News: Feeling blue

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Feeling blue

Oct 19, 2022

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LOOKING LIKE A ONE-HORSE RACE — Democrats continue to lead their Republican rivals in every contested statewide race in a general election that's increasingly looking like a test of how far Attorney General Maura Healey's coattails will extend down the ballot.

The Democratic nominee for governor leads Geoff Diehl 56 percent to 33 percent in a Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC10 Boston/Telemundo poll of 500 likely midterm voters conducted Oct. 13-16. The margin of error is 4.4 percentage points. Just 6 percent of voters remain undecided heading into the second and final gubernatorial debate on Thursday.

Down the ballot:

— Democrat Andrea Campbell leads Republican Jay McMahon 50 percent to 30 percent in the attorney general race, with 19 percent undecided.

— Democratic incumbent Bill Galvin leads Republican Rayla Campbell 52 percent to 25 percent for secretary of state, with 14 percent undecided.

— Democratic state Sen. Diana DiZoglio leads Republican Anthony Amore 40 percent to 25 percent in the auditor's race, with 24 percent undecided.

The poll puts data behind pundits' positing that Amore has the best chance of winning among the GOP's statewide office-seekers: the race shows the smallest lead for a Democrat and the highest percentage of undecided voters three weeks before Election Day, though DiZoglio is up by 15 points.

The auditor's race is also pitting Healey against the man she frequently evokes on the campaign trail: GOP Gov. Charlie Baker. Healey held a fundraiser for DiZoglio and campaigned with her in western Massachusetts earlier this month. Baker has campaigned for Amore and will appear at a fundraiser for him at the Lenox Hotel this evening alongside Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, according to an invitation obtained by Playbook. The host committee includes former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Baker campaign adviser Jim Conroy and former auditor and congressional candidate Helen Brady.

Amore will also be endorsed by former Gov. Bill Weld today, his campaign confirmed to Playbook. The two will make their formal announcement at 2:15 p.m. near the Robert Gould Shaw memorial by the State House.

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Diehl gained 7 points between Suffolk's September and October polls. But he still trails Healey by 23 points.

With that in mind, POLITICO's chief forecaster, Steve Shepard, is moving the Massachusetts governor's race from "likely Democratic" to "solid Democratic." Diehl and fellow Donald Trump endorsee Dan Cox in Maryland "aren't mounting credible campaigns," Shepard writes . Now Republicans are "all-but-certain to cede" governorships in both states to Democrats.

TODAY — Baker, Polito and lawmakers hold a ceremonial signing of legislation establishing a state dinosaur at 9:30 a.m. at the Museum of Science in Boston. Polito makes a STEM paid internship announcement at IBM in Cambridge at 10:15 a.m., chairs a Governor's Council meeting at 12:45 p.m. at the State House, visits a Suffolk Construction CoLab at 1:30 p.m. and visits the Waltham Boys & Girls Club at 3:30 p.m.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is on JavawithJimmy at 9 a.m., speaks at Huntington Theatre's opening night at 6:30 p.m. and attends a Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program gala in the South End at 7:15 p.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley talks about student loan forgiveness on WBUR's "Radio Boston" at 11 a.m.; she and Sen. Elizabeth Warren embark on a student debt cancellation tour of Massachusetts next Tuesday.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— "Panel targets some tax breaks for chopping block," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "The Tax Expenditure Review Commission, which includes state officials, lawmakers and fiscal experts, recently reviewed nearly three dozen tax credits, deductions and exemptions offered to corporations that do business in Massachusetts to determine if they outweigh the revenue lost from state coffers. Topping the list of questionable levies reviewed by the panel was a tax break that exempts the sale of aircraft and aircraft parts from the state's 6.25% sales tax, costing the state an estimated $24 million to $26 million a year in lost revenue."

— "Businesses to repay $2B for jobless claims," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Employers will be forced to repay nearly $2 billion in loans taken out by the state to help replenish a fund that pays out unemployment benefits. ... More than half of that bill will come due next year when employers will be assessed for $915 million to help the state repay the bonds, according to a new report from the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development."

VAX-ACHUSETTS

— "Harvard Announces New COVID Booster Requirement," by Mike Pescaro, NBC10 Boston: "Students attending classes at Harvard University early next year will be required to receive the new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster. All students who will be on campus from January onward and who do not have religious or medical exemptions must have received the new booster, which targets the omicron variant and its subvariants."

FROM THE HUB

— "In redistricting process, new map proposal reveals raw divides on City Council," by Emma Platoff and Alexander Thompson, Boston Globe: "The once-in-a-decade redistricting process has again laid bare deep divisions on the Boston City Council, stirring up fresh debates around race and sparking acrimony that has at times grown personal. With just weeks before a crucial deadline, the 13-member body is at odds over a new proposal — ironically being touted as the 'unity map' — backed by prominent community advocates and councilors leading the redistricting process. Supporters say their map would strengthen political opportunities for people of color in a city long dominated by white voters and white elected officials. But some councilors are furious over the way the proposal would carve up two of the city's traditional political power centers, Dorchester and South Boston."

