POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: CAUCUS SEASON is here — BAKER’s hydro curveball — ‘Identity politics’ in MA-7
02/02/2018 07:12 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
TGIF, MASSACHUSETTS.
CAUCUS SEASON COMMENCES - Party loyalists on both sides of the aisle are stirring from their homes and turning up to their local town and ward committee confabs in an annual rite of passage: electing delegates to their party's convention later this year.
Democratic party chair Gus Bickford describes his party's caucus simply: "This really is the kick-off of the Democratic campaign against the incumbent governor."
Of course, this being an election year, the stakes are high. Any statewide candidate hoping to make their party's primary ballot has to clear a 15 percent threshold of committed delegates at the convention itself later this year.
Most of the action will be among the Democrats, thanks to a competitive field of gubernatorial contenders: Jay Gonzalez, Bob Massie, and Setti Warren, as well as LG candidates Quentin Palfrey and Jimmy Tingle, plus Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim hoping to dislodge Bill Galvinfrom the secretary of state's office. The most interesting tea leaves there: Despite progressive excitement around Zakim's bid, look for Galvin's deep ties to the state party that are essentially guaranteed to lock down a good amount of delegate support for the secretary.
Our Revolution Massachusetts, who last month unsuccessfully sought to endorse in the gubernatorial race, is a factor in the caucus process, but won't be acting as one body in support of a specific slate of candidates. The group, however, is training and organizing members to run as delegates. Massie has worked hard to court Bernie Sanders-aligned ORMA, and support among individual ORMA members for Massie is to be expected.
But the Republicans have some competition too: There's the three-person race for US Senate among state Rep. Geoff Diehl, Beth Lindstrom, and John Kingston, plus attorney general contenders Dan Shorr and Jay McMahon, and the primary challenge to Gov. Charlie Baker from anti-LGBT activist and previous gubernatorial contender Scott Lively.
PRO TIP - Bickford tells me that there's one crucial component to a successful caucus: "Let's just pray for good weather because that's where everything falls apart."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Sen. Ed Markey holds a press conference at Massachusetts General Hospital calling for a $1 billion investment in a universal flu vaccine - MassDOT holds a public information meeting in Springfield on the newly released state rail plan draft, which includes a study for East-West rail connecting Springfield to Boston - Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Police Commissioner Bill Evans brief the press about Super Bowl public safety measures. There's no word on whether light poles will be greased ahead of the big game.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "NH regulators give thumbs down to N. Pass," by Bruce Mohl and Jack Sullivan, Commonwealth Magazine: "Northern Pass the $1.6 billion project selected by Massachusetts last week to bring a massive amount of hydro-electricity into New England from Quebec, failed to win a key permit from New Hampshire on Thursday. The stunning action - a formal decision was not required until February 23 - throws the clean energy procurement of Massachusetts into disarray."
- "After uproar, state rescinds plan to limit health insurance options for public workers," by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Boston Globe: "The state agency that oversees health benefits for hundreds of thousands of public employees, retirees, and their families on Thursday abandoned a plan to limit coverage options, bowing to the demands of angry workers but largely leaving unanswered the question of how to rein in costs that are squeezing the state budget. The about-face capped a tumultuous two weeks for the Group Insurance Commission, which came under attack soon after making the surprise changes to public workers' health insurance carriers."
- "DeLeo: Time to increase funding for harassment investigations," by Matt Stout, Boston Herald: "An expected spike of sexual harassment complaints and a flood of training requests in the wake of the #MeToo movement has the state's discrimination investigators pleading for more funding. House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo proposed funneling $250,000 more to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to help."
BAKER REMAINS MOST POPULAR - "America's Most and Least Popular Governors," by Cameron Easley, Morning Consult: "Most of the governors running for re-election this year ended 2017 in a strong position, according to Morning Consult's Governor Approval Rankings. Republicans control 33 of the country's 50 governorships, and 13 of the state leaders running this year to keep their jobs hail from the GOP, including first-term Republicans in reliably blue states: Charlie Baker of Massachusetts (69 percent approval) ..."
