Pols & Politics: Bruce Tarr is a ‘never say never’ to running for governor in 2026

How multiple strategies can an elected official in Massachusetts dance around a question during a minute-long hallway interview For Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr it s about five when required whether he is considering running for governor as a Republican in the statewide elections Are you considering running for governor the Herald questioned this past week as he walked to the Senate Chamber while the body was deliberating its fiscal year budget plan I think everyone is at this point he revealed He s not wrong A great number of Republicans have envisioned themselves challenging first-term Democrat Gov Maura Healey next fall Two conservatives Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve have officially jumped into the race Tarr has also been floated as a feasible candidate over the past sparse months a point the Herald made to the Gloucester Republican I m flattered by the thought he responded The Herald pressed on Is he seriously considering it right now I m seriously considering getting through the state budget which is one of the bulk essential debates that we have When the state budget is done I ll think about things But you know I inevitably say you never say never Tarr disclosed So the Herald posed to the long-time pol it sounds like a gubernatorial bid is at least on his mind Is he ruling it out Well I think there are a lot of folks that are in the Republican Party that are thinking about running for governor Tarr countered Again fair point But is he one of them I m working on the state budget I would never say never he noted The Senate passed its billion fiscal year budget Thursday night Tarr may soon be due for another round of questions John Fetterman takes population stage in Boston after critical NY Mag profile U S Sen John Fetterman the Pennsylvania Democrat who at one point seemed like a rising star in the party with anticipated presidential ambitions down the line is set to field questions in Boston from a Fox News anchor weeks after an unflattering profile ran in New York Magazine Fetterman is scheduled to take the stage at the Edward M Kennedy Institute with his Senate counterpart Dave McCormick a Pennsylvania Republican for a morning back-and-forth with Fox News anchor Shannon Bream At a point when Ben Terris New York Magazine s Washington correspondent contends that former and current staffers are painting a picture of an erratic senator who has become almost impossible to work for everything from the Democrat s composure to his answers will be watched closely Plenty of of Fetterman s staffers I spoke with are angry They are troubled And they are sad These were various of Fetterman s truest believers and they now question his fitness to be a senator They worry he may present a exposure to the Democratic Party and maybe even to himself Terris wrote in the piece published earlier this month In the article Fetterman defended himself telling Terris that he is the best version of himself and even pushing the reporter to explain why the story was relevant Fetterman and McCormick are expected to face questions on current political issues with the goal of identifying solutions and bridging divides according to the organizers The format will be an Oxford-style exchange of ideas in front of a live audience seated inside a replica of the Senate floor and in the galleries above The discussion is scheduled to kick off Monday at a m The event is hosted by the Edward M Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate and the Orrin G Hatch Foundation and is the sixth installment in their Senate Project series Kennedy Institute Chairman Bruce Percelay noted vigorous and open dialogue is an essential part of our democracy Having these two senators from opposite sides of the aisle discuss central issues of the day is a valuable contribution to the society discourse Percelay mentioned in a report Pols Politics logo Boston Herald AP Photo J Scott Applewhite FileSen John Fetterman D-Pa talks to reporters outside the chamber during a vote at the Capitol in Washington March AP Photo J Scott Applewhite File