News : Primary day dawns

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Primary day dawns

Sep 06, 2022

DECISIONS, DECISIONS — A Donald Trump-backed conservative former state representative or a less-conservative businessman who's largely self-funding his first political run.

A prominent labor attorney who's poured at least $9.3 million of her own money into her campaign or a former Boston city councilor with less legal experience but who could shatter a glass ceiling in November.

A senator from western Massachusetts whose main pitch is connecting the two halves of the state by high-speed rail, a North Shore mayor who's leaning into her executive experience, or a social-worker-turned-state-representative who's won over progressive groups.

Voters are already heading to the polls to make their picks in the Democratic primaries for lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and auditor, and the Republican primaries for governor and lieutenant governor. And if you don't know who I'm referring to in any of the above matchups, it speaks to the challenges candidates have faced reaching voters without a marquee race atop the ticket to draw their attention to a day-after-Labor-Day primary.

But try they have. The day before the primary began with Democrats making the rounds at the Greater Boston Labor Council's Labor Day breakfast, where Vice President Kamala Harris was the keynote speaker, and Republicans making their way to a rainy Marlborough Labor Day parade.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) takes a photo with supporters at the Annual Greater Boston Labor Council Breakfast on Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2022 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) takes a photo with supporters at the Annual Greater Boston Labor Council Breakfast on Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 5, 2022 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. | AP Photo/Josh Reynolds

It ended with former President Donald Trump holding a "tele-rally" for Geoff Diehl, in which he said the Whitman Republican is the "only conservative" running for governor and "desperately needs your help." He dissed Diehl's rival, Chris Doughty, as a "tool" of GOP Gov. Charlie Baker, who hasn't endorsed in the primary. And Trump, who waded into this race before Baker said he wasn't running for a third term, also ribbed his nemesis as a "terrible" governor.

In a show of confidence heading into primary day, Diehl on Monday released a schedule of post-primary meet-and-greets and press events. But Doughty supporters say their candidate — buoyed by an eleventh-hour boost from conservative talk radio host and Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr, and alone among Republicans on the airwaves — is eating into the lead Diehl's showed in the few public polls of the race.

It's not the only unpredictable contest on the ballot today. In the too-close-to-call attorney general race, Shannon Liss-Riordan's campaign says she's hired an election lawyer in the event of ballot-access issues or a possible recount. And in the auditor's race, which most public polls show is a dead heat between Chris Dempsey and state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, Dempsey said he's still explaining to people what exactly the government accountability office does — and "we'll do that up until 8 p.m."

But while state Sen. Sonia Chang-Díaz's name remains on the ballot for governor, expect Attorney General Maura Healey to lose the presumptive from her Democratic nominee title quickly after the polls close at 8 p.m.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. More than 400,000 people have already voted in the Democratic primary and nearly 100,000 in the Republican primary, Secretary of State Bill Galvin said Monday. The state's top election official — who's facing a primary challenge from NAACP Boston Branch President Tanisha Sullivan — had predicted a turnout of about 850,000 in the Democratic primary and roughly 300,000 on the GOP side.

TODAY — Baker and transportation officials visit the Community College MBTA station at 10:30 a.m. to see progress on the Orange Line construction. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito visits a wetland site in Waltham at 11 a.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a press conference on Boston's bike network at street safety at 10 a.m. at the Tobin Community Center in Roxbury.

Who are you voting for today and why? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com.

STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING: What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president's ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today.

PRIMARY SOURCES

— "Campbell opens lead in new poll of AG's race," by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: "A new tracking poll completed two days before the state primary shows Andrea Campbell opening up a small lead in the hard-fought Democratic race for attorney general, but the contest remains volatile with a sizable share of voters still undecided only hours before the polls open. The tracking poll, conducted for the center-left policy organization Policy for Progress, showed Campbell with support from 38 percent of Democratic primary voters and Shannon Liss-Riordan with backing from 30 percent, with 32 percent of voters still undecided."

TOP TALKERS

— I WATCHED ALL THE ADS SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO: Statewide office-seekers and the outside groups supporting them have thrown more than two dozen ads up on the airwaves. And they largely push the same two messages: putting money back in people's pockets and defending abortion rights.

Attorney General Maura Healey's sole ad for governor so far is a 30-second spot that lays out the broad strokes of her pitch to "make Massachusetts more affordable" and grow jobs. Democrat Chris Dempsey's ad for auditor begins with the line: "When every dollar counts, count on Chris Dempsey." GOP gubernatorial hopeful Chris Doughty frequently signs off with "keep more of your dough with Doughty."

Attorney general hopeful Shannon Liss-Riordan pledged to be a "champion in the courtroom" for abortion rights in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade's fall. Rival Andrea Campbell and lieutenant governor candidate Kim Driscoll, the Salem mayor, have both touted their endorsements from Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts. Dempsey's auditor rival, state Sen. Diana DiZoglio, even managed to work both messages into the same ad.

