News: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: How to fend off a primary

Friday, September 24, 2021

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: How to fend off a primary

Sep 24, 2021

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: STATE LAWMAKERS ANGLING FOR AUCHINCLOSS — Rep. Jake Auchincloss is calling in some reinforcements as he girds for a potential primary battle next year.

The first-term congressman is rolling out 18 new endorsements today from state lawmakers across the 4th Congressional District that spans from Fall River to Brookline. The list is a mix of supporters from his inaugural run last year, as well as some who endorsed his rivals and those who sat out last year's open-seat contest to replace former Rep. Joe Kennedy III.

The list includes state Sens. Paul Feeney, Marc Pacheco, Mike Brady and Mike Rush; and state Reps. Carole Fiola, Patricia Haddad, Paul Schmid, Michael Rodrigues, Carol Doherty, Adam Scanlon, Jeff Roy, Brian Murray, Carolyn Dykema, David Linsky, Denise Garlick, Alice Peisch, Tommy Vitolo and Ed Coppinger. Senate President Karen Spilka, who endorsed Auchincloss last month, is also listed in an email being sent out to supporters later today and shared with POLITICO.

Endorsements aren't everything, but this collection of electeds is notable for a few reasons.

It drops just a week after Playbook first reported on a poll testing the waters for a potential primary challenge to Auchincloss from either Jesse Mermell, who's mulling it, and Sam Hyun, who says he's not running right now.

It includes multiple lawmakers who endorsed Mermell in last year's Democratic primary — Feeney, Doherty, Dykema and Garlick. Feeney once weighed a run for the seat himself.

And it includes three members of the state Senate's leadership — Spilka, Rush, who's the majority whip, and Rodrigues, Senate Ways and Means chair.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. #mapoli likes to break news and #bospoli is exasperated — at least according to emojis.

That's one of the more lighthearted findings from new Twitter analysis by Legislata, a productivity software for politicians, which scraped a whopping 17,136 #mapoli tweets and 13,149 #bospoli tweets between Aug. 7 and Sept. 1 to scan for trends — and also which emojis were used the most (the siren for #mapoli and the facepalm for #bospoli).

The analysis, shared first with Playbook, shows what some of us have seen anecdotally — that the hashtags are primarily for non-electeds to talk about the political news of the day.

But it also shows that electeds can get high cumulative engagement when they hashtag their tweets. Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards and council hopefuls Ruthzee Louijeune, David Halbert and Kendra Hicks all landed in the top-10 #bospoli tweeters with the most engagement, and mayoral candidate City Councilor Michelle Wu was close behind.

One interesting note from Legislata founder and CEO Chris Oates: "The relationship between a person's number of followers and the amount of engagement [with their tweets] isn't as clear-cut as we think and actually there's not a big correlation." How well do you know #mapoli and #bospoli? Take the Legislata quiz.

TODAY — Wu and mayoral rival Annissa Essaibi George participate in the inaugural "Black News Hour Presented by The Boston Globe" at 8 a.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and colleagues host a press conference on the Women's Health Protection Act at 9 a.m. Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark joins Speaker Nancy Pelosi for an 11:30 a.m. press conference on the Build Back Better Act. Haitian-community leaders lead a protest against Haitian deportations at 11:30 a.m. outside the JFK Federal Building. State Sen. Eric Lesser hosts Spirit of Springfield's Judy Matt on his noon Lunchtime Livestream. LG hopeful state Rep. Tami Gouveia hosts a virtual "Un-Convention-al Evening of Entertainment" at 7 p.m.

THIS WEEKEND — MassDems holds its virtual platform convention Saturday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren hosts a meet-and-greet at the Hyde Community Center in Newton at 5 p.m. Saturday. Essaibi George discusses her political philosophy and positions on development, education reform and "Mass & Cass" at 8:30 a.m. on WBZ's "Keller at Large." Edwards discusses her state Senate run on this week's WCVB "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Governor candidate Geoff Diehl attends a "Freedom Rally" outside the State House at 1 p.m. Sunday. Acting Mayor Kim Janey and Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins join Twelfth Baptist Church for the official installation service for its 14th senior pastor, the Rev. Willie Bodrick, at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: lkashinsky@politico.com.

