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There is a war in Massachusetts between Republicans and Democrats that's been there since they landed on Plymouth Rock a few years ago, and all I can say is many talk and few do. Mike Knnely joins this Republican candidate for governor of Massachusetts, and out of Saint John's, Danvers and Dartmouth, he did something really, really unique. He went off to save a hugely troubled city system in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Were welcome all of ninety two nine and FM in Boston and across this nation to somebody who went into the trenches and said we need to fix this. Mike Connely, what did you learn about fixing the mess in Lawrence, Massachusetts that you would bring to the governor.
Well, it's a great question. I appreciate the chance to come on today. As you alluded to, I went to college and business school. I had a long career in the private equity business, but I decided a dozen years ago what I wanted to do was public service, and my first job was Lawrence. I joined the team tasked with turning around the Lawrence public schools and what I learned firsthand is the power of leadership and collaboration and the ability to get things done when you put the
outcome ahead of the politics. And so I joined a team that was empowered to make real change through state receivership, and we did things like cut the size of the bureocracy by forty percent and put those dollars in the classroom. There's innovative new programs, and we brought parents and teachers and community members together to drive better results for our kids and two years who took a high school graduation
rate from fifty two percent to seventy two percent. So it was the power of cutting the bureaucracy, leading with leading with results, and bringing people together.
Mike, I need a three hour conversation. I don't have that time. Paul's looking at me saying, ask about Trump. Are you better position as governor of a commonwealth to take on Donald Trump? Given all the horror stories I read in the Boston Globe versus the president democratic.
Governor, I'm way better positioned than her to work with anybody that wants to move our straight forward, including the President. And I've said for a long time now, when things happen in Washington, the governor heally doesn't like she must tell her team get me on TV. I would tell my team, get me on a plane and get down there and work with the President and his team to help do things that are good for Massachusetts. I think I'm way better positioned. She built her career by assuing
Donald Trump. I built my career by working with people across all facets of life, all sectors to get things done. And that's the same approach I would take as.
Go Good Morning ninety nine FM in Boston and across this nation. Mike Kenneely with US Republican candidate for the Commonwealth.
Mike, what's the from your perspective, the number one issue for the people of Massachusetts and what your policy as relates to that.
Yeah, I'm not sure there's one. But we've articulated three pillars of our campaign, which is affordability, opportunity, and better government. Right, we've got a cost of living crisis here. People cannot afford to live in Massachusetts on the one hand. On the other hand, it's not an economic opportunity. We're fifty at among the fifty states and job creation in the last couple of years, and our education test scores are down over the last dozen years, so we're not preparing
the workforce of the future. And in terms of the quality of our government, we have a state government that's not fiscally responsible, not accountable, not transparent, and can't manage a crisis. So for me, there's never one issue that's three affordability, opportunity, and would we call it a government you can believe in? And people cannot believe in this government today.
Mike, you talked about number fifty in what I think business creation That really shocks me coming from a state like Massachusetts. What's going on this.
The job creation we divors to San Francisco.
This, I mean it should surprise all of us. We look, we're Massachusetts, right, we have leading positions some of the most important industries globally, we have great companies, great leaders, great communities, and because of Beacon Hill's fail policies, we're fifty at them on the fifty states and job creations. So we should all look at that and just say, look, that is not acceptable, and that's the fault of the CEO of the state, and that CEO is more heally, so we need a change in leadership.
Mike, one more question here, we'll get you back on as you staggered towards the election. I'm going to go to Beth Israel DEACONUS, their center for Virology and vexxine research. What would you say right now to Secretary Kennedy about the science of Boston, Massachusetts.
I would say, we have the best science in the world, okay. And the reason why my family and I ride the panmass Challenge every year, for example, is that our institutions, like in that case Dana Farbert you mentioned Bed Israel, our institutions get results. So I would tell them what you get when you invest in Massachusetts, and you should invest here. We are the leader.
Mike Kennely, thank us so much for Ninetie to Night and FM in Boston. Republican candidate the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for governor, and for all of you across the nation. Just a window, Paul, You're right, I was stunned fiftieth in job creation. Really, it's like worse expense housing issues than New York. In the Tri state area. There's some real challenges up there, including the designated hitter position.