Today, Marine Corps Veteran, business leader, and proven government reformer Brian Shortsleeve, Republican Candidate for Governor, announced that his campaign has shattered the fundraising record for any Republican candidate for governor, challenger or incumbent, in the first filing period following their announcement of candidacy.
Shortsleeve raised $416,027 in just the first 20 days of his campaign. That is nearly 4 times the $111,315 his primary opponent raised in his first 26 days as a candidate. It is also ahead of the $404,511 Maura Healey raised in March of 2025, her best full month of fundraising since October 2022 immediately before her election as governor.
Shortsleeve’s haul exceeds the previous Republican non-incumbent record of $139,502 set by Charlie Baker in his first 30 days as a candidate in 2009 when the individual contribution limit was $500 instead of today’s $1,000. But Shortsleeve’s tally would still far exceed Baker’s even if you doubled each of Baker’s contributions. As an incumbent seeking reelection, under limits the same as today’s, Baker raised just under $370,000 in his first month as an announced candidate.
“Any Republican candidate who hopes to defeat Maura Healey will need to do more than just stroke a check,” said strategist Holly Robichaud. “They will need to show broad support from people who believe in them and their message enough to open their own checkbooks to support the cause. Brian’s record-breaking fundraising from people all across the Commonwealth demonstrates that he is the only candidate who can take the fight to Healey and win.”
“I’m deeply grateful that so many Bay Staters have stepped up to support my campaign to bring affordability and fiscal sanity back to Massachusetts,” said Shortsleeve. “I approach this campaign with the discipline and fortitude of a Marine so that every donor, every volunteer and every voter knows that I will work relentlessly to restore common sense to the Commonwealth.”