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THE LATEST NUMBERS

– "Massachusetts reports 1,885 new coronavirus cases, more than 4.6 million fully vaccinated people," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald.

– "Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts," by Ryan Huddle and Peter Bailey-Wells, Boston Globe.

– "In Massachusetts schools, COVID cases reported in 2,236 students, 318 staffers over past week," by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com.

DATELINE BEACON HILL

– "Coronavirus vaccine papers to be required for House members, staff upon State House reopening," by Erin Tiernan, Boston Herald: "House members, staff and officers will have to show their vaccine papers or risk an ethics violation or worse if they enter the State House under a new order dictating reopening the building amid the coronavirus pandemic. … The new rules create a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all members and staff with a requirement that proof be provided to the branch's human resources department prior to entering the building. Exemptions are available for people with qualifying medical or religious reasons."

All but one House Republican, state Rep. Sheila Harrington of Groton, voted against the order after a contentious and at-times personal debate. State Rep. Peter Durant (R-Spencer), who'd fought the mandate for several reasons, told me that while he "definitely doesn't agree" with the new House rules, "I'm here to argue for my constituents, so I will comply with rules I don't happen to agree with" in order to carry out his job.

– "'Preventable tragedy': Leaders of joint legislative committee file reform bill in response to COVID disaster at Holyoke Soldiers' Home," by Stephanie Barry, Springfield Republican: "Leaders of a special legislative committee formed to probe the deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke have filed a bill calling for sweeping reforms in governance and leadership. … Among the bill's proposals: elevating the secretary of the Department of Veterans' Services to a cabinet-level position and taking control away from the Executive Office of Health and Human Services; creating a 12-member Advisory Council of Massachusetts Veterans' Homes to oversee the homes in Holyoke and Chelsea; clarifying the chain of command from the superintendents of the homes to the governor; creating a permanent ombudsman position and an emergency hotline to field concerns from residents, families and staff more quickly; and making mental health services more available to staff who responded to the pandemic."

– "Bill would let residents change sex on birth record to X," by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press: "Massachusetts residents would be able to change the sex listed on their birth certificate to a nonbinary X under a bill approved unanimously Thursday by the Massachusetts Senate."

– "Tougher rules sought for timecard fraud," by Christian M. Wade, CNHI: "A proposal filed by Inspector General Glenn Cunha, which went before the Legislature's Judiciary Committee on Thursday, would allow state, county, city or town governments to sue employees who falsify payroll records and seek restitution for up to three times the amount of fraudulent wages."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

– "Court denies Massachusetts State Police union's attempt to delay COVID-19 vaccine mandate," by WCVB: "A judge on Thursday denied the attempt by the union that represents Massachusetts State Police troopers to delay the COVID-19 vaccine mandate that was ordered by Gov. Charlie Baker."

– "State says nursing homes should be ready to give COVID-19 booster shots next week," by Kay Lazar, Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts Department of Public Health told nursing home administrators Thursday they should be ready to start administering COVID-19 booster shots to residents and staff as early as next week."

– "'A crisis on top of the crisis': Pandemic has worsened burnout among health care workers, hospital leaders say," by Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: "The health care industry has long struggled with burnout and workforce shortages — but the pandemic has both shone a light on the problem and worsened it, hospital leaders say."

FROM THE HUB

– "Revere mayor slams 'lack of leadership' in Boston, says Kim Janey should have had 'lesson learned' from Roundhouse fiasco," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "Boston is forging ahead with its plan to move homeless from Methadone Mile into a Revere hotel as the smaller city's mayor continues to blast the initiative and compare it to the 'Roundhouse' hotel chaos from over the summer."

