Carroll P. Sheehan (1925–2016) was an American real estate executive and political figure who was a candidate for Governor of Massachusetts in 1974.
[4] In 1965 he was appointed by Governor John Volpe to the newly created State Industrial Finance Board.
[2] On June 22, 1969, Sheehan was appointed Commissioner of Commerce and Development by acting governor Francis W. Sargent, effective July 1.
[3] Sheehan was considered as a possible running mate for Sargent in 1970, but was passed over in favor of Commissioner of Administration and Finance Donald R. Dwight.
He was also considered for the position of Secretary of Communities and Development, but former Boston City Councilor Thomas I. Atkins was chosen instead.
He then worked as regional director of the Office of Economic Opportunity before leaving government in 1973 to serve as vice president, marketing and sales at the Beacon Construction Co.[6][7] In February 1974, Sheehan announced that he would challenge Sargent for the Republican nomination for governor.
[9] Although Sargent held a large lead in the polls in late August, the Governor believed that there was a chance that he could lose the Republican primary and he requested that state party chairman William Barnstead call a special meeting of the Republican State Committee so he and Sheehan could debate before them and have one of them receive the party's endorsement.
[10][11] Barnstead declined to call the special meeting "for the convenience of the Governor" and said that any debate between Sargent and Sheehan should be held publicly.