A 19-year-old from Peabody is throwing his hat in the ring to be the next governor of Massachusetts. We asked Connor Gray why he should be elected.
A surprising candidate has emerged in the lead-up to the 2026 Massachusetts gubernatorial election: a 19-year-old Peabody resident and aspiring rap artist.
Connor Gray has officially registered his independent campaign, promising a departure from traditional politics. In an interview with NBC10 Boston, Gray revealed that running for governor was not always in his life plans, but he feels compelled to do so.
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WATCH HERE"I'm not a fan of how current politics are, and, despite my age, I want to see how much of a difference I can make," Gray said. "I just felt in my spirit God saying to me, 'Run for governor.'"
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SIGN UP Registering with the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Gray is positioning himself as an outsider, emphasizing his connection to everyday citizens. His platform includes addressing the state's housing crisis, eliminating the state income tax and proposing a state-run space program.
"We need to run Massachusetts like a business," Gray said. "We're the state of innovation. We always have been, and I want to make us the number one place in the entire world of innovation."
Acknowledging his age and ongoing pursuit of a GED, Gray anticipates skepticism.
"I think a lot of people are going to look at me and go, 'Oh, he's only 19 years old, what does he know about anything?'" he said. "I just don't think that anyone's lining up with a vision for Massachusetts."
To secure a place on the 2026 ballot, Gray must collect 10,000 signatures from registered Massachusetts voters. Once this threshold is met, he will officially file his nomination papers at Peabody City Hall.
