BOSTON — Republican lieutenant governor candidate Shawn Oliver has suspended his campaign just weeks before Election Day following his OUI arrest.
Because ballots have already been finalized, Oliver’s name will remain on the ballot alongside Minogue’s despite his decision to stop actively campaigning.
Political historian Tom Whalen says Oliver’s announcement does not mean he has withdrawn as a candidate.
“What he’s basically saying is he’s no longer going to actively campaign in a public role, but that doesn’t mean he’s stepping down or wants his name removed from the ballot,” Whalen said.
That means voters will still see Oliver’s name when they cast their ballots, and he could still technically be elected lieutenant governor if the Republican ticket prevails in November.
Whalen said the situation is largely unprecedented this close to a statewide election.
“This is all kind of unproven ground right now,” he said.
The political fallout began after a serious crash involving Oliver in New Bedford on Saturday. Hours later, Republican nominee for governor Mike Minogue released a statement Sunday calling for Oliver to suspend his campaign and saying he would formally ask Oliver to resign if Minogue is elected governor.
The development comes at a critical moment for Minogue’s campaign as he seeks to unseat Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.
While many of Minogue’s supporters are expected to remain loyal to the ticket, Whalen believes Oliver’s legal troubles could make it harder for Minogue to attract independent voters, a group widely seen as critical in Massachusetts statewide races.
“The problem is independents. The state is overwhelmingly filled with independent voters,” Whalen said.
He added that the controversy could significantly damage Minogue’s chances of expanding support beyond the Republican base.
“He’s going to lose independents over this, and the thing is he needs independents to win the gubernatorial office, so I think this is a crushing blow to his campaign,” Whalen said.
Questions remain about who would ultimately serve as lieutenant governor if Minogue were elected and Oliver later resigned. Whalen said he is unaware of a similar situation occurring so close to an election in Massachusetts.
Boston 25 News has reached out to the Massachusetts Elections Division and the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Office for guidance on how to handle the situation and is awaiting a response.
As election officials weigh those questions, voters will continue to see Oliver’s name on the ballot alongside Minogue’s when early voting and Election Day voting proceed.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