Surveys show why: A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll from late July found money and finances to be residents' biggest source of stress. Nearly eight in 10 residents polled were feeling the pinch of rising costs to some extent. More than half were concerned about their personal financial situations. And the only thing that had a bigger emotional effect on those surveyed than inflation and a possible recession were the Supreme Court decisions on abortion rights, gun control and the environment.

"When candidates have limited resources, they have to match their resources with a message that resonates with people who are planning to vote," Suffolk University polling director David Paleologos told Playbook. "The two major issues from all of the polls are the economy and abortion rights."

THE DOWN-BALLOT RACES

— AT A GLANCE: None of the nine congressional delegation members are facing Democratic primary challenges (Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey aren't up for reelection this year). But there are two Republican primaries: Rep. Stephen Lynch will face the winner of the MA-08 contest between Robert Burke and Hamilton Soares Rodrigues, while Rep. Bill Keating will face the winner of the race between Jesse Brown and Dan Sullivan in MA-09.

Here are six more down-ballot races I have my eye on:

SUFFOLK DISTRICT ATTORNEY — The brutal Democratic primary between Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden and Boston City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo is clattering across the finish line today under a cloud of still-unresolved controversies. Hayden faced allegations in early August that his office tried to spike a Transit Police misconduct case. Arroyo is still battling the political fallout from Boston Globe reporting that he was twice investigated — but not charged — with possible sexual assaults as a teenager. And voters have been left with little guidance after several high-profile endorsers yanked their support of Arroyo last week and said they can't recommend a candidate in the race. More on this race from NBC10 Boston.

CAPE AND ISLANDS DISTRICT ATTORNEY — Republicans are looking to keep control of the Cape and Islands district attorney seat being vacated by Michael O'Keefe, who was also preceded by a Republican. A three-way primary between Cape and Islands assistant district attorney Daniel Higgins, family law attorney and former Yarmouth police officer Melissa Alden, and defense attorney John Carey, a retired U.S. Navy captain, will decide who faces off against Democrat Robert Galibois, also a defense attorney, in November. More on this race from the Vineyard Gazette and the Cape Cod Times.

15TH NORFOLK HOUSE DISTRICT — It's a progressive battle royale in Brookline between state Rep. Tommy Vitolo and former Select Board Vice Chair Raul Fernandez . Vitolo says the race boils down to a "difference in leadership style" and that he's the one who's delivered over two terms on Beacon Hill. Fernandez argues that key community concerns, like affordable housing and child care, haven't been addressed "in a meaningful way" under Vitolo. The contest has divided progressives and even former congressmen, with Attorney General Maura Healey and former Rep. Barney Frank for Vitolo and former Rep. Joe Kennedy III and groups like Progressive Massachusetts for Fernandez. More on this race from CommonWealth Magazine.

FIRST WORCESTER SENATE DISTRICT — The race to replace retiring Senate President Emeritus Harriette Chandler has been making as much news recently for the ripple effects it could cause in city government as the contest itself. Worcester Mayor Joe Petty is facing off against former YWCA of Central Massachusetts executive Robyn Kennedy. If Petty wins, and steps down as mayor as he's said he intends to, City Council Vice Chair Donna Colorio would step up — and she's already been the subject of a super PAC mailer criticizing her record on education and LGBTQ issues. More on Petty and Kennedy from the Telegram & Gazette.

HAMPDEN, HAMPSHIRE AND WORCESTER SENATE DISTRICT — In perhaps the hottest primary west of 495, Sydney Levin-Epstein, already a veteran campaign and political staffer at age 27, is squaring off against 36-year-old first-term state Rep. Jake Oliveira for the seat being vacated by lieutenant governor hopeful Eric Lesser. Major endorsements from politicians, unions and even abortion-rights groups have split between the two candidates. One political operative in the area tells Playbook this primary morning that the race remains "tight." More on this race from the Springfield Republican.

THIRD GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL DISTRICT — Public defender Mara Dolan is vying to unseat veteran Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney in the sole Governor's Council race where an incumbent is facing a challenger. Dolan made abortion rights a wedge issue in a contest for the body that vets state judges. Devaney has claimed endorsements she doesn't actually have. More on the race from the Watertown News.

— "Dartmouth legislator facing election challenge after voting against tax on wealthy," by Ben Berke, The Public's Radio.

— "DA Thomas Quinn III leads Attleboro area pack in ready cash going into general election," by Tom Reilly, The Sun Chronicle.

— "Hampshire County sheriff's race highlights Tuesday's primary," by Brian Steele, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

INTRODUCING POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don't miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY.

CANDIDATE CORNER

— WHERE THEY'LL BE TONIGHT: The Democrats running for lieutenant governor will decamp to their respective corners of the state to watch the results come in, while most other candidates will be in or around Boston.

