Mike Kennealy, a former housing and economic development secretary, is “seriously considering” running for governor in 2026 as a Republican though a timeline for a final decision and potential public announcement is still uncertain, multiple sources told the Herald.

Kennealy has been floating his potential bid to key figures in Republican circles, including during a Massachusetts Republican Party holiday gathering last month, according to sources who spoke to the Herald on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Rep. David DeCoste, a Norwell Republican who serves on the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, said Kennealy spoke to him about a potential run for the executive office at the holiday party in December.

“It’s no secret,” DeCoste told the Herald Thursday afternoon.

Kennealy, who has not previously run for public office, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Another source also confirmed that Kenneally told others at the holiday party that he was “seriously considering” running for governor.

“He told me at a GOP event that he is seriously considering running for governor,” the source said. “The fact that he’s going to GOP events, I would assume that he’s trying to get out there and get in front of people.”

Kennealy had more than three decades of public service and experience in the business sector when he was named senior advisor and chief strategy officer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston in February 2023.

He served for four years as secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development under former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker where he helped craft the MBTA Communities Act, a transit-oriented zoning law that is now the subject of a lawsuit before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

The office was later renamed the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities under the Healey administration.

Before he took on the top job at the secretariat, Kennealy worked as an assistant secretary for business growth for the Baker administration. He started his career working in private equity and at one point served as a special advisor to the Lawrence Public Schools receiver.

Kennealy’s potential bid comes as the Democratic field for the 2026 gubernatorial election has yet to take shape.

Gov. Maura Healey has not yet said whether she plans to run for reelection, telling the Herald in an interview last month that she had not “given it much thought.” The first-term governor has fielded a series of crises over the past two years that have tested her administration.

Massachusetts State Auditor Diana DiZoglio said Wednesday that she has “no plans” to run for governor next year but at the same time did not clarify whether she will pursue a second term as the state’s top investigator.

In an interview with the Herald, DiZoglio repeatedly said “no” when asked if she was considering a bid for the executive office. The Methuen Democrat had been floated as either a potential challenger to Gov. Maura Healey if she decides to run again or as an independent candidate.

“I think it’s natural for people to speculate and throw names out there but I have no plans and I’m completely focused on the work of the Auditor’s Office,” DiZoglio said by phone.

She also said it was “far too early to be talking about future potential reelection campaigns” for state auditor.

“I have a lot of work to do this year, which is not an election year, and I am focused on doing the work of my office,” she said.

DiZoglio had more than $183,000 in campaign cash on hand at the end of December, which was also her largest fundraising haul of 2024, according to state records.

She pulled in nearly $64,000 last month and received many top-dollar donations, including $1,000 from local bionaire Ernie Boch Jr, state data showed.

Healey had more than $2.4 million in her campaign account as of the end of November, according to state records.