— "After controversial firing, Hayden appoints new head of DA's juvenile unit," by Tonya Alanez, Boston Globe: "Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden on Tuesday announced the appointment of a new head of the office's juvenile unit, a month after the forced resignation of the unit's former chief sparked concern among community activists that Hayden plans to roll back successful efforts to divert youth from the criminal justice system. Hayden appointed Migdalia Iris Nalls to the post, bringing her legal career full circle: She began her career as a prosecutor in the Suffolk district attorney's office, where she first worked with youth in the juvenile unit."

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

— "Restoring 'our Christian foundational values' is ad pitch from the Mass. GOP gubernatorial nominee," by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: "Geoff Diehl, the Republican nominee for governor of Massachusetts, began a social media ad last week that describes his opponent, Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey, as being opposed to prayer in schools. The digital ad, which started running last Wednesday on Facebook and Instagram, says: 'Maura Healey Opposes Prayer in schools, but it should be our children and parent's chocie! [sic]' … Diehl's campaign said the ad, which is available on Facebook's cache of paid advertisements, is referring to Healey's reaction to a June Supreme Court decision that sided with a public high school football coach in Washington state who was fired by his school district for praying on the field after games. In a statement after the ruling, Healey said she was 'disappointed' with the decision. 'The football field is for playing, not for forcing religion on children,' she said at the time."

— "Healey's snub of Rausch hot issue in Senate race," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "Maura Healey's decision not to endorse Sen. Becca Rausch in her bid for reelection is fast becoming one of the more intriguing storylines of the election season. The attorney general, the Democratic nominee for governor, has endorsed 17 of the 19 incumbent Democrats running for reelection in the Senate who are facing challengers. The only two she has not endorsed are Michael Brady of Brockton and Rausch."

— "Moulton refuses to debate GOP 'election denier'," by Jim Sullivan, Gloucester Daily Times: "U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Salem, won't debate an election denier. The incumbent Democrat drew the line Monday night at his first in-person town hall session since the COVID-19 pandemic hit U.S. shores in March 2020. Moulton's general election foe — Republican Robert May Jr., of Peabody — was among the crowd of roughly 100 area residents and students at the event. The Massachusetts 6th District hopeful asked Moulton why he had not debated him. 'What are you afraid of?' May asked. Moulton said he wants to have a healthy debate but he was 'not going to give air time to election deniers.'"

— IN OTHER DEBATE UPDATES: After plenty of back-and-forth of who would and wouldn't debate , Bristol County Sheriff Tom Hodgson and Democratic challenger Attleboro Mayor Paul Heroux will face off on WBSM radio at 7 p.m. Several local organizations have scheduled a candidate forum for Oct. 27, and the rivals will debate again on Oct. 28 on WPRI.

— "Here's where Cape & Island congressional candidates stand on immigration reform, abortion, healthcare," by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times: "U.S. Rep. William 'Bill' Keating, a Democrat from Bourne, will face Republican challenger Jesse Brown, of Plymouth, this November, as the congressman tries for a seventh term representing the Cape and Islands in Congress."

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

BALLOT BATTLES

— From the Suffolk poll via the Boston Globe's Matt Stout : "Elsewhere on the Nov. 8 ballot, much remains similar to last month, the poll found. Voters said they intend to vote 'yes' by wide margins on a pair of ballot measures that would raise taxes on the state's wealthiest and keep a law that allows undocumented residents to apply for driver's licenses."

— "Liquor store giant Total Wine enters fray on Question 3," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "The Maryland-based company, which has seven stores in Massachusetts and nearly 230 nationwide, launched TV ads and mailings last week framing Question 3 as bad for consumers, by supposedly favoring businesses that sell at higher prices and provide less-expansive selections. Total Wine is funding this campaign directly with its own money. Its $2.1 million expenditure reported this month is by far the most that any single company has spent directly to influence a Massachusetts ballot question, as opposed to working through a committee, in the past decade."

— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Proponents of the ballot question that would require dental insurers to spend at least 83 percent of the premiums they collect on dental care costs, not administrative expenses, are picking up more support from state lawmakers. New endorsers of the "Yes on 2" campaign include state Sens. Paul Feeney, Susan Moran and Patrick O'Connor; state Reps. Marjorie Decker, Tom Stanley and Christopher Markey and House Republican Leader Brad Jones. Several of the lawmakers hold key positions on committees related to consumer protection, public health and elder affairs.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— "MBTA officials said service would be faster after the Orange Line closure. But now it's slower. Explanations, they have a few," by Taylor Dolven, Boston Globe: "The MBTA can't get its story straight. At the beginning of the month-long shutdown of the T's second-busiest subway line, general manager Steve Poftak trumpeted that riders would have "faster service on the Orange Line" when the sweeping rehabilitation project was complete. But the line is still slower than it was before the Aug. 19 to Sept. 18 shutdown, and officials can't seem to land on a reason why. They also don't know when it will be at full speed, or even back to the speed it was before the shutdown."

