2012 On his campaign website, Tisei listed seven issues. They were: Jobs Excerpt: "I will fight tirelessly to put Washington on a path to fewer regulatory burdens, lower debt, and overall conditions which promote job growth." Debt Excerpt: "The common sense approach to budgeting that we each follow in our households must be forced upon the spenders in Washington if we’re to preserve our way of life for future generations." Healthcare Excerpt: "I will support common-sense legislation which results in lower health care costs and less bureaucratic red tape interfering in the health care decisions of the people." Seniors Excerpt: "I support the Earned Retiree Healthcare Benefits Protection Act, which will protect the retirement health benefits of our nation’s seniors. That legislation would prohibit post-retirement reductions in benefits — as well as providing employers with a substantial hardship exemption if the employers were truly unable to restore post-retirement benefits which had been promised to retirees (to be determined by the Secretary of Labor)." Iran and Israel Excerpt: "Israel stands as a nearly solitary bastion of liberty and freedom in the Middle East. She’s our closest ally and we have a special duty to ensure her continued survival." Veterans Excerpt: "As a state legislator, I was a strong advocate for our veterans. I helped them obtain needed benefits and advocated for the Chelsea Soldiers Home. I helped pass a law which established a “veteran’s preference” in public housing. As your Congressman, I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that our veterans receive the full assistance they deserve." Education Excerpt: "As a state legislator, I supported school choice, home schooling, and the establishment of charter schools. I was also a strong advocate for merit pay for our best teachers. Giving parents more control and placing less of an emphasis on test results and more of an emphasis on actual learning in the classroom remain my priorities."

In July 2014, David Scharfenberg of The Boston Globe reported that Tisei might have spent funds from his legislative campaign account on polling for a congressional bid in 2012. Under campaign finance law, this would be prohibited as only federal funds may be spent on federal races. Tisei's campaign said that any payments were made prior to his official declaration of candidacy for Congress and that those funds were for activities in support of a potential run for state office. Campaign manager Ryan Gough said that Tisei “has always had an unimpeachable record of openness and transparency." Republican convention Tisei announced on March 21, 2014, that he would not attend the state Republican convention because of his opposition to the state committee’s more socially conservative platform. The Massachusetts Republican State Committee approved language in its party platform in February 2014 that included opposition to abortion and gay marriage. “I don’t want to go and be seen in any way to be endorsing that. I don’t really feel comfortable being at a convention where the platform takes the party backward, rather than forward, as far as appealing to a large group of Massachusetts voters,” Tisei said. Tisei, who is gay, got married in 2013.