Brian Shortsleeve Secures Ballot Spot, Outlines Plan to Cut Taxes and Repeal MBTA Communities Act

“If you don’t look for waste and fraud, you won’t find it. If you look for it, you will find it.”

By-Hank Stolz

Photo-Brian Shortsleeve Facebook

Boston, MA- Brian Shortsleeve comes out of the Republican State Convention with the 15% delegate support he needs to be on the primary ballot in September.

He tells us about his plans to make Massachusetts more affordable by cutting taxes and fees, his strong advocacy for a comprehensive audit of the state government, and his call to repeal the MBTA Communities Act and to solve the housing crisis by lowering the cost of building by suspending regulations like inclusionary zoning rules and the stretch energy code. “I’m the only candidate in this race who has called for a full repeal of the MBTA Communities Act. It’s a bad law. It’s administrative overreach.” said Shortsleeve.

The mission of his campaign is to make Massachusetts more affordable for middle-class families, seniors, and small businesses who he says are being “crushed.” He outlined a “day one” plan that included stripping state-mandated fees from utility bills, ending taxes on tips and overtime, suspending the gas tax, and signing an income tax rollback. “I’m an optimist. I know we can do better. Help is on the way. I’m going to do a lot in that first day and that first week when I’m governor that’ll put this state on a path to affordability.”

He said he has a proven track record when it comes to actually performing a government audit, “If you don’t look for waste and fraud, you won’t find it. If you look for it, you will find it. And I found millions when I was doing that work.”

He emphasized his past experience auditing the MBTA as proof of his ability to deliver on his promises.

Republican Governors of Massachusetts

Massachusetts, often seen as a strongly Democratic state today, has a long history of electing Republican governors.

Here are the Republicans who have served as Governor of Massachusetts in the modern era:

John W. Weeks (1906–1909)
Ebenezer N. Foss (1911–1914)
Samuel W. McCall (1916–1919)
Calvin Coolidge (1919–1921) (later U.S. President)
Channing H. Cox (1921–1925)
Alvan T. Fuller (1925–1929)
Frank G. Allen (1929–1931)
Joseph B. Ely (Democrat, follows GOP era)

Late 20th & Modern Era:

John A. Volpe (1961–1969)
Francis W. Sargent (1969–1975)
William F. Weld (1991–1997)
Paul Cellucci (1997–2001)
Jane Swift (2001–2003)
Mitt Romney (2003–2007)
Charlie Baker (2015–2023)

Massachusetts voters have periodically elected Republican governors, often favoring candidates who campaign on fiscal management, government reform, and bipartisan leadership—even while supporting Democrats in federal elections.

Sources