GO PATS - "Charlie Baker is wagering a smorgasbord of local food in his Super Bowl bet with Pennsylvania's governor," by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: "As he did in last year's Super Bowl bet, Baker is putting Legal Sea Foods' sought-after clam chowder, the acclaimed apple cider doughnuts of North Andover's Smolak Farms, and, his favorite, Boston cream pie cupcakes from Koffee Kup Bakery in Springfield on the line in his Super Bowl LII wager with Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. But that's not all. Baker is also raising the stakes with Craisins from Ocean Spray in Middleborough; apple pie, chicken pot pie, and maple syrup from Hollis Hills Farms in Fitchburg; pickles from Grillo's in Needham; and lemon bars from Koffee Kup."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
THERE'S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION - "Zinke's agency held up Indians' casino after MGM lobbying," by Nick Juliano, POLITICO: "Two casino-owning American Indian tribes are accusing Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke of illegally blocking their plans to expand operations in Connecticut - a delay that stands to benefit politically connected gambling giant MGM Resorts International. The proposed Connecticut casino would sit on non-tribal land just across the border from a billion-dollar casino that MGM is planning in Springfield, Massachusetts."
DATELINE CAMBRIDGE - "Pelosi blasts GOP tax law for impeding budget negotiations," by Kathleen Conti, Boston Globe: "The town hall event had the air of a midterm primary election campaign stop as Pelosi was joined by US Representative Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Melrose, and US Representative Michael E. Capuano, who is being challenged by Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley, considered to be his most serious challenger since he was elected to the Seventh Congressional District seat 20 years ago."
ON THE STUMP -
- TIME FLIES for Jay Gonzalez's gubernatorial campaign, which kicked off a year ago today. Gonzalez was the first Democrat to enter the gubernatorial field. His campaign has released a video to mark the occasion.
- "Capuano Says Voters Look Behind Identity Politics To The Issues," by Meghna Chakrabarti and Zoë Mitchell, WBUR: Congressman Michael Capuano will face a challenge from Boston Councilor Ayanna Pressley in the Democratic primary for the state's 7th district seat. 'Ayanna Pressley and I would probably vote the exact same way on pretty much every vote we'd have on the floor of the House,' Capuano said. 'Look, I cannot be a woman of color. And if that's what people care about that's fine. I accept that, I understand that. I just don't think there are that many people who will vote for me because I'm a white male or v ote against me because I'm a white male.'"
- "Race to replace Linda Dorcena Forry taking shape," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe:"Two state representatives are inching closer to declaring they will run to replace former state senator Linda Dorcena Forry - while two more lawmakers declined to enter the special election. State Representatives Evandro Carvalho, a Dorchester lawyer, and Nick Collins, a South Boston resident who narrowly lost a Democratic primary to Dorcena Forry five years ago, will probably compete for the seat, according to people close to both lawmakers."
- "CEO Of Group That Heavily Backed 2016 Charter School Ballot Q Is Ousted For Alleged Misconduct," by Kathleen McNerney, WBUR: "The leader of a New York-based advocacy group, Families for Excellent Schools, has been fired as a result of 'inappropriate behavior.' In a statement released Thursday, Families for Excellent Schools Board Chair Bryan Lawrence did not detail the allegations against CEO Jeremiah Kittredge, other than to say the 'inappropriate behavior' was 'toward a non-employee.'"
- "Faded Blue: There's a Democratic wave sweeping the country, but will it reach the top of Beacon Hill?," by Patrick Cochran, Digboston: "Despite a public backlash against the larger Republican Party, Baker remains a hot item- he's famously the most popular governor in the country. Despite the governor's soaring approval ratings and seemingly unending piles of cash,there are some signs of vulnerability."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Trump promises opioid fight, but Warren and others ask, 'Where's the money?,'" by Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: "President Trump made a lofty promise in Tuesday night's State of the Union to "fight the drug epidemic," but Senator Elizabeth Warren wants to know what his administration has actually done to address the issue. 'Given the severity of the crisis, we have grown increasingly concerned by reports that the President has done little to make use of his public health emergency declaration, leaving state and local communities without the resources they need to fight the opioid epidemic,' [Massachusetts Democrat said in a letter to the Government Accountability Office.]"
