In the week leading up to the September 1st Massachusetts Primary Election, Spectrum News' Dan Reidy caught up with Republican candidate for Governor Brian Shortsleeve at a campaign stop in Stow. 

Shortsleeve spoke on what he's hearing from voters, "We're getting a great response out there. Everywhere I go, I'm talking to middle class families, I'm talking to small businesses. And what I hear from them is they are suffering from a tax nightmare and an affordability crisis. We have the highest electricity rates in the entire continental United States. People are hurting. When I'm Governor, we'll cut taxes, we'll cut electricity bills, and we will audit state government. That's what voters want."

Shortsleeve served in the Charlie Baker administration as Chief Administrator of the MBTA. He is squaring off against fellow Republican Mike Minogue in Tuesday's primary. Touting his small business success, Shortsleeve commented on what sets him apart from his opponent, "I've spent my life building small businesses. My career has been helping small businesses thrive and grow. I'm the only candidate in this race who founded a small business right here in Massachusetts. We've got 22 employees. Mike Minogue was the CEO of a massive health care corporation. It's a very different experience. I know and understand what it's like to grow and scale a small business."

Shortsleeve concluded by stating he is the only Republican candidate for Governor that can be elected statewide in the November general election, "I am a pro-choice Republican. Over the last 60 years, every governor we have elected on the Republican side has been a pro-choice businessman. That is my profile. I'm a proud Charlie Baker Republican. That's what Republicans and Independent voters in this state want. And I know we're going to win on Tuesday and then beat Maura Healey in November."

A universal issue on the campaign trail this election season is affordability. Shortsleeve laid out his plan, "Strip all state mandated fees out of your electric and gas bills. End the tax at overtime. End the tax on tips. Suspend the gas tax. Roll the state income tax from 5% back to 4%. Those steps will provide immediate relief to middle class families. And then day one, we start the audit. Not only of the legislature, but of every single agency and contract in state government."

The Massachusetts Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, September 1st. Polls across the Commonwealth are open 7am to 8pm.