Political yard signs are supposed to make candidates recognizable. However, some Massachusetts residents believe this year’s Republican signs may be designed to make party affiliation less obvious.
The conversation began with a post on the Massachusetts subreddit asking whether other residents had noticed Republican candidates leaning heavily on blue, which as we all know is the color commonly associated with Democrats. This is in conjunction with using little of the red traditionally connected with the GOP.
“The Republican candidates all seem to be using blue predominantly in their campaign signs,” the poster wrote. “Are they trying to hide their party affiliation? Trying to make people forget they support Trump?”
The poster specifically mentioned Republican gubernatorial nominee Mike Minogue, whose campaign materials prominently feature shades of blue. This isn’t just one Reddit user’s observation. An August report from The Boston Globe described Minogue’s entire campaign as being dominated by blue and raised the possibility that the branding was intentional.
Locals Aren’t Falling For It
Minogue defeated Brian Shortsleeve with 76% of the vote in Massachusetts’ September 1 Republican primary and will face Democratic Governor Maura Healey in November, but that didn’t stop folks from calling out the new tactics.
“Too embarrassed to put the party they represent on their signs,” one commenter argued.
Another resident wanted the connection made considerably clearer, writing, “Is it illegal to put a ‘MAGA’ sticker on those Minogue signs? Because it would make me feel a lot better making sure everyone knows who they’re voting for.”
The suspicion reflects Minogue’s difficult balancing act in deep-blue Massachusetts. The Republican has been described as Trump-aligned, yet his introductory campaign advertising reportedly avoided mentioning both Trump and Healey.
Of course, candidates aren’t required to use their party’s unofficial color, and blue branding doesn’t prove an effort to mislead anyone. Still, the Reddit debate shows how even something as ordinary as a lawn sign can become a proxy battle over political identity, and whether Massachusetts Republicans want voters focusing on their candidates before noticing the letter beside their names.
