News : September surprise shakes GOP primary

Friday, September 2, 2022

September surprise shakes GOP primary

Sep 02, 2022

FAMILY FEUD — It's a twist few saw coming: one of Donald Trump's biggest Massachusetts allies is breaking rank with the former president in the GOP gubernatorial primary.

Howie Carr is telling his listeners to vote for Chris Doughty over Trump-endorsed Geoff Diehl based on who he believes has the best chance against Democrat Maura Healey in November.

The talk radio host and Boston Herald columnist who's influential in Republican circles made his pick the same day Diehl's campaign announced Trump would hold a telephone rally for Diehl and his running mate, Leah Cole Allen, on primary eve.

Carr's not-quite endorsement further divides the conservative class in a primary that will determine not only which Republican takes on Healey, but also the future direction of a state party plagued by infighting.

It also sparked another war of words between the campaigns. Amanda Orlando, Diehl's campaign manager, accused Doughty of "buying his support" by spending $19,200 on Carr's show in June and July, per his state campaign finance reports. "The support we're getting from President Trump is not bought or paid for," she told Playbook.

But Doughty's campaign manager, Holly Robichaud, said Diehl's campaign is "trying to make excuses. He lost Howie Carr because he refused to debate" more than once, including a second round on Carr's show. Carr did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Beyond drumming up some late-stage drama, Carr's push for Doughty could sway some voters. At least 65,844 ballots had already been cast in the Republican primary as of Thursday. But with Secretary of State Bill Galvin predicting turnout on the GOP side could exceed 300,000, that means there are plenty more people who could hear Carr's message.

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Speaking of endorsements, here a couple of big ones on the Democratic side:

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Rep. Ayanna Pressley is following the lead of several progressive groups in endorsing Chris Dempsey for auditor.

"Chris Dempsey has a clear vision for the auditor's office: using every tool at his disposal to advance policies that support greater equity, justice and sustainability for our communities," Pressley said in a statement.

ALSO NEW — Former attorney general candidate and voting-rights advocate Quentin Palfrey is endorsing Tanisha Sullivan for secretary of state over incumbent Bill Galvin.

"We need a candidate with a bold vision for what is possible as secretary of state," Palfrey said, adding that Sullivan is "well prepared … to break down the barriers marginalized communities face when accessing the ballot box [and] ensure transparency in public records."

TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito makes a bridge rehabilitation announcement at 10 a.m. in Dartmouth. Rep. Jim McGovern and HHS Sec. Xavier Becerra host a food insecurity roundtable at 10:20 a.m. at Growing Places in Leominster. Becerra, Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark and Sen. Elizabeth Warren discuss the Inflation Reduction Act at 1 p.m. at the Waltham Senior Center. Becerra joins Pressley at Codman Square Health Center at 2:45 p.m. for an abortion and Black maternal health roundtable.

Warren early votes in Cambridge at 8:30 a.m., where she'll be joined by AG hopeful Shannon Liss-Riordan. Second Suffolk candidates state Rep. Nika Elugardo and the Rev. Miniard Culpepper are on "Notorious in the Morning" at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.; LG hopeful state Rep. Tami Gouveia is on at 10:30 a.m. Women electeds backing Dempsey for auditor hold a press conference with him at 10 a.m. outside the State House.

THIS WEEKEND — GBH's Katie Lannan and State House News Service's Matt Murphy are on WBZ's "Keller @ Large" at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz is on WCVB's "On the Record" at 11 a.m. Sunday.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook will publish on Monday, Sept. 5. You didn't really think I'd leave you hanging the day before the primary, did you?

What's the most eye-popping mailer you got this primary season? Email it to 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.

THE LATEST NUMBERS

— "Massachusetts reports 7,790 new COVID cases, hospitalizations increase," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "State health officials on Thursday reported 7,790 confirmed COVID cases from the last week, another decrease from the previous week as virus hospitalizations rose across the region. The state's daily average of 1,113 COVID cases from the last week is a drop from the daily rate of 1,136 infections during the previous week."

— "Massachusetts reports 37 new monkeypox cases, more than 18,000 vaccine doses administered," by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: "State health officials reported 37 new monkeypox cases on Thursday, as more than 18,000 Bay State residents have been vaccinated against the virus. … It brings the total number of monkeypox cases in the state to 317 since the state's first case was announced in mid-May."

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

DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Sports betting experts weigh in on the 42 companies indicating their interest in a sports betting license in Massachusetts," by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: "Forty-two companies told the Massachusetts Gaming Commission they are interested in applying for a sports betting license, according to a list released Thursday morning. That includes well-known companies like FanDuel and DraftKings and local groups like the owners of Raynham Park."

