Kennealy renews call for GOP debate
Rivals bail out nearly broke MA GOP
Mike Kennealy renewed his call for a three way gubernatorial GOP debate late yesterday implying his rivals were “worried” about debating him, while Mike Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve battled into the evening to see who could claim credit to be the first to pay their convention speaking fee to the nearly broke MassGOP.
In a new video dropped late Monday afternoon Kennealy taunted his rivals: “Mike, Brian, what are we waiting for? What are you guys worried about? Lets make this [debate] happen.”
According to OCPF the Republican State Committee ended November with a balance of $460.73.
In mid-October Kennealy outlined a - no notes - rebuttals allowed - debate format that would prepare the candidates for their eventual 2026 opponent:
“A year from now, our party’s nominee for Governor will be in the midst of several debates against Maura Healey, an experienced politician who has won three contested statewide general elections. Our party needs to nominate a candidate who can actually debate and defeat her.”
Neither the Minogue or Shortsleeve campaigns choose to respond to the Kennealy debate offer but instead issued competing statements on the payment of the 2026 convention speaking fees.
“My stance on debates is simple: anytime, anywhere,” Kennealy said in October.
Shortly after 8PM, Minogue was heralding a statement from MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale, after Minogue apparently become the first to pay his convention speaking fee.
“As the first gubernatorial campaign to contribute its fee for speaking and associated benefits at the Convention, I want to thank Mike Minogue for showing his confidence in the Convention as a defining moment for our Party and the voters of Massachusetts,” Carnevale said in statement distributed by the Minogue campaign.
“I’m proud to be the first candidate for Governor to go all-in on the Massachusetts Republican Convention. We’re in it to win it,” Minogue declared on X.
Within the hour Shortsleeve followed up with a social media post declaring:
“For decades I have worked to help support the MassGOP and our candidates. Today, I am paying the MassGOP Convention speaking fee to show my commitment both to winning this race and to our party.”
The fee has been rumored to be approximately $50,000 but neither Carnevale or the campaigns mentioned an exact amount.
Carnevale’s statement does not appear on the MassGOP X account - in fact the party has not posted to X since before Thanksgiving and has been limping along financially since at least June. The Democratic State Committee finished November with $172K according to OCPF.
