Maura Healey has never had a close race, and Mike Minogue sure isn’t giving her one

Featuring: Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, Priya Lane, Charlie Baker, Mike Minogue, Shawn Oliver, Bob Rivers, John Fish, Reshma Kewalramani, Jeff Tengel, Greg Maynard, Jim Stergios, Shannon O’Brien, Greg Reibman, and more. Voters and business leaders are giving the race between businessman Mike Minogue and Governor Maura Healey a shrug. Ryan Huddle/Globe staff; photos by Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff; Adobe stockOne would think a Republican fiscal conservative who’s been a rock-star life sciences CEO would have the business community buzzing about his gubernatorial prospects. Yet it’s been crickets in the circles Jon and I run in. There was early chatter about whether Maura Healey could be in trouble with voters feeling beleaguered by the high cost of living. Add to that, Mike Minogue’s millions: So far he’s poured $17.3 million into his own campaign, according to state campaign filings. But since the primary, we’ve found fewer and fewer people even talking about the governor’s race.

Healey argued that a two-month gas tax suspension was a “responsible thing to do” amid a surge in gas prices driven by the war in Iran. A gallon of regular gas cost, on average, $4.26 in Massachusetts as of Tuesday, according to AAA; that’s more than a dollar higher than this time a year ago. But the idea immediately received a cool reception on Beacon Hill, where Democratic lawmakers have blocked attempts to suspend the tax before. State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, a North End Democrat who chairs the House’s budget-writing committee, said he is still “very skeptical” that a gas tax suspension would provide “any real savings to folks that are struggling with the affordability crisis that we’re facing.”“I would call it a gimmick policy, and it sounds nice,” Michlewitz said. “But it’s not something that is going to actually, when you get down to the mechanics of it ... provide real savings.”Spokespeople for Healey and Minogue did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

About 59 percent of the 500 likely general election voters surveyed said they would back Healey for a second term, while 36 percent planned to vote for Minogue, the former Abiomed executive who has cast the state as too expensive and insufficiently governed. Less than 4 percent of voters remained undecided — including some who were surveyed after two debates between the candidates — suggesting Minogue has little opportunity to woo disaffected voters. One might think, given voter unhappiness, that Minogue could have more potential converts. While more than half of respondents said they believed Massachusetts was headed in the right direction, only 15 percent said the state has become a better place to live over the last four years. By comparison, about 42 percent — a plurality — said they believed the state had gotten worse to some degree. Another 40 percent said they believed it has remained the same. Still, the survey’s results emphasized that Massachusetts voters’ enduring distaste for President Trump supersedes more parochial concerns.

Gov. Maura Healey and challenger Mike Minogue shared a stage but little else Thursday, as the Democrat and Republican savaged each other's positions during their last debate before Election Day. Their disputes centered around two hallmark themes: affordability and President Trump. Both issues have come to define this election and dozens of others across the country. But the overall testiness of the evening flared across a number of topics, including abortion and the situation around a Healey administration worker who was arrested and charged with distributing cocaine. Minogue said he didn't want to "politicize" a personal issue like abortion. "I will follow the law. I believe in the separation of church and state and when I become governor, I will swear an oath to do that," Minogue said. "Now I am still allowed to have my own beliefs, but my own beliefs will not get in the way of me doing what I'm supposed to do in upholding the law. ""It's not politicizing something when one in three women in America live without access to needed abortion care," Healey said. "I trust women. I trust women and their doctors. Mike Minogue doesn't.

Support WBURWBUR NewsroomOctober 14, 2026Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Republican challenger Mike Minogue met on the debate stage Thursday, for the last time before Election Day. WCVB Channel 5's Ed Harding is moderated the debate. Panelists included WBUR's Tiziana Dearing, the Boston Globe's Adrian Walker and WCVB's Sharman Sacchetti. The hour-long debate is sponsored by WBUR, WCVB, and the Globe in collaboration with The Bay State Banner and El Planeta. You can watch a replay of the debate here:2026 Election

LaMar Cook, a former Healey aide who has previously been charged with cocaine trafficking and firearm offenses, has again been arrested, this time on fraud charges. U. S. Attorney for Massachusetts Leah Foley's office has accused Cook of receiving more than $500 in monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits while on bail awaiting trial for his cocaine and gun charges. He's set to appear in Boston federal court at 2 p.m. A public defender listed as Cook's lawyer declined to comment. The Springfield resident previously worked as deputy director of the governor’s western Massachusetts office. He was fired when the initial gun and cocaine charges against him were announced in late October 2025, a spokesperson for Healey's office said at the time. According to Foley's office, Cook was paid out his salary of $130,227 and $22,374.29 of accrued vacation time after he was fired. The state later realized the vacation time payout was an error, and attempted to reverse the direct deposit, but could not recoup the funds because Cook did not have enough money in his account. The Massachusetts attorney general's office has sued in January to get the excess money back.