| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | MA-06 CALLING — Rep. Seth Moulton drew swift condemnation from local Democratic leaders and LGBTQ advocates for comments he made about transgender youth in sports in the wake of Democrats’ defeats earlier this month. But will the discontent translate to real competition next cycle? It’s early, but some potential challengers are already beginning to stir. Dan Koh, a former Andover selectman who narrowly lost the race for the open seat in the neighboring 3rd District in 2018, has been making — and fielding — calls about a possible campaign against Moulton, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the conversations. Koh served as chief of staff to former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. He followed his then-boss to Washington when President Joe Biden plucked Walsh from City Hall to lead his Labor department, and he stuck around when Walsh gave up his Cabinet slot to head the NHL Players’ Association. He currently works as deputy director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs — a position with an expiration date as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House next year. And despite working in Washington, he still owns a home in Andover, which was swept into Moulton’s district as a result of redistricting in 2021. But Koh, who didn’t respond to calls yesterday, isn’t the only name kicking around. Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo raised some eyebrows with a Boston fundraiser earlier this week headlined by his former boss, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll — an out-of-town event for the North Shore Democrat that sent political watchers chattering about whether the first-term mayor might be angling to challenge Moulton in 2026. Pangallo isn’t interested in a congressional bid this cycle, he told Playbook. “I really enjoy the job I have now, and I think local government is the best way to make a positive difference in people’s lives,” he said. But the buzz shows that the backlash that bubbled up over Moulton’s comments isn’t dying — at least not yet — as Democrats remain divided over the future of their party and what’s to blame for their across-the-board defeats. And it’s the latest against-the-grain move by Moulton that a potential challenger could seize on to try and build a case against the fifth-term incumbent. “I believe that he is vulnerable, and it's not just because of the recent comments,” Democratic political consultant Doug Rubin told Playbook. “Challenging [former Speaker Nancy] Pelosi a while ago, the run for president — I think all of those things have the potential to rub voters the wrong way in his district and provide an opening for a candidate to make a credible campaign.” GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Potential MA-06 candidates aren’t the only ones who will have some food for thought this Thanksgiving. Beacon Hill hopefuls in the 6th Essex district, which covers Beverly and a small section of Wenham, could spend the holiday (and accompanying respite from the recently resolved, drawn-out teachers strike) weighing a bid for state Rep. Jerry Parisella’s seat. Gov. Maura Healey tapped the seven-term representative, attorney and Army veteran for a District Court judgeship, marking her 50th judicial nomination — and likely triggering a special election to replace the current House economic development chair. Don’t mark your calendars yet. Parisella first has to be confirmed by the Governor’s Council and submit his resignation to the House before it’s off to the races. But there are some potential candidates to keep an eye on in the meantime: Beverly Democratic Party Chair Keith Sonia and Beverly City Councilors Hannah Bowen and Kathleen Feldman, as well as Councilor Brendan Sweeney, who served as director of intergovernmental affairs under former Gov. Charlie Baker, and Councilor Matt St. Hilaire, the former executive director of the MassGOP and Baker’s former director of personnel and administration. The seat has been in Democratic hands since 1993, when now-Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill took control of the seat after defeating Republican Rep. James Henry. Expect some jockeying among those already on Beacon Hill, too. Parisella's likely departure also opens the lead spot on the high-profile economic development committee in the House. PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook won’t publish on Thursday or Friday for Thanksgiving. I’ll be back in your inbox on Monday, Dec. 2. Have a lovely holiday and stay in touch: kgarrity@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at 10 a.m. at the State House. Healey, First Lady Joanna Lydgate, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attend the 29th Annual Table of Friends event at 11 a.m. at TD Garden. Wu is on “Java with Jimmy” at 9:30 a.m. Sen. Ed Markey holds a press conference on mail delivery issues and the United States Postal Service management at 11 a.m. in Boston. LATER THIS WEEK — Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jon Santiago is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Outgoing state Reps. Ruth Balser and Bill Strauss, and incoming state Sen. Kelly Dooner and incoming state Rep. Amy Sangiolo, are on NBC10 Boston’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson: We’re restoring the true meaning of healthcare—Innovating more precise, less invasive surgery and improving recovery. See how we’re connecting the best of Health&Care for every patient and provider. Learn more. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Mass. Legislature brushes aside Diana DiZoglio’s audit attempt until ballot question takes effect,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Lawyers for the Massachusetts House and Senate said a reignited effort by Auditor Diana DiZoglio to investigate the two chambers in the wake of a successful ballot question is “untimely” because the law has not yet taken effect.” RELATED — “AG Campbell won't get involved in Question 1 dispute — yet,” by Hannah Loss, GBH News. — “Hanna Awards presented to Mass. cops who demonstrated exceptional bravery in the line of duty,” by Travis Andersen, The Boston Globe.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston reparations panel members are committed to their slow-moving work,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “Members of Boston’s Reparations Task Force said the conservative shift in national politics has given their work renewed significance and reason to finish — even as the panel has not held an official meeting for nearly nine months. ‘I’m disappointed, but not demoralized,’ said task force Chair Joseph Feaster. ‘I intend to stay in the struggle. I believe my members of the task force will and the city of Boston is committed to seeing this through, and that’s what I intend to assist them in doing.’” — “Signed, sealed, delivered? Some are optimistic South Station will expand after visit from Postal Service head,” by Jon Chesto, The Boston Globe. — “With new zoning rules, Mattapan’s Blue Hill Avenue is poised for a rebirth,” Janelle Nanos and Tim Logan, The Boston Globe.
