Massachusetts Governor Race: $1.3 Million in Super PAC Ads Targets Independent Candidate

Voters in Massachusetts are facing a new wave of political advertising in the final days before Election Day. The spending is focused on the three-way race for governor, where outside money is shaping the message more than the candidates' own campaigns.

The Massachusetts First Independent Expenditure PAC, which supports Republican candidate Mike Minogue, has spent $1.3 million since late June. A major portion of this funding is now directed at independent candidate Andrea James. Recent mailers and digital ads label James as a socialist and compare her to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

One video ad, paid for by the PAC, features a voiceover stating, "Governor Healey is a do-nothing liberal. Her opponent, Andrea James, is a do-everything socialist. James is the Massachusetts Mamdani." The ad shows clips of James discussing her platforms for housing, healthcare, and childcare.

Robert Neuner, the PAC's chairman and largest donor, told the State House News Service that the strategy aims to clarify the political landscape. "We're giving people information that they should have," Neuner said. He denied that the effort is designed to split the vote, describing it instead as a way to show voters the direction Massachusetts is heading.

Neuner has given $1 million to the PAC since last year, including $500,000 since September. He is a childhood friend of Minogue and the founder of Boost Oxygen. Other recent donors include Arthur S. Demoulas, who gave $100,000, and Paul Fireman, who gave $50,000.

On the other side, the Commonwealth for Tomorrow Independent Expenditure PAC, which supports Democratic Governor Maura Healey, has spent $585,000 since late June. This group recently launched a $250,000 digital media buy featuring videos that refer to Minogue as a "MAGA mega-donor." Minogue noted in a Wednesday press conference in Boston that the opposing side is spending $30,000 to $60,000 daily on social media.

Polling data from UMass Lowell suggests the race is tight but favors the incumbent. Healey leads with 57% of the vote, Minogue has 29%, and James has 4%. John Cluverius, a political science professor at UMass Lowell, noted that while Mamdani is popular among Democrats, the ads target specific policy positions like anti-ICE and rent control that resonate with progressive voters.

Cluverius observed that the ads omit James's stances on prison abolition and crime, which are less popular among progressives. He said it is unlikely that a significant number of reliable Democratic voters will switch their support to James based on these ads. Healey's job approval stands at 60% overall, though 13% of voters who supported Kamala Harris in the last election disapprove of her performance.