FROM THE HUB

— "Judge orders investigatory files released in Ricardo Arroyo case," by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: "A judge has ruled in Ricardo Arroyo's favor, deeming that the Boston Police must turn over almost the entire — if redacted — file for the 2005 sexual-assault investigation into him by Friday afternoon, a decision that came after lawyers for Arroyo and the woman who says he assaulted her came face-to-face in a courtroom. Suffolk Superior Judge Debra Squires-Lee ruled very largely in Arroyo's favor, deeming that the city should hand over the whole file as Arroyo fights for his political life ahead of Tuesday's primary."

— "Kamala Harris to make Labor Day trip to Boston," by Tal Kopan, Boston Globe: " Vice President Kamala Harris will mark Labor Day in Boston, a rite of passage of sorts for Democrats to show solidarity with workers and unions. The White House did not share many details about her trip, but confirmed she will attend the annual breakfast hosted by city labor leaders on Monday morning that has been a frequent stop for some national politicians, including former President Obama in 2015, as well as local elected officials and candidates."

— "Culpepper blasts decriminalization bill," by Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner: "State Rep. Liz Miranda filed legislation in February of last year that would decriminalize possession of drugs, making it a civil infraction rather than a criminal one. The Rev. Miniard Culpepper, who is running against Miranda for the 2nd Suffolk Senate seat, calls the bill, which was co-sponsored by Cambridge Rep. Mike Connolly and reported favorably out of committee this year, the equivalent of legalizing heroin. … Culpepper says Miranda's authorship of the bill and its support from Rep. Nika Elugardo — one of the 13 lawmakers who signed on to it — shows that others don't understand the needs of the community."

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Tanisha Sullivan says it's "time for new leadership" in the secretary of state's office in a 30-second ad that will run on digital, streaming and social media platforms. Sullivan has not aired a television ad, while Secretary of State Bill Galvin has spent more than $600,000 airing two ads, according to ad tracker AdImpact.

— ON THE AIRWAVES: A revamped super PAC has dropped $282,852 on a television ad supporting Andrea Campbell for attorney general. The MassChoice independent expenditure PAC, formerly the Boston Turnout Project IEPAC that backed Michelle Wu during last year's Boston mayoral race, jumped back into action late last week with former Boston City Councilor John Connolly as its chair. Among its donors are billionaire Amos Hostetter, Jonathan Kraft, Betsy Pattullo and the 1199 SEIU MA PAC.

With Quentin Palfrey no longer there to skewer Campbell over super PAC spending on her behalf — especially since he endorsed her — Shannon Liss-Riordan has picked up the mantle. Her campaign slammed the "mega-donors" it claims are "hell-bent on expanding charter schools in Massachusetts."

— ENDORSEMENT ALERT: State Sen. Diana DiZoglio is rolling out support for her auditor bid from state Sens. Paul Feeney, Mark Montigny, John Keenan and Nick Collins; state Reps. Brian Ashe, Tackey Chan, Marcos Devers, Kip Diggs, Paul Donato, Michelle DuBois, Carlos Gonzalez, Christopher Hendricks, Paul Mark, Christopher Markey, Christina Minicucci, Jerry Parisella, Angelo Puppolo, Dave Robertson, John Rogers, Adam Scanlon and Alan Silvia; former governor hopeful Bob Massie, sheriffs Patrick Cahillane, Kevin Coppinger, Peter Koutoujian and Bob Ogden and a bevy of mayors and other municipal elected officials.

— "Super PAC with ties to Baker starts spending in primary," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "A super PAC with ties to Gov. Charlie Baker filed reports on Tuesday and Wednesday reporting more than $160,000 in donations to 15 Democrats and Republicans, including Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, Republican Sen. Patrick O'Connor of Weymouth, and GOP Cape and Islands DA candidate Daniel Higgins. Hayden, who Baker appointed to his position when Rachael Rollins moved on to become US attorney, received a total of $92,551 in direct mail advertising support from the Massachusetts Majority PAC."

Baker was supposed to hold a fundraiser for Hayden in August, but it was canceled due to a scheduling conflict. He has, however, appeared at fundraisers for several legislative candidates this summer, including state Rep. Lenny Mirra and Marcus Vaughn, the Republican vying to succeed state Rep. Shawn Dooley in the 9th Norfolk District. Dooley is challenging state Sen. Becca Rausch.

— "Primary races in the 9th and 10th Bristol Districts feature veterans and newcomers," by Frank Mulligan, Standard-Times.

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.

AT THE BALLOT BOX

— "More than 1.1 million people could vote in Massachusetts state primary, Galvin predicts," by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: "As many as 850,000 people could file Democratic ballots by Tuesday's state primary, and more than 300,000 more could vote in Massachusetts' Republican primary races, the state's top elections official estimated Thursday — turnout that would exceed the last time the governor's office was on the September ballot. … Galvin said of the roughly 376,000 people who have already voted, more than 50 percent are not enrolled in any party. And about 22 percent of those so-called independent voters have requested a ballot for GOP races, which typically tend to be more insular and draw heavily from the pool of roughly 460,000 registered Republicans in the state."

