| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | FALLING IN LINE — Top Democrats in Massachusetts were strong supporters of President Joe Biden’s White House bid — up until last month’s debate sent the party into a frenzy. Now, they’re rallying behind his chosen successor. The flow of endorsements for Vice President Kamala Harris didn’t slow down Monday, after many Bay State politicians rushed to her side over the weekend in the wake of Biden’s earth-shattering announcement. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Rep. Richard Neal both pledged their support Monday morning, a bump from two key congressional leaders. And after staying quiet about who she would support to replace Biden in the immediate aftermath of Sunday’s chaos, Gov. Maura Healey joined the chorus in the afternoon, as Harris locked up support from all 23 Democratic governors across the country. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz — both delegates to the Democratic National Convention next month — also threw their support behind the vice president, after waiting to weigh in Sunday. “I felt Sunday was about reflecting on the work that President Biden had done over the last three and a half years and really his entire public service career,” Michlewitz told Playbook Monday. “Today is about looking to the future.” The state’s DNC delegates are also on board. Healey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and state Treasurer Deb Goldberg all spoke on a call Monday night in support of Harris before Massachusetts’ 116 delegates voted to endorse Harris as the nominee. Democratic State Committee members are set to vote on an endorsement in the coming days, after meeting on Zoom Monday night to discuss their path forward. Harris appears to have the nomination already locked up – she secured enough verbal commitments from delegates Monday night to edge out would-be challengers (though nothing’s certain until the convention). Mostly left unsaid amid the rush of support for Harris’ bid: That losing Biden atop the ticket is a bit of a blow to Massachusetts. The president has deep ties to the Bay State, from the annual sojourns to Nantucket to an administration he packed with Warren allies, a former Cabinet secretary plucked from Boston’s City Hall, a campaign chock full of Mass. natives, a slate of advisers who mostly hail from New England – the list goes on. Harris’ Bay State bonds aren’t as deep. That’s not stopping from Democratic leaders here from hitting the new campaign trail running, however. Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Jim McGovern have all sent out fundraising appeals in the days since President Joe Biden handed the campaign’s keys to Harris, asking their supporters to split donations between their campaign’s and Harris’. And Healey will serve as a surrogate for Harris’ campaign, a campaign spokesperson for the governor confirmed, a role she had when Biden was still on the ticket. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Tuesday! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll huddle with Democratic and Republican legislative leaders at 3 p.m. in the governor’s office. Sen. Ed Markey joins other Democratic members of Congress for a press conference on their “Make Polluters Pay” agenda at 1 p.m. in D.C. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu tours the City Sprouts Garden at the Higginson Lewis K-8 School in Roxbury at 10 a.m. and attends the annual “Taste of Eastie” at 7 p.m. in East Boston.
| | A message from CVS Health: Paying less out-of-pocket means our members can focus on living healthier lives. Learn more about how CVS Caremark is ensuring access and affordability to critical medications for millions of Americans. | | | |  | 2024 WATCH | | — “As always, the world revolves around the Red Sox … even when it comes to presidential politics,” by Dan Shaughnessy, The Boston Globe. “Congressional Dems go from panic to wary relief: Is the chaos over?” by Ally Mutnick and Sarah Ferris, POLITICO. IN NO LABELS’ WILDEST DREAMS — No, former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker was not at the NCAA event that Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at Monday, per The Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty.
| | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | MORE TO BARGAIN FOR — The House and Senate each slapped new bills down on the bargaining table with nine days left before lawmakers wrap up formal sessions. The House is set to vote Wednesday on its version of a Senate-approved bill that lawmakers say would reduce prescription drug costs for Massachusetts residents and impose new regulations on the pharmaceutical industry — changes the Senate has sought in previous sessions that hadn’t recently gained traction in the House. And the Senate teed up its own long-term care bill for a vote Thursday, keeping alive the chance of a compromise on the legislation that the House marked as a priority this session. More from the Telegram & Gazette and State House News Service. CLIMATE PUSH — A collection of businesses and nonprofits organized by the Environmental League of Massachusetts is sending a letter this morning to the co-chairs of the energy committee, state Rep. Jeff Roy and state Sen. Michael Barrett, and other members of conference committee tasked hashing out a deal on the energy and climate legislation, urging the lawmakers to “act swiftly to produce a final bill” as the clock runs out for formal business on Beacon Hill. The 28 signatories include Boston Children’s Hospital, Akamai Technologies, and Eastern Bank, among others. — “Bids were due a week ago. There’s still no word on buyers for Steward hospitals,” by Robert Weisman, The Boston Globe: “Steward, which filed for bankruptcy May 6, is selling about 30 hospitals nationally to pay its creditors. It’s given no update on the Massachusetts sales since last Tuesday when a spokesperson said it ‘received a number of bids on our hospitals and we are evaluating those bids.’”