– "Businesses near Mass and Cass sign onto BID plan to bring much-needed help," by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: "After a years-long effort, organizers have gathered enough support among property owners in and near Newmarket Square to establish a business improvement district. The plan is to raise millions of dollars annually for a shared security force, shuttle buses and street cleaning."

– "Boston Teachers Union pressing for health and safety, equity measures in new contract," by Alexi Cohan, Boston Herald.

THE RACE FOR CITY HALL

– "Michelle Wu Wants To Change More Than Policies In Boston. She's Aiming To Change Its Politics, Too," by Zoe Mathews, GBH News: "[Boston Public Radio host] Jim Braude pressed Wu to respond to criticism from some residents, including African American leaders, that she hasn't always been on the ground, instead favoring a loftier approach on big ideas. 'What I love about city government is that it's impossible to stay in the space of just talking and taking positions and not getting things done because there is that direct level of feedback and accountability from the community,' she said."

– "Progressives Support Michelle Wu in Boston Mayoral Race," by Alison King, NBC10 Boston: "Michelle Wu is promising big changes if she's elected Boston's mayor, but will her progressive campaign win over voters?"

– City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George is up with a new 15-second ad, "We Will Never Stop." It incorporates part of her preliminary-night victory speech in which she says: "With all of you by my side, we will never stop fighting for the hardworking families of this great city."

– "After mayoral preliminary, Black and Latinx leaders plan Saturday get-together," by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: "The meeting will include clergy, elected officials of color who have not endorsed, as well as officials from the NAACP, Urban League, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and neighborhood groups. South End state Rep. Jon Santiago, who ran for mayor before dropping out in July, is also said to be involved. 'This is a convening of the minds,' said state Rep. Russell Holmes, a Mattapan Democrat and the lead organizer."

THE CLARK CAUCUS

– "One-on-one with MA Rep. Katherine Clark on 'human infrastructure' and what's at stake," by Kerry Kavanaugh, Boston 25 News: "Speaking with Kavanaugh in her hometown of Melrose, Rep. Clark said the pandemic has motivated this agenda by exposing so many inequities, beginning with childcare and the burden placed on women."

THE PRESSLEY PARTY

– "Ayanna Pressley votes against funding Israel's 'Iron Dome,' citing concerns with legislative process," by Jazmine Ulloa, Boston Globe: "Representative Ayanna Pressley on Tuesday was among eight Democrats to vote against $1 billion in funding for Israel's aerial defense system after a handful of progressives forced Democratic leadership to strip the funding from an earlier bill to avert a government shutdown earlier this week."

DATELINE D.C.

– "Healey joins 17 other attorneys general calling for Biden to address treatment of Haitian migrants at southern border," by Nick Stoico, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joined a growing list of local elected officials who are urging President Joe Biden to address the harsh treatment of Haitian immigrants attempting to cross the southern border."

– "Judiciary Committee Plans To Take Up Rollins' Nomination For U.S. Attorney Next Week," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "The committee held over [Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins'] nomination for a week as Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, seeks to block her name from going forward. … The judiciary committee approved seven other candidates for U.S. attorney posts by wide margins during its meeting on Thursday."'

FEELING '22

– "Can Massachusetts elect a Democratic governor? Progressives are beginning their 2022 push," by Gregory Krieg, CNN: "The contest is already picking up steam as the early entrants to the Democratic primary ramp up their campaigns and try to rev up an intensifying base of progressive voters determined to break what has, for many on the left, become a maddening tradition."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

– "Green Line trolley driver faces charges in July crash in Boston that injured dozens," by Andrew Brinker, Martin Finucane and Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "A 50-year-old trolley operator, who had a history of speeding infractions at the MBTA, is facing criminal charges in a late July crash on the Green Line in Boston that resulted in dozens of injuries, according to court records. Owen Turner of Boston is facing charges of gross negligence of a person in control of a train, and gross negligence of a person having care of a common carrier, according to the records."

