Mike Minogue makes case for Mass. governor bid: More affordability, fewer ICE raids

With the Massachusetts gubernatorial election just one month away, Republican nominee Mike Minogue said that if he’s elected, he will work to increase affordability and limit immigration crackdowns to violent criminals.

On GBH’s Boston Public Radio Friday, Minogue said one of the ways he’d increase affordability is by proposing a gas tax that would get rid of the 24 cents added to each gallon.

“This could put hundreds to thousands of dollars back into people’s pockets depending on how much they drive, and we can do that right now and give people relief,” he said. “People are struggling to pay their bills and we need to adjust this.”

Minogue also called himself a “unique candidate” and said he’s the only contender to run a public company.

“I have a skill set that other people don’t have. I can grow a business and I can invest in innovation, but I can be frugal at the same time,” he said. “We have a $70 billion-plus budget this year. And to say that we can’t find $120 million, which is what Maura Healey proposed, or $600, $700 million — any entrepreneur can go find that kind of waste in front.”

One example Minogue gave was canceling the Springfield Regional Justice Center Project, known as Liberty Junction.

State officials approved a pitch to build a six-and-a-half story courthouse in Springfield in January 2025, naming the $2 billion project as their lowest cost option.

“It does not cost $2 billion to build a courthouse,” Minogue said. “That’s $1.5 billion in savings right there. That’s two years that we can suspend the gas tax.”

When asked how he’d get the support of the state legislature — which is overwhelmingly Democratic — to eliminate the gas tax, Minogue said he was an Independent for nearly 20 years and has supported both the Republican and Democratic parties.

“I’ll augment the education because the federal scholarship tax credit is now official, and the [Boston] Globe wrote an editorial this morning asking Maura Healey to opt in. I think that that’s a great example that aligns for people that we don’t care about party politics,” he said. “We could put a $5,000 check back into the pockets of parents that have kids in school, whether it’s public or private.”

Starting on Jan. 1, 2027, the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit will allow taxpayers to claim a federal tax credit each year of up to $1,700 for donations to an approved nonprofit scholarship fund.

“This is a transformational law because it will allow parents, 85% of the parents that have kids in school in Massachusetts right now, to get grants,” Minogue said. “I will commit, in the first year, we will get $1.7 billion in additional dollars for education.”

He said he’s also in support of the border security policies that President Donald Trump has implemented, saying that they’ve resulted in less fentanyl overdoses in the U.S.

“We have to remember, fentanyl is one of the most deadly substances ever created,” he said. “I would agree that I want to make sure that I collaborate with local, state and federal authorities so we can crack down on drug dealers.”

But Minogue emphasized that when it comes to deportations, he wants to just focus on undocumented immigrants who are violent criminals.

In late September, a wave of raids by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in New Bedford resulted in at least 31 people being detained.

“Nobody should be afraid to leave their home, go to school or the hospital. I’m going to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” Minogue said. “I was in New Bedford yesterday. I’m a leader, and I have compassion.”

He added that while he disagrees with Trump’s handling of immigration, he also doesn’t think that either party is working to protect people from violent criminals.

Minogue also emphasized that while he’s previously supported Trump, he’s “beholden to no party and no political establishment.”

“As the governor, I will do what’s in the best interest of the people,” he said, “If D.C. does something that’s good for the state, then I’ll support it. If they do something bad, I’ll fight it.”