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Editor’s Note: This is the second of two stories on candidates for governor. Read the story on Maura Healey, the Democratic incumbent, here.
In an interview with The Light during a campaign visit to New Bedford, Republican nominee for governor Mike Minogue said he wants people in the state to keep more of their incomes. The former medical industry executive is running against Democratic incumbent Maura Healey, whom he blames for fueling the state’s high cost of living.
“We’ve got to do things different, or we can expect the entrepreneurs and businesses to continue to leave, along with the people,” he said.
Like so many other political campaigns this election season, Minogue’s platform leans heavily into the affordability issues at the top of voters’ minds. Those are longstanding concerns for New Bedford — the buying power of household incomes in the city has stagnated for several years, and one in five city residents lives in poverty, census data shows.
Minogue told The Light he would address those financial woes by cutting taxes, working directly with business owners to create jobs, and rolling back policies designed to reduce the state’s carbon footprint.
Cutting costs and growing businesses
The Republican candidate said he would eliminate “a mandatory climate tax” that he said makes up a third of electricity bills in Massachusetts. While Eversource bills don’t include such a line item, a 2025 report by the Fiscal Alliance Foundation estimated that 29% of the average Massachusetts electricity bill is made up of charges related to renewable energy and efficiency programs.
Minogue has also proposed suspending the state’s gas tax whenever prices reach $4 per gallon. Meanwhile, Healey has proposed a temporary, two-month suspension amid high fuel prices linked to the war in Iran.
The candidate said he would opt the state into a federal school-choice program allowing residents to claim up to $1,700 in federal tax credits by donating to scholarship organizations, which he said could benefit local students.
To spur job growth, Minogue said he would do direct outreach to bring businesses into Massachusetts and keep existing ones from leaving the state.
“I would look at ways of getting them to add people, to add manufacturing, to do more work with suppliers in the area,” he said. “I want to make ‘made in Massachusetts’ the No. 1 focus when I’m meeting with businesses and entrepreneurs.”
Minogue’s blueprint for business recruitment calls for selling and leasing state land, not already set aside for conservation, to businesses concentrating on “manufacturing and investment in high tech, life sciences, defense, energy, and space development.”
This, he hopes, will help to reverse a trend of outmigration that has threatened the state’s economy in recent years.
Rolling back energy efficiency codes for new housing
Communities across Massachusetts are grappling with a housing crisis that’s straining household budgets.
Research has found that New Bedford needs to drastically increase its housing supply to keep up with the region’s growing population and put downward pressure on costs. But the cost of building new units is higher than what developers can expect to collect in rents, and the gap is especially pronounced in New Bedford, where developers often need steep subsidies to make projects work.
Minogue’s housing strategy mainly focuses on the “stretch code,” a set of state rules that communities can opt into that require new construction projects to meet certain energy efficiency requirements. New Bedford has opted in, along with 86% of cities and towns in the state.
Right now, opting into the stretch code makes communities eligible for state grants. Minogue said he would reverse that, instead giving communities financial incentives to opt out.
The candidate said the stretch code adds construction costs, making housing less affordable. Research has found that this can be the case, but it may depend on the project.
A 2025 MIT study found that stretch codes were associated with 4% higher single-family housing prices. Nearly half of the increase in prices comes from higher consumer demand, the researchers found — in other words, lots of people want energy-efficient homes, so the ones meeting the stretch code sold for higher prices. The rest of the 4% increase came from the stretch codes making it more expensive to build, which lowers the supply of housing.
An independent analysis commissioned by the state found that the added costs depend on the type of building, the type of heating system, and which tier of the stretch code the community has opted for. In some cases, it is cheaper to follow the stretch code, the analysis found.
Minogue said he would also give communities incentives if they speed up their permitting process, approving single-family homes in under 45 days.
Reversing Healey’s immigration policies
Minogue criticized Healey’s record on immigration. The governor has called President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown “cruel,” “callous,” and “fundamentally stupid.” Healey has also backed policies that limit the state’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and prohibits immigration arrests at certain locations.
“I think the leader of the state, the governor, should lower the temperature and should collaborate with local, state, and federal authorities so that we can make sure that we’re involved in the process, so we can prioritize people that have criminal records,” Minogue said.
Most of the people arrested in recent South Coast ICE raids had no criminal record and many were on their way to work, a Light review of court records found. Minogue said Healey’s refusal to communicate with federal authorities led to the indiscriminate arrests.
Wind, water, and infrastructure
Minogue does not support offshore wind, which he says is “not a good investment of tax dollars.”
The technology costs too much while harming the ocean environment and the fishing industry, he said. Instead, the candidate said he supports investments in natural gas pipelines and nuclear power.
Minogue said he would also seek federal funding to fix the New Bedford State Pier, which needs significant repairs. The lack of docking space is posing a challenge for fishermen.
“The better way to get federal dollars is to work with the federal government, not just sue it or not even speak to them,” he said.