| | | | Breaking News Briefing: How Kamala Harris’ Policies Could Differ from Joe Biden’s — Where does Vice President Kamala Harris stand on key policy issues? Where does she differ from President Biden? Join POLITICO Pro’s specialist reporters for a detailed discussion of what her track record as vice president, U.S. senator and attorney general of California tells us about her policy instincts and allies. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pregnant, expecting third child in January,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is pregnant and planning to welcome her third child, a girl, in January, she announced in an exclusive interview with The Boston Globe Monday. Wu’s campaign later sent out an email to supporters Monday evening sharing the news. Wu said she, her husband, and two young sons are thrilled to be expanding their family. The first woman, person of color, and mother elected to lead City Hall — and also the youngest in nearly a century — Wu, 39, emphasized that her pregnancy would not influence her decision to run for reelection next year.” Wu, ever the political animal, delivered the announcement to supporters in a fundraising email. Though she hasn’t officially announced a reelection bid, Wu inched closer to doing so in the interview with The Globe: “I plan to run, and we’ll make an announcement when the time is right about the formal launch of a campaign," she said.
| | | HAHVAHD YAHD | | | — “Body donors pull bequests to Harvard following morgue scandal,” by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: “Dozens of people have withdrawn their plans to donate their bodies to Harvard Medical School in the year since news broke that the school’s morgue manager was allegedly pillaging bodies donated to the school. Last June, Cedric Lodge was arrested for trafficking in stolen human remains allegedly sourced from bodies donated to Harvard. Data provided by the school show that 65 people rescinded their registration in the past year, compared to an average of nine in the four years prior.”
| | | | A message from CVS Health:   | | | | | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Progressive Massachusetts is rolling out another slate of endorsements this morning, backing two challengers for state representative: Tara Hong in the 18th Middlesex District and Zayda Ortiz in the 35th Middlesex District; and two for Governor’s Council: Mara Dolan in District 3 and Stacey Borden in District 4. — Iron Workers Local 7 has endorsed state Rep. Bill Driscoll in his bid for the open Norfolk, Plymouth and Bristol state Senate seat. — A slate of court and county officials are endorsing Tom Driscoll in his bid for Essex County Clerk of Courts, including: and Essex County Registrar of Probate Pam O’Brien, Registrar of Deeds for Northern Essex County Paul Ianillocciolo, Registar of Deeds for Southern Essex County Dorothy Hersey, and former Registrar of Deeds for Southern Essex County John O’Brien.
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Taunton mayor accused of biting, assaulting husband,” by Eli Sherman, Melanie DaSilva, WRPI. — “Karen Read's retrial set for next January,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News.
| | | | SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, our newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW. | | | | | | | FROM THE 413 | | — “Pioneer Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center in South Hadley under state receivership for two months,” by Eilee Klein, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The state has temporarily taken over a beleaguered nursing home in South Hadley that came under scrutiny last week after a variety of complaints were lodged against it, including unpaid wages, staffing shortages and unpaid taxes to the town. The Suffolk Superior Court on Friday granted a petition from the state Attorney General’s Office and Department of Public Health to place Pioneer Valley Health and Rehabilitation Center and two other nursing home facilities owned by Blupoint Healthcare under emergency receivership to alleviate the financial, staffing and sanitary issues the buildings have faced over the past five months.” — “Why didn’t Great Barrington repair a long-failing bridge? Because of all the other failing bridges (partly),” by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle. — “West-East rail funding in state plan will go toward track development between Springfield, Worcester,” by Emilee Klein, Daily Hampshire Gazette.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | TRANSITIONS — Yael Sheinfeld has joined Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office as press secretary. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Sen. Kathleen O’Connor-Ives, Meg Montgomery, Vasundhra Sangar, Jeremy D. Goodwin, Mariane Pearl, Jane Rayburn of EMC Research and Massachusetts Playbook alum, Lisa Kashinsky.
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