlie Baker —are also running for the Republican nomination.
Minogue said he wants to tackle the high cost of living in Massachusetts, blaming environmental policy for high energy costs and tangles of red tape for high housing costs.
"So the first thing is you have to get more properties built. You have to have more available builders, developers and companies interested in building," he said.
He wants to open surplus state land to housing development. That's something incumbent Democratic Gov. Maura T. Healey's talked about, too, And earlier this year, the state transferred the Monson Developmental Center to developers who have plans for as many as 600 units.
But he criticizes MBTA zoning rules that require dense development in towns and cities served by the Boston-area transit system.
Those zoning rules — which communities are fighting in court — lead to large projects that overwhelm, he said.
Minogue said he would apply the state's right-to-shelter law to citizens only.
"What's happened is we've gone from being compassionate to lacking common sense. If you have free everything and you offer free everything. you are going to get more illegal immigrants. And we can't be the welfare state for the country."
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