— "Secretary of State says DoJ has been notified of election official harassment," by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: "Harassment of poll workers and elections officials has already been a feature of this year's election cycle and the Department of Justice has been notified of the problem, according to Secretary of State William Galvin."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "Plan to launch Montreal-to-Boston train service gains steam," by Christopher Muther, Boston Globe: "A long-delayed proposal to connect Montreal to Boston via an overnight sleeper train appears to be back on track as proponents of the service, along with elected officials from Quebec, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont gathered Thursday in rural Quebec to throw their collective political weight behind it."

— "MBTA board approves $811m contract for 102 new Green Line supercars," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "The MBTA board of directors on Wednesday approved an $811 million contract to purchase 102 new Green Line vehicles that are each capable of carrying as many passengers as the 1980s-vintage, two-car trains they are replacing."

— "The state's public utilities department oversees the MBTA. Some say it's not the right agency for the job," by Beth Healy, WBUR: "The Federal Transit Administration on Wednesday admonished officials at the state's Department of Public Utilities to 'do their jobs' overseeing the troubled MBTA. But close observers of the T say the utility regulator has fallen short in monitoring the transit system thus far and may not be the right agency for that critical role."

FROM THE 413

— "Ward 2 Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota expelled from Holyoke City Council," by Dennis Hohenberger, Springfield Republican: "Ward 2 Councilor Wilmer Puello-Mota has been expelled from the City Council. The announcement was made at the start of yesterday's special meeting. Puello-Mota, who returned to the council last week, faces criminal charges in Rhode Island, including a child pornography charge. Before his return, he spent 90 days in the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Facility for violating bail conditions."

— "Greenfield city councilors upset police chief Robert Haigh is back on the job despite discrimination case," by Tristan Smith, MassLive: "Greenfield City Council members reacted with surprise and frustration over Mayor Roxann Wedegartner's decision to reinstate Police Chief Robert Haigh Jr. after a Hampshire County jury found the police chief and Greenfield Police Department guilty of discriminating against the department's sole Black officer in 2020."

— "Pittsfield city clerk affirms integrity of elections after a candidate flags risk of fraud," by Amanda Burke, The Berkshire Eagle: "A post was published Wednesday on the official campaign Facebook page of Alfred E. 'Alf' Barbalunga, a candidate for Berkshire County sheriff. It contained allegations about the integrity of the elections process in Pittsfield. City Clerk Michele Benjamin said Thursday that she viewed statements in the post as 'irresponsible' and 'false.'"

— IN MEMORIAM: "Kevin Kennedy, Springfield's 'nuts and bolts' economic development director, aide to Rep. Richard Neal, basketball coach, remembered," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican.

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "See how average weekly earnings changed in each Massachusetts metro area over the past three years," by Tréa Lavery, MassLive: "The Boston metro area is the highest-earning in the state, while Lynn and New Bedford are approximately tied for the lowest-earning spot, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics."

— "2022 was one of the hottest and driest summers on record across Massachusetts," by Will Katcher, MassLive: "Boston saw only 4.42 inches of rain between June and August, the period known as the meteorological summer. A year ago, the summer of 2021 brought more than four times that amount. Only three summers in recorded history have been drier, National Weather Service data shows."

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— PATRIOT ACT: Patriots owner Bob Kraft has given the maximum donation, $5,800, to vulnerable New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, per her latest FEC filing.

Kraft has a history of donating to Democrats including Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), Sen. Ed Markey and President Barack Obama. As the Washington Post's Matt Viser points out, Kraft also donated $1 million to Donald Trump's inauguration celebration and flew on Air Force One with the former president.

HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Wendy Wakeman will be stepping aside from Fair and Secure Massachusetts, the ballot committee formed to try and repeal the state's new law granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants, after the Sept. 7 deadline to turn in signatures to the secretary of state's office.

— Dr. Jennifer Childs-Roshak will step down as CEO and president of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts at the end of the year, the organization said.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former Rep. Michael Harrington.

HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to state Rep. Andy Vargas, former Rep. John Olver, state Sen. Jo Comerford, The Boston Globe's Dan McGowan, Leo Stella, Caroline Lehman and Nick Andersen, who celebrate Saturday, and to Sunday birthday-ers Boston City Councilor Gabriela "Gigi" Coletta, who is 30; Sebastian Zapata and former Boston mayoral candidate John Barros.

NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: CRASH COURSE — Hosts Jennifer Smith, Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky recap the allegations roiling the Suffolk DA race and dig into the drama in the attorney general race. CommonWealth's Michael Jonas takes us back to school. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud.

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