POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: A DEM FUNDRAISING boon — COLLINS sworn in today — HOUSE weighs raising minimum tobacco purchase age
A DEM FUNDRAISING boon — COLLINS sworn in today — HOUSE weighs raising minimum tobacco purchase age
05/09/2018 07:24 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
SECRETARY OF STATE'S RACE A SURPRISE DEM FUNDRAISING BOON - A surprising cash cow for Democrats this September is further down the ballot than the top-of-the-ticket race for governor. It's the primary battle for secretary of state between longtime incumbent Bill Galvin and newcomer and Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim.
Armed with a famous last name, increased interest in voting issues thanks to the national climate, and some slip-ups from his opponent, Zakim has raised $276,000 since December 1, all from in-state fundraisers, his campaign says. Zakim announced his run on Nov. 28. He began this month with $504,000 in his campaign account.
Zakim's team acknowledges they likely won't outraise Galvin, a 24-year incumbent whose war chest is currently at $820,600. Galvin's campaign account balance has never dipped below $270,000 since 2002 (the furthest back state campaign finance data is posted online). He's also only had one primary challenge, in 2006.
And this cycle, Galvin has continued to bring in cash - at albeit a slower clip than Zakim - bringing in $156,000 since Zakim announced his bid.
That kind of coin sloshing around in a primary for constitutional office guarantees the two campaigns will have the resources to hit the airwaves with ads (since they not only have to inform voters who they are but to also explain what a secretary of state actually does). Galvin has run TV ads in the past (like this one he shot in Lexington), and Zakim's campaign tells me they expect to go on-air sometime over the summer. Whoever wins will go on to face Republican Anthony Amore, whose meager fundraising has brought in a total of $15,000 since opening his campaign account in March.
For context, compare this to fundraising for the two remaining Democratic gubernatorial contenders: Jay Gonzalez raised $276,000 between Dec. 1 and now, and Bob Massie, raised $155,000.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - The newest member of the state Senate, Nick Collins of South Boston, will be sworn in by the Governor's Council - The House meets in formal session, with action to include a proposal that would raise the minimum age to buy tobacco and e-cigarettes to 21 from 18 - Gov. Charlie Baker tonight will attend Preservation Massachusetts 30th Annual Paul and Niki Tsongas Awards Dinner with First Lady Lauren Baker at the Fairmont Copley.
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Polito: Sales tax cut "makes some sense," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Baker administration officials touted strong economic, employment and tax revenue trends Tuesday, and local officials immediately responded by expressing their hope that underfunded state special education, regional transportation and charter school reimbursement accounts will be shored up with the unanticipated tax receipts. Gov. Charlie Baker has resumed his advocacy for lowering the sales tax, one of his goals when he ran for governor in 2010, and a potential ballot question this year would drop the sales tax rate to 5 percent, taking about $1.2 billion off of the state's revenue ledgers."
- "Massachusetts Debates Proposal To Curb Youth Smoking," by Associated Press: "A proposal before state lawmakers would set at 21 the minimum age for purchasing cigarettes and other tobacco or vaping products across all of Massachusetts. The bill scheduled for House debate on Wednesday also bans vaping on school grounds and other public places, and would prohibit pharmacies and stores located within health care facilities from selling tobacco."
- "Will there be a 2018 Massachusetts sales tax holiday? Lawmakers noncommittal so far," by Shira Schoenberg, MassLive.com: "Gov. Charlie Baker said he will ask lawmakers to approve a sales tax holiday this summer, but legislative leaders have not yet decided whether they will agree to pass one."
- "In Massachusetts, no one wants to talk about sex ed," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "At a time when everybody, everywhere, seems to be talking about sexual misconduct, Massachusetts is still having a hard time talking about sex ed. A bill that would modernize sex education in Massachusetts schools appears ready to die a quiet death for the fourth legislative session in a row - despite its timely attention to healthy relationships and affirmative consent."