WOOD WAR - Herald: "'THEY SET US UP,'" "BRING ON THE BROMANCE" - Globe: "State panel reverses course on insurance," "Pressure builds on Wynn," "N.H. rejects Canada-Mass. power lines," "Memo eclipses GOP policy agenda," "Grace and Tony: An Eastie love story spanning 70 years," "Drop in foreign students during Trump's first year raises concerns," "HEART OF A FAN."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Gun permits steadily increase despite tougher controls," by Christian M. Wade, Newburyport Daily News: "More than 100,000 new gun licenses were issued to Massachusetts residents over the past five years, even as the state tightened gun control laws."
- "Prosecutors: Boston Calling bullying 'thrilled' union bosses," by Bob McGovern, Boston Herald: "Federal prosecutors say union leaders were 'thrilled' after City Hall aides allegedly bullied organizers of the Boston Calling Musical Festival into hiring organized labor - apparently saying that their support for Mayor Martin J. Walsh was paying off. 'There will be evidence from the union official that the union was thrilled that they got this contract and reported to the union that they fought very hard for the Walsh administration and that they should continue to fight hard because they get things in return,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Kaplan said during a court hearing [Wednesday]."
- "Shirley, you can't be serious," by Maya Shaffer, Digboston: "Months ago, it came to light that several ranking police officers in the town of Shirley, located about 45 miles northwest of Boston in Middlesex County, have been harassing and discriminating against a female officer. I posited that if the Shirley police internal affairs system failed [Lt. Alfreda Cromwell] a woman who was in a position of power, relative to people on the street who interact with these officers, there is little chance that the system works for citizens who run afoul of cops who are known to be abusive towards women. "
- "Mattapan trolleys out of service due to 'propulsion problems'," by Laney Ruckstuhl, Boston Globe: "The MBTA's high-speed trolley line connecting Mattapan to the Red Line in Ashmont is out of service for the foreseeable future because of 'propulsion problems,' one of the issues the T promised to spend millions of dollars to fix. Last February, the MBTA pledged $7.9 million to overhaul the trolley cars and keep them in service until at least the early 2020s."
- "Deval Patrick joining WSO for performance," press release: "Former Governor Deval Patrick will join the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra (WSO) on Sunday, February 11, for an all-American program celebrating President's Day and Black History Month. He will narrate Aaron Copland's stirring 'Lincoln Portrait,' commissioned by Andre Kastelanetz during the difficult early days of World War II."
- "How a Boston nonprofit newsroom starts its listening by popping up where people live and play," by Chris Faraone, American Press Institute: "We have had success bringing reporters who are good at listening, and with piggybacking an activity that is already happening - outdoor movie nights, crafts fairs, community days at cable access TV stations. We come ready to chat, with audio and video recording capability in case that it is needed and subjects are comfortable being taped."
WELCOME TO THIS YEAR'S RATTLESNAKE ISLAND - "Nomans Land may become bunny island," by Tanner Stening, Cape Cod Times: "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Thursday it plans to establish a population of the vulnerable species of rabbit on Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge in Chilmark. The federal agency says the coastal shrubland on the 600-acre island, which is believed to have harbored the rabbits in the past, is capable of supporting more than 600 cottontails."
MAZEL! - Rail Passengers Association (RPA) has hired Joseph Aiello as the Northeast Field Coordinator. In this new role, Aiello will help the rail advocacy group expand its presence in and work in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Matt Keswick, president of Keswick consulting and former Governor Cellucci's deputy chief of staff; David Pakman, TV host, former Phoenix and Boston Magazine editor Carly Carioli; and Heather Anne Margaret Foley of Caught in Southie.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND - to Gov. Charlie Baker's senior adviser Tim Buckley, who celebrates on Sunday.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? - Yes! The Bruins beat the Blues 3-1.
- NEW HORSE RACE OUT OF THE GATE - Linda Dorcena Forry is out, Ayanna Pressley is in and Beth Lindstrom, John Kingston, and Geoff Diehl fight for the cash in this week's episode. Plus, Jennifer Smith of the Dorchester Reporter joins us in the studio and a surprise appearance from a familiar voice explains -- you guessed it -- polls polls polls. Subscribe and listen on iTunes andSound Cloud
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