— "DPU oversight should shift to MBTA advisory board, ex-transit leaders say," by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: "Two ex-transit leaders are advocating for a stronger MBTA advisory board that could take over safety oversight of the T from the Department of Public Utilities. Given its staffing shortage and current structure, the DPU is 'in no way adequate' to deal with the challenges facing the T, said Fred Salvucci, a former Massachusetts secretary of transportation, during a Tuesday MBTA advisory board forum."

— "PVTA gets $67.5 million jolt in federal, state funding for electric buses, chargers and workforce training," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: "The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority will add four new electric buses to its fleet of 12 and add 20 new and faster plug-in chargers at its operations and maintenance center which only has six smaller devices now thanks to $67.5 million in state and federal funding announced Tuesday."

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HEALEY WATCH

— "Healey to provide settlement money to ease ER boarding crisis," by Jessica Bartlett, Boston Globe: "Attorney General Maura Healey will use proceeds from recent legal settlements to help patients in urgent need of mental health care avoid having to visit hospital emergency rooms. The $2.9 million grant program will hand out awards of up to $250,000 over a two-year period to non-profits to create, expand or sustain the mental health services they provide. The goal is to ease the crisis of mental health patients boarding, sometimes for days, in hospital emergency rooms as they wait for a psychiatric inpatient bed to become available."

— "Attorney general's office trying to get back $15 million spent on pandemic masks that never arrived," by Abby Patkin, Boston.com: "After receiving more than $15 million to supply Massachusetts with masks at the start of the pandemic, a company allegedly bought the masks with state funds and never delivered them, according to the attorney general's office."

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— "BU calls report that it created a more dangerous COVID strain 'false and inaccurate'," by Jonathan Saltzman, Boston Globe: "Boston University on Tuesday denied news reports that it had created what a British tabloid breathlessly described as a COVID strain 'with an 80% kill rate,' a headline picked up by other media outlets that stirred fears that a dangerous new pathogen could be unleashed."

— "School in Haverhill canceled Wednesday as teachers strike continues," by Breanna Edelstein and Mike LaBella, Eagle-Tribune: "Students will miss classes for a third consecutive day after another failed negotiation session between the Haverhill Education Association and the School Committee. School Superintendent Margaret Marotta informed families just before 6 p.m. Tuesday that contract discussions 'stalled out today' and 'for that reason we are canceling school for students tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 19.' … Superior Court Judge James Lang issued two orders on consecutive days, requiring Haverhill educators to return to work. State law makes it illegal for public employees in the commonwealth to strike. Haverhill teachers, however, have continued picketing."

— "Liz Cheney says January 6 committee will issue Trump subpoena 'shortly'," by Annie Grayer, CNN: "GOP Rep. Liz Cheney said the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol will issue a subpoena to former President Donald Trump 'shortly' to seek his testimony under oath as well as documents. Speaking at the Harvard Institute of Politics Tuesday, the committee's vice chair did not commit to what the panel will do if Trump does not comply with the subpoena but said 'we'll take the steps we need to take.'"

— "Federal agencies announce increase in H-2B visas for 2023," by Asad Jung, Cape Cod Times: "Cape businesses will get a boost next year after the federal government approved granting another 64,716 visas for seasonal workers, according to U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Bourne."

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

— "Don Bolduc is having it both ways with Senate majority at stake," by Natalie Allison, POLITICO: "The anti-establishment candidate who was supposed to end Republicans' chances of flipping a New Hampshire Senate seat is still hanging on, thanks to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's cash."

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— WATCH: "Fung, Magaziner trade jabs in high-profile RI congressional debate," by Eli Sherman, WPRI.

A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:

Delta Dental of Massachusetts connects with communities statewide to highlight the importance of oral health. Your oral health is a key predictor of overall health — with direct links to diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other medical conditions. So, this fall, remind your loved ones – and yourself – to show your mouth some love. Get back to the dentist and remember to practice at-home preventive oral health habits like brushing and flossing regularly. Because the key to good health is right under your nose. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.

HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Dave Cavell, a former MA-04 congressional candidate and senior adviser for climate envoy John Kerry is now Vice President Kamala Harris' chief speechwriter, my POLITICO colleagues at West Wing Playbook report . Cavell has also written for Attorney General Maura Healey and former Gov. Deval Patrick.

— Katherine S. Newman has been appointed provost of the University of California system ; Newman is currently system chancellor for academic programs and the senior VP for economic development in the UMass president's office.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to POLITICO's Kyle Cheney, state Rep. Alan Silvia, Michael Goodman, state representative candidate Kate Donaghue, Isaac Simon and Mark Cote.

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