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “State officials want to save space for train parking in Allston despite neighborhood concerns,” by Jon Chesto, The Boston Globe: “Massachusetts transportation officials have decided to include space to park trains in their preferred plans for Allston’s Beacon Park Yard, a move that threatens to complicate the realignment of the Massachusetts Turnpike in that neighborhood and the related construction of a new transit hub known as West Station. Top transportation officials in the Healey administration broke the news in an update on Monday about the $2 billion turnpike-and-train proposal known as the Allston Multimodal Project.”
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | IT’S A NO FROM HIM — Sen. Ed Markey won’t be lending his support to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. come next year, when Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services nominee faces a Senate confirmation vote. “I'm going to vote no on Robert Kennedy Jr.'s confirmation,” Markey said during a press conference inside his Boston office, which bears the name of Kennedy’s uncle, the former President John F. Kennedy. “And I hope that other members of the Senate, Democrats and Republicans alike, will also vote no so that Donald Trump presents someone who, in fact, has the qualifications to run the health care system of our country." Whether there’s enough opposition to tank Trump’s controversial HHS nominee, who’s made headlines for his vaccine theories, is currently unclear. But just wait for his hearings, Markey said. “When it becomes very clear that Robert Kennedy does not reflect the public health sentiments of average Americans, I think that it could very well elicit opposition from individual Republican senators, but that still remains to be seen because the hearings haven't happened yet,” he told reporters. — “Sen. Markey urges Biden to issue preemptive pardons ahead of Trump's inauguration,” by Nicole Garcia, GBH News. — “LGBTQ+ advocates met with Seth Moulton after his comments on trans athletes, hoping for an apology. Here’s how it went,” by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe: “On a Friday afternoon three days after the presidential election, the parent of a transgender child, two community leaders, and other LGTBQ+ advocates logged into a Zoom meeting with US Representative Seth Moulton. ... They hoped for an apology, perhaps even an admission that what he said was wrong. … In the end, however, those on the brief Zoom call say they ended up disappointed with Moulton’s response.” — “Warren urges Biden to decriminalize pot,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune.
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson:   | | | | | TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “Trump has called tariffs ‘the greatest thing ever invented.’ Local manufacturers aren’t so sure,” by Hiawatha Bray, The Boston Globe.
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Barnstable Town Council decides on side agreement challenge on wind farm,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “A citizens petition requesting the Barnstable Town Council revisit its side agreement with Avangrid Renewables on its New England Wind 1 project will not move forward, town leaders have decided. On Nov. 21, after a lengthy discussion, the council voted 6-6 to take no further action on the petition, which was submitted in August by resident Cliff Carroll and attorney Ed Kirk.” — “When will Vineyard Wind be finished?,” by Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light: “In mid-2023, company executives projected the wind farm would be fully operational in 2024. But with one month left in the year, only about one-third of the turbines appear fully installed. Much of the delay comes from a blade failure in July, after which federal regulators halted project installation before allowing it to proceed under restrictions.”
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “The Berkshire DA said it dropped the case against a Miss Hall's School teacher. But Pittsfield Police say their investigation is ongoing,” by Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle: “Despite the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office having dropped its probe into a Miss Hall’s School teacher for alleged sexual abuse, Pittsfield Police say they are still investigating. A 24-page report by Pittsfield Police Detective Ignacio Matos dated Oct. 4, about ‘reports of sexual abuse of students’ at Miss Hall’s, says that the case is ‘on-going,’ according to Assistant District Attorney and Records Access Officer Joseph A. Pieropan.”
| | | | Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Biden Family Arrives On Nantucket For Final Thanksgiving Visit Of Presidency,” by Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current. — “Marblehead, Beverly teachers reach deals, ending weeks-long strikes,” by Deanna