Christy Mihos, 56, born and raised in Massachusetts, resides with his wife in West Yarmouth. He attended Brockton High School and graduated from Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. Mihos is a native of Brockton and a well-known businessman who's family founded the lucrative convenient store chain Christy's Market.

A lifelong Republican, Mihos is now breaking away from the party to which he once belonged and which he now feels has deserted him. Peter Pendergast, Mihos' campaign manager, described Mihos as "economically conservative and socially liberal." Mihos supports abortion rights, gay marriage, same-sex couple adoption, and claims he will not stand in the way of stem cell research. Self-identified as a political outsider, Mihos hopes to separate himself from the Republicans and Democrats who he believes are consumed by special interests.

Mihos ran for political office for the first time in 1990, but lost the Plymouth and Norfolk District Senate seat by three votes after a recount.

First appointed in 1998, Mihos served for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority for four years as vice chairman and then later, director. In 2002, then-acting governor Jane Swift fired Mihos after he voted to postpone a toll increase. Citing that the governor had no authority to fire him, Mihos sued Swift and won the Massachusetts Supreme Court case. Mihos settled another suit against Swift in U.S. District Court for $197,000 for violating his First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

Although the Massachusetts House minority leader promised Mihos in a written letter that he would secure enough delegate votes to earn him a spot on the primary ballot if he ran as a Republican, Mihos announced Thursday Mar. 2 that he will run as an independent in the gubernatorial race promising to "end politics as usual" in the Commonwealth.

On The Issues:

Education:Supports Proposition 1 in order to increase local aid to communities across Massachusetts and make more funding available for schools.

Healthcare: Believes that the business community needs to lead the way in healthcare. Will soon unveil a plan to "provide better care, better access, better choices" in Massachusetts.

Environment: Will work closely with state and national leadership to ensure that the environment is properly cared for and protected.

Economy/Taxes:Will work to reduce the income tax rate to 5 percent and stabilize property taxes by prohibiting reassessments until property is sold. Wants to work with businesses to increase the number of jobs in Massachusetts.

Crime: Believes some of the funding from Proposition 1 should be used by cities and towns to put more cops on the streets.

Homeland Security: Will work closely with state Senators and Representatives to ensure that Massachusetts gets its fair share of homeland security funding. Wants to maintain and strengthen controls at the state level and will comply with and enforce all federal regulations on port security, chemical plant security, and other potential security threats.