To further support the fishing industry, Minogue said he would seek to get rid of “stupid rules” that strictly limit how many days vessels can spend at sea. The fishing industry is mainly regulated by the federal government through an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency’s policies, which are sometimes controversial, seek to prevent overfishing and consolidation of the industry.
The other half of the ticket
Minogue’s running mate happens to be New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver. But he wasn’t Minogue’s first choice.
Oliver originally was running for lieutenant governor on a ticket with Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Shortsleeve, who lost to Minogue in the primary.
The current GOP ticket was formed after two candidates for lieutenant governor, Anne Brensley and Anne Manning Martin, failed to qualify due to signature-gathering problems. Brensley, Minogue’s original running mate, dropped out in May after blaming a signature-gathering firm she had hired for failing to collect enough signatures to make the ballot. She is now the Republican candidate for Secretary of State, after winning the nomination as a write-in.
Oliver filed a complaint against Manning Martin, claiming she had submitted false signatures, and she was disqualified from the ballot, leaving Oliver unopposed in the lieutenant governor primary.
Minogue called Oliver’s actions “shameful” at the time. But the candidates now have a “good” relationship, Minogue said. He added that the two have been coordinating on campaign strategy since forming a ticket.
Email Grace Ferguson at gferguson@newbedfordlight.org.
Murder taxes. Not over taxed. Of course if you stop giving things away for free, that would be one great place to start.
gas taxes should be suspended temporarily however as a senior who doesn’t drive much the price of home heating oil concerns me more. Also state aid to Fall River is MUCH higher than to New Bedford ???? Our real estate taxes are ridiculous and about to go up As retirees on fixed income should we spend our whole monthly income on oil and taxes and then have to go get in line for free food or not eat?? Also the choices for Medicare coverage are awful. Maybe you recommend I sell my house and move to Florida because taxachusetts is driving people away. Our state is a mess. My grandchild is 5th generation resident of New Bedford and I just don’t get it. our income is minutely over what is required to receive any aid. My husband is a veteran and we have both worked all our lives sometimes 2 jobs. And both still work part time and are in our late 70s. We don’t go out to dinner or spend extravagant amounts of money. We were approved for free home insulation only to be turned away because we could not afford to pay 22,000 $ due to some knob and tube wiring in our home. We rake our own leaves cut our own grass as well as a neighbors clean our own gutters our street on our block was dug up and worked on too many times to count this year but now that it’s all done they can’t even clean the street. What advice do you have for us
Pedophile supporters aren’t welcome in New Bedford. So leave, Mike.
To many strikes against him, he lost a lot people’s respect when he would not debate Shortsleeve. He can talk a good game about taxes, but everyone knows he’s rich, flying around in his helicopter, he doesn’t really relate to the voters.
I think Minogue gained more respect for not debating Shortsleeve. To me, why bash someone when you’re both on the same side of the political isle. He is my choice for Governor. We lived the last 4 years under Healey. We know who and what she supports. Time for a change. Mike Minogue, a graduate of West Point. Served as an Infantry officer in the U.S. Army, where he earned multiple distinctions including RANGER tab and the Bronze Star for acting as the lead navigator and Platoon Leader for the U.S. Army’s invasion (24th Infantry) into Iraq for Operation Desert Storm. After leaving Active Duty, Mike remained in the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) for nine more years. He founded /co-founded two main philanthropic and non-profit organizations that support military veterans and other community causes like MedTechVets: A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2012 that helps transitioning military veterans discover career opportunities and build purpose-driven careers in the medical device and technology industry. Also The Michael and Renee Minogue Foundation: A grant-making family foundation established with his wife Renee in 2015 that has donated millions of dollars to support military veterans, faith-based education, healthcare innovation, and children’s causes. Mike has been a registered Independent for nearly 20 years. He is conservative and has stated he does not support the Iran conflict, or the tariffs with Canada, he is not opposed to legal immigration, but will work with law enforcement to ensure dangerous criminals are apprehended and off our streets. He also was the CEO of a successful Medical Device Company for 19 years and made his monetary status developing the world’s smallest pacemakers – tiny enough to place in infants in utero. He has knowledge in healthcare as well as costs, budgets, overspending and transparency.
He didn’t directly give Trump 1 million dollars. He donated 600,000 to the RNC and 450,000 to Trump’s Inaugural Committee, attended the gala and met Trump for the first time.
Source(s)
https://minogueforma.com/meet-mike/
Or https://minogueforma.com/blueprint-for-a-better-future/
Where to begin :
What pays for our roads and bridges, the gas tax. Know why these projects take so long ? The $$ from the gas tax are not enough to pay annually so they get dragged out
Why is gas so high – Mr Minogue friend Donald started and unnecessary and ill conceived war .
Next -“ energy tax”. Where do they get these numbers . On my bill the “ energy programs cost 10% while “ maintenance and infrastructure “ are 2/3 of the bill.
As a business owner how exactly is he going to help me grow my business while his friend Donald’s tariffs are crushing me .Driving up the cost of everything while they try to tell us that some foreign countries are paying the tariffs. When will people understand that WE are paying the tariffs!
