On July 22, 2026, the North Shore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors welcomed Brian Shortsleeve, candidate for Governor of Massachusetts, for a candid conversation about the gubernatorial race.
Shortsleeve leaned heavily on his own resume to make his case. A Marine Corps officer turned venture capitalist, he later served as the MBTA’s chief administrator and acting general manager under former Governor Charlie Baker, where he helped close a significant budget deficit and reorganize the agency’s finances. He pointed to that turnaround as a preview of the approach he would bring to state government: auditing agency spending line by line, trimming waste, and lowering the tax and fee burden on residents and employers alike. Energy costs were also a focus of the discussion, with Shortsleeve outlining steps he believes could bring down utility bills for families and small businesses across the Commonwealth.
Beyond policy specifics, Shortsleeve spoke to why he entered the race, framing his candidacy as an argument for running state government with the same discipline and accountability expected in the private sector.
As always, the North Shore Chamber welcomes candidates from across the political spectrum to share their platforms with the business community as part of its ongoing commitment to nonpartisan civic engagement on the issues that matter most on the North Shore.