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

– "Baker climate credibility takes another hit," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "...earlier this week, the administration leaked to the [Boston] Globe information on an executive order the governor was signing creating a first-in-the-nation Commission on Clean Heat, whose job it will be to ramp up home conversions using emission caps and financial incentives – tools already deployed in the electricity sector and possibly soon in transportation. … The order indicated the commission would consist of up to 22 people from diverse backgrounds and have until November 30, 2022, to come up with a set of policy recommendations. But that date doesn't square with the requirements of the climate change law that took effect in June."

– "Kerry says other nations must do far more to address climate change," by David Abel, Boston Globe: "With carbon emissions rising at a rate the United Nations secretary general recently called 'catastrophic,' Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said Thursday that he worries other countries won't commit to sufficient steps to reduce their greenhouse gases at the upcoming international climate negotiations in Scotland."

– "Boston University divesting from fossil fuels in investments, school president says," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe.

– "2 offshore wind developers submit bids," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine.

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

– "Great Barrington official defends marijuana tax against claims of 'legalized extortion'," by Felix Carroll, Berkshire Eagle: "A community impact fee levied against marijuana businesses does not amount to 'legalized extortion,' a [Great Barrington] Select Board member said recently. Edward Abrahams' defense of the town's 3 percent fee on marijuana sales comes at a time when the fee is coming under increased scrutiny in municipalities across the state."

FROM THE 413

– "Gov. Charlie Baker says workers need assurance Springfield courthouse is safe amid mold problems, health concerns," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "Gov. Charlie Baker promised Thursday that workers in Springfield's troubled Roderick L. Ireland Courthouse will have assurances that the building is safe, but said building a replacement could be a long way off."

– "Catholic schools see increase in enrollment from families seeking in-person learning," by Elizabeth Román, Springfield Republican: "...enrollment is up at schools in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, with the diocese citing a 13% increase over last year's first day of school numbers. That's a remarkable change after years of declining enrollment for Catholic schools, both here and across the country."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

– "Bourne school board member won't resign over social media posts," by Paul Gately, Cape Cod Times: "School Committee member Kari MacRae was straightforward Wednesday night, telling a packed high school auditorium she would not resign and that she had been hit with 'reckless and false charges and innuendo' related to her social media postings. MacRae, however, received no school board support. She faced renewed calls for her resignation from the local teachers union and others, who said her derogatory posts about the LGBTQ community, school committee and the district could have a long-term impact."

– "Nearly 400 Lowell students still not placed in schools," by Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun: "According to a chart [Superintendent of Schools Joel] Boyd showed, immunization verification and English language testing are the primary reasons for the delayed placements, with 76 students affected by immunization verification, nine by English language testing and 65 by both."

– "Georgetown to finance independent investigation into football game and alleged use of racial slurs," by Julia Taliesin, Boston.com.

SPOTTED – Former ambassador and senator Scott Brown's infamous pickup truck lives on — sort of. It's now part of a bench, courtesy of Brown's wife, Gail Huff Brown. Tweet.

TRANSITIONS – Lee Hill will join GBH News as executive editor in November. Stephen Pike joins FirstLight Power as vice president and general counsel. Paul J. Ayoub, chair of Boston-based law firm Nutter, and Judy A. Habib , co-founder and CEO of KHJ Brand Activation, have been elected to leadership positions on the national Board of Governors of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

ON THE HORSE RACE THIS WEEK – Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky dig into preliminary mayoral elections across the state with Matt Szafranski, editor in chief of the Western Mass Politics & Insight blog, MassINC COO and former state Rep. Juana Matias and Greta Jochem of the Berkshire Eagle. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to former Rep. Joseph Kennedy II, former Defense Secretary Ash Carter, Scott Wallace, founder of the Wallace Global Fund and co-founder of Kennedy Democrats (h/t Andrew Laureti); Musawir Chaudhry and Hope Hall, a Warren 2020 alum and former Obama WH videographer.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND – to Emma Sands, Jonathan Cohn and Nicco Mele, who celebrate Saturday; and to Brendan Creedon, who celebrates Sunday.

Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.

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