Finally I’m always amazed at “ successful business guy” who believes he can run the government. He knows nothing about it – would anyone suggest I run his business with virtually no experience?
People are anxious about the future everything costs too much and the oligarchy is only making it worse. It’s unbelievable that a man who is willing to spend 50 MILLION dollars to become governor is complaining about paying taxes that benefit all of us, No thank you
Couldn’t have said it better…
Lots of tired old rhetoric with little substance behind it…
1. Roll back “stretch code”, your energy bills will be higher forever than if you invested in a more energy efficient house.
2. Lower taxes…1% gets richer (wanna be like Mike)
Lots of general statements about what he would do but nothing behind it.
Mike’s a MAGA supporter, I wouldn’t vote for him or any Republican for the rest of my life. Healey Driscoll all the way! The reason we have such good public schools in MA is because of our property taxes and the most importatnt thing for me is educating our young people so they don’t become idiots like the MAGA crowd.
Excellent. I take it you will be giving the state some land for 40b housing in your neighborhood. You’re so generous
He’s right about Healey. She has raised taxes. Our energy costs have at least doubled especially with the delivery fees and other hidden costs from the suppliers. Which I’m still trying to figure out what delivery charge should you get from an electric bill since literally through cables that have been up and running since in forever. She is hurting this state. I’m not a fan of the Mikes either but she still playing the blame game. Every single politician plays the blame game.
Here’s a joke for you
How do you know a politician is lying
HIS LIPS ARE MOVING
During a campaign visit to New Bedford, Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue said he wants residents “to keep more of their incomes.” But how can people keep more when some Gateway city residents spend 60 percent of their take-home pay on housing? Affordability is inseparable from quality of life.
As Ms. Hebert rightly notes, communities need skilled jobs paying living wages. Massachusetts’ industrial legacy cities could benefit enormously from the transition to renewable energy. Offshore wind investments in New Bedford offer opportunities to revitalize its maritime economy while strengthening economic and climate resilience.
Mr. Minogue says, “We’ve got to do things different.” We can begin by voting NO on Ballot Question 5 to retain the Fair Share Amendment. The 4 percent surtax on annual household income exceeding $1 million has generated billions for public services, including public schools and higher education, expanded affordable childcare, free school meals, and transportation infrastructure. These investments support a healthier, better-educated citizenry and help stabilize the MBTA.
Mr. Minogue proposes cutting taxes and rolling back policies intended to reduce the state’s carbon footprint. But affordability cannot be addressed by undermining investments in public services or climate resilience. Climate change threatens ecosystems, habitats, and communities.
True affordability means more than lower taxes. It means living wages, accessible public services, economic opportunity, and a sustainable future for Massachusetts.
Eileen J. Marum
Oh, thank you SO much for this!
Just like his business, he lowered costs and watched it grow. Then he SOLD it and RAN! And what’s this regarding increasing our carbon footprint?
Getting things done requires decisions not everyone agrees with, including me. 40B is a great example of doing the right thing the wrong way. But these are molehills of frustration compared to the mountains of trauma Minogue proposes. I’m sticking with Healy, warts and all.
Higher energy cost wasted money and people leaving because that can’t afford Massachusetts and a governor who goes against the will of the people anyone is better than healey.
Where’s his MAGA cap? He’s so proud of it. Just the same as voting for Trump.
I’m an independent voter that will not be voting for two many democrats in this state election matter of fact just one for Bristol County District Attorney Christopher Markey. As for Governor the residents of Massachusetts can’t forget the many years of bad choices that this foolish Maura Healey has made that has adversely affected the quality of life for most residents in our State, so I couldn’t in good faith vote for anyone who has been a detriment to the hard worker’s of our State. Mike Minogue might not be everything that this state needs but he will definitely be a breath of fresh air improving the many things that need attention to help bring New Bedford and the rest of our State back to the great State which it once was. A Fiscal Conservative and a common sense moderate is what I think we get with MIKE MINOGUE.
So true. The middle class and retirees like myself are struggling to pay heat and food bills. We are being taxed too much and millionaires like you aren’t being taxed enough. Go run somewhere else. I don’t know, maybe Texas. They love people like Minouge there.
The comments from the far left lunatics are a joke, the residents and businesses that have left this state, didn’t leave because of Trump. It’s time to wake up and get real, everything Maura Healey has down in this state has been a disaster. As Governor her using millions of taxpayer dollars to put illegals before Veterans, Seniors, Families, Children, and Hard Working Mass residents showed she is a complete and total disgrace.
I wonder if they actually took the time to research Mike Minogue. I doubt it, since they just repeat Healeys words. Healey wasted Baker’s 5 billion dollar surplus on Benefits for illegals, blocked your audit, blocked your sales tax reduction, wants to tax your miles driven, won’t enforce immigration laws, tripled your electric bills, gave Congresswomen Ayanna Pressleys husband a 2 billion dollar courthouse deal and her friend a superior court judge position. After 55 years of being a Registered Democrat I changed Parties and I am done with the socialist leaning party.