Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey used her State of the Commonwealth address Thursday night to promote what she sees as affordability initiatives and frame the Commonwealth as a counterweight to President Donald Trump.

However, Republican candidates for governor said the speech lacked urgency and failed to address the root causes of rising costs.

Healey’s remarks focused on health care, housing, energy, transportation, and social media, with repeated references to the financial pressure facing residents. She announced plans to ban medical debt from credit reports, expand MassHousing homebuyer assistance, restrict social media platforms used by minors, and provide temporary relief on energy bills.

“The reality is that these are really tough times. People are feeling it. Everything’s more expensive,” Healey said. “Fixing that, and lowering costs, should be the focus of every elected official in America. It’s certainly mine.”

Republican candidates were sharply critical.

Brian Shortsleeve said he found the address uninspiring and light on action.

“I came here to listen, and I was uninspired. I would think it was an uninspiring speech,” Shortsleeve told reporters. “What I didn’t hear were bold ideas and action.”

Shortsleeve said Healey missed an opportunity to provide immediate relief on energy costs.

“Governor Healey should have announced that tomorrow morning she’s going to cut all those state-mandated fees out of your electricity bill,” he said. “That would save consumers ratepayers hundreds of dollars a month.”

He said the governor relied too heavily on studies and commissions.

“The state’s facing an affordability crisis and a tax nightmare — that requires bold leadership,” Shortsleeve said. “What I heard from Healey was proposals for new commissions, new studies, and new ways to think about our problems, not bold action.”

Mike Kennealy focused his criticism on energy policy. He accused Healey of driving up costs through climate change mandates while blocking infrastructure that would reduce prices.

“This does nothing to address the real root of the problem, which is that Governor Maura Healey is financing a climate agenda through our utility bills, sticking Massachusetts families with the third highest utility rates in America,” Kennealy said in a press release emailed to NewBostonPost. “She talks about bringing more energy to the state, while in reality she has blocked two natural gas pipelines that would have driven costs down.”

Kennealy said a Republican administration would take a different approach.

“When I’m Governor we’ll have an energy policy that’s rooted in affordability not a climate agenda,” he said. “I will strip the unnecessary green surcharges out of our utility bills, providing immediate and lasting relief to rate payers.”

Mike Minogue said Healey used the address to campaign rather than account for her record.

“Tonight, Governor Healey told you everything is fine,” Minogue said in a video press release emailed to NewBostonPost. “She said she has spent every day focused on making life more affordable in 2025.”

Minogue questioned whether residents are actually better off.

“Has the audit that we voted for been done? Is it easier to live here than it was three years ago? Are your bills lower? No,” he said.

Minogue said the affordability crisis has worsened under Healey.

“She had three years to solve the problems, but instead she blames others and campaigns on the problems,” he said. “All I hear about when I travel around the Commonwealth is how expensive everything has become for working people.”

Healey defended her agenda during her speech, while also criticizing federal actions under Trump.

“In this moment, part of my job as governor is to help us provide what the federal government hasn’t: stability, security — and how about a little common sense?” she said.

Republicans signaled the 2026 race will center on whether Healey’s record matches her rhetoric as costs continue to rise across the Commonwealth.

Healey's office could not be immediately reached for comment on Friday morning.