— GOVERNOR: Maura Healey is at the IBEW Local 103. Chris Doughty and running mate Kate Campanale are at the Dedham Hilton Hotel. Geoff Diehl and running mate Leah Cole Allen are at Precinct 10 Restaurant in Weymouth.

— LIEUTENANT GOV: Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll is at Colonial Hall at Rockafellas in Salem, state Rep. Tami Gouveia is at The Sanctuary in Maynard and state Sen. Eric Lesser is at Center Square Grill in East Longmeadow.

— ATTORNEY GENERAL: Shannon Liss-Riordan is at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel. Andrea Campbell is at ReelHouse Marina Bay in Quincy.

— AUDITOR: Chris Dempsey is at the Beantown Pub in Boston. State Sen. Diana DiZoglio is at Stacks in Haverhill.

— SECRETARY OF STATE: Tanisha Sullivan is at the Park 54 Restaurant & Lounge in Hyde Park.

FROM THE HUB

— THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED: The Greater Boston Labor Council's Labor Day breakfast was the place to see and be seen for Democrats running in state and local races. State Sen. Diana DiZoglio zipped around the ballroom at the Park Plaza hotel with a tiny coffee cup in hand while her rival for auditor, Chris Dempsey, towered over the crowd that at one point included every Democrat running for statewide office. Fifteenth Norfolk House District rivals Raul Fernandez and Tommy Vitolo briefly crossed paths and shook hands before Vitolo scurried elsewhere. State Rep. Tami Gouveia, who's running for lieutenant governor, found time to dig into a waffle. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced her new Office of Worker Empowerment.

Vice President Kamala Harris was the star of the show. During a roundtable on workers' concerns with Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Attorney General Maura Healey, Harris heaped praise on presumptive Democratic gubernatorial nominee, with whom she overlapped with as an attorney general, for being a "fighter" for workers' rights and a "leader nationally" on combating wage theft.

ALSO SPOTTED — at the GBLC breakfast: Boston City Council President Ed Flynn, Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune, Gigi Coletta, Tania Fernandes Anderson, Julia Mejia, Kenzie Bok and Erin Murphy; state Sen. Lydia Edwards, former MA-04 hopeful Jesse Mermell, Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden, Auditor Suzanne Bump, Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins and state Reps. Tram Nguyen, Erika Uyterhoeven, Liz Miranda, Russell Holmes and Nika Elugardo.

Vice President Kamala Harris responds to a speaker at a round table of labor leaders held by the Annual Greater Boston Labor Council on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022 at the Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds)

— "'The most pro-union administration in America's history': Kamala Harris touts White House support of workers at Labor Day breakfast in Boston," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "At a time when workers are having a resurgence, Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a Labor Day address in Boston on Monday, connecting the fight for a fair workplace to the broader battles for human rights across the country."

— "Protests outside Michelle Wu's home: Boston judge rules protester was 'wrongfully arrested,' drops charges," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "The first protester who was arrested outside Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's home after the city passed an ordinance that restricts picketing a targeted residence was 'wrongfully arrested,' according to a Boston judge."

— "Is Long Island the answer to Mass. and Cass?" by Shirley Leung and Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "Much of the focus on Long Island has been about whether a new bridge can be built. The City of Quincy, concerned about traffic that has long run through its neighborhoods to get to a bridge, is waging a protracted legal battle to fight it. But the deteriorating condition of the campus highlights another herculean hurdle: the immense time and resources that would be required to rebuild the campus itself."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "The MBTA cut bus service because it doesn't have enough drivers. In Lawrence, higher pay has led to more drivers and more frequent service," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "Starting this week, the Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority will increase bus frequency throughout the day for the first time in its history, ensuring riders on Lawrence-based routes do not wait more than 30 minutes for a bus."

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING

— "Labor Secretary Walsh on remote work: Flexibility is key," by Daniel Lippman and John F. Harris, POLITICO: "Marty Walsh sounds a bit sheepish when recalling his opening days as Secretary of Labor. The pandemic was still underway in March of 2021 but vaccines were just starting to become commonplace. Contemplating the empty hallways of the Frances Perkins Building, Walsh found himself impatient. 'I'll be completely honest,' Walsh said in a recent interview. 'I'm a guy that was thinking everyone should be back in the office here at DOL, you know, right away.' ... Walsh, 55, was the mayor of Boston when the pandemic started in late winter 2020, and acknowledges it took him a while to reckon with the implications. Now, he holds the Biden administration's top labor job at a moment when the American workforce — employees and managers alike — is grappling with the largest change in the nature of work in generations."

HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Rep. Bill Keating, Warren alum Gabrielle Farrell, former MA-03 candidate Rick Green, Curt Nickisch, senior editor at Harvard Business Review; Andover Town Manager Andrew Flanagan and Dave Vittorini.

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.

Follow us on Twitter