BOSTON — Aaron Packard’s campaign just ran out of gas — collapsing in a spectacular meltdown of fumes, liquor store runs, and finger-pointing, where he even turned on the very supporters he once begged for help.

The Republican hopeful, who raised $131 in July and then $0 in August, pulled the plug this week after a self-pitying rant that blamed everyone but himself. His campaign finance filings told the real story: he entered August with $102.63 and ended with $1.36 — drained by a string of charges at gas stations and a liquor mart.

Instead of bowing out gracefully, Packard detonated. He told critics to “choke on their own venom,” mocked scrutiny of his spending — “booze & gas? really? … who the hell only puts $11 & change in their gas tank???! … I would have thrown a grifting kegger for the workin’ man!!” — and then blasted his own base for failing to stand up for him: “The quiet support should have spoken up, but here we are. I have no backing & no money… how fuckin sad this state is.”

💥As of today, after much needed prayer over the week & mostly because of private matters, I am putting a HARD PAUSE on my run for Governor for now.
Let me be emphatically clear, the handful of bitter self-righteous narcissistic people that oppose me can choke on their own…

— Aaron L Packard (@AaronLPackard1) September 11, 2025

It’s not every day a would-be governor ends his campaign by insulting his supporters and daring voters to choke, but then again, Packard’s “run” was never serious. With no staff, no money, and no momentum, it looked less like a political operation and more like a snake oil road show sputtering between the gas pump and the liquor store.

Meanwhile, serious contenders Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve are building real operations with fundraising muscle and political credibility. Packard’s implosion only clears away one of the saddest sideshows in recent Massachusetts politics.

Even after quitting, he tried to posture online, vowing: “Campaign may be on pause, but I am not!!” But the receipts — and the venom — tell the truth. His tank is empty, his base is scorched, and his campaign has officially broken down on the side of the road.