- "Activists rally at State House for $15 minimum wage," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "Hundreds of union workers, community organizers and faith leaders swarmed the State House on Tuesday afternoon to make their voices and their presence felt by lawmakers. Raise Up Massachusetts, the coalition behind two ballot questions to achieve both policy goals, organized the raucous rally, which echoed through the building, to demand action from lawmakers before it has to turn in a second round of signatures in early July to secure a spot on the ballot."
- "Brockton schools sending 'rolling rally' to push bill at State House," by Marc Larocque, The Enterprise: "Busloads of stakeholders from Brockton Public Schools are being sent to Beacon Hill on Thursday in a 'Rolling Rally' to support a state Senate bill that would significantly revise the foundation budget formula, to bring a more fair share of local education funding to the economically disadvantaged city. The 'Rolling Rally' comes as Brockton is facing an $8 to $9 million budget deficit heading into next fiscal year, [School Committee Vice Chairman Thomas Minichiello] said."
- "Welfare motels for homeless families? Mass. high court to weigh in," by Joshua Miller, Boston Globe: "The Supreme Judicial Court grappled with emotional arguments Tuesday about whether Governor Charlie Baker's efforts to end the practice of housing homeless families in motels at state expense have gone too far. Last year, a Superior Court judge ruled that they had, ordering the state housing department to place homeless families with recognized disabilities in a motel if available shelters couldn't accommodate their circumstances and the motel could."
- "Pot panel admits mistake on applications," by Colin A. Young, State House News - Service: "Oops. About nine months into its existence, the Cannabis Control Commission on Tuesday apologized for and began to correct its most public mistake yet -- its inadvertent approval of 10 priority certification applications that were supposed to be denied."
DATELINE DC -
- 'Massachusetts Democrats say President Donald Trump's withdrawal from Iran deal leaves US 'isolated,' less secure," by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "President Donald Trump's Tuesday decision to exit the Iran nuclear deal drew pushback from Massachusetts lawmakers, who cautioned that the move could leave the United States isolated from its allies, jeopardize national security and encourage nuclear proliferation. Members of the state's U.S. House and Senate delegations were quick to criticize the president for announcing he would withdraw the United States from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which sought to keep Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons, and again impose sanctions against the country."
THE TSONGAS ARENA -
- "Can 3rd Congressional District hopefuls stand out at Fitchburg State debate?," by Alana Melanson, the Lowell Sun: "To date there's been little to differentiate the 12 Democrats hoping to succeed U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas in Congress other than, perhaps, who they've been endorsed by, and there have been dozens of endorsements. That could begin to change Wednesday night, when the 3rd Congressional District hopefuls go toe-to-toe in a debate sponsored by The Sun and the Sentinel & Enterprise in partnership with Fitchburg State University and the Boston Herald."
- "Matias releases plan to reduce gun violence," by Kiera Blessing, Eagle-Tribune: "State Rep. Juana Matias released her plan to combat gun violence Tuesday in her bid to become the next representative of Massachusetts' 3rd Congressional District, with emphasis on expanded gun control in the form of background checks and an assault weapons ban. The plan also calls for federal policies that will reduce discrimination against people of color in the justice system, including policies to 'disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline,' end for-profit prisons and 'abolish federal mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenses.'"
- "Fitchburg Firefighters Endorse L'Italien for Congress," from the L'Italien campaign: "Today the Fitchburg Firefighters Local 3128 announced their endorsement for State Senator Barbara L'Italien in the 3rd Congressional District race. Local 3128 represents 86 members at the Fitchburg Fire Department and is the fourth firefighters union to endorse L'Italien's candidacy for Congress. They join firefighters unions in Lawrence, Andover, and Dracut."
- "Mayor Jajuga Endorses Dan Koh For Congress," from the Koh campaign: "Methuen Mayor James Jajuga will announce his endorsement of Dan Koh in the Third District Congressional race. Mayor Jajuga will endorse Koh at a press conference outside of Delfie's Shop on 6 Hampshire Street in downtown Methuen at 9 AM. Mayor Jajuga and Koh will give brief remarks, and then go on a tour of local small businesses."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "GROWING PAINS" - Globe: "'A horrible, one-sided deal,'" "Legislature still hesitant to talk about sex ed," "No easy road for Partners insurance merger," "Law aims to ensure diversity in pot industry," "The truth? It's way out there."
MOULTON MATTERS -
- "A surge in political activism by America's veterans," by David Gergen, CNN: "For the first time in more than a generation, there has also been a surge in political activism among American veterans - people who have come home from Iraq and Afghanistan and want to fix things at home. In the 2014 election cycle, Seth Moulton, D-Massachusetts, scored an upset win in the House. Moulton was a Marine infantry officer with four tours in Iraq and three degrees from Harvard."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Elizabeth Warren's Pick Wins Ohio's Democratic Gubernatorial Primary," by Kevin Robillard, Huffington Post: "Richard Cordray, the former head of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, won the Democratic nomination for governor of Ohio on Tuesday, fending off a challenge from former presidential candidate and House member Dennis Kucinich. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) hand-picked Cordray, a former Ohio attorney general, to run the CFPB and raised money for his campaign. Cordray will face Ohio's current attorney general, Republican Mike DeWine, in the general election race for the governor's job. Incumbent John Kasich (R) is term-limited. Kucinich ran heavily on his support of Medicare-for-all and won the support of the progressive group Our Revolution, which grew out of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Lucimar de Souza to reunite with family four months after being detained by ICE," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "Lucimar de Souza will be released from custody Tuesday night. She is one of eight plaintiffs in the ACLU of Massachusetts' case against the Trump administration."
- "Single-use plastic bottles banned," by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle: "Blazing a new trail, [Great Barrington] has become the first in Berkshire County - and the third in the US - to ban the sale of small, single-use water bottles. Applause ripped through the Monument Mountain Regional High School auditorium Monday after voters at annual town meeting approved the ban for the bottles, 1 liter or smaller, following the lead of Massachusetts towns Concord and Sudbury."
- "MIT looking into accusations of bullying, unwanted sexual contact against Junot Diaz," by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "The Massachusetts Institute of Technology says it is investigating allegations that Junot Diaz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and professor at the school, cornered and 'forcibly' kissed one woman and showed aggressive behavior toward others. Allegations about Diaz piled up over the weekend after author Zinzi Clemmons confronted him during a live Q&A session at the Sydney Writers' Festival."
- "Schneiderman's fall tears hole in anti-Trump coalition," by Laura Nahmias and David Siders, POLITICO: "Still, political observers inside and outside of New York were skeptical that Schneiderman's departure would dramatically alter the shape of states' anti-Trump litigation. Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, who had a strong working relationship with Schneiderman, said the future of the office's progress is in the hands of the staff members Schneiderman leaves behind."
- "Things aren't looking up for UFO monument in tiny town," by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: "Once again in this era of civic self-reflection, an American town finds itself wrestling with the future of a monument commemorating a controversial piece of its history. Unlike in other towns, the history in question concerns the extraterrestrial."
- "London calling: Yankees, Red Sox to play where soccer's king," by Associated Press: "Tuesday was launch day for Major League Baseball's foray into Europe, with two games between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox set for June 2019 at London's Olympic Stadium. After the trial run next year - the Red Sox and Yankees will play on June 29 and 30 - MLB is also committed to playing in London in 2020 as part of a long-term strategy to establish a footprint in the city."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY- to MassINC polling assistant and intrepid Horse Race podcast producer Hannah Chanatry, who celebrated yesterday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Ben Herman, Tolman for AG alum and project manager at The Beantown Companies.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? No! The Red Sox lost 3-2 to the Yankees.
CALL TO THE POST - FOR THE LATEST HORSE RACE PODCAST EPISODE: "We'll do it Lively." It's GOP week at The Horse Race. First, we recap the Republican state convention with CommonWealth Magazine's Michael Jonas. Then, some zesty candidate insight from two convention delegates: Ed Lyons and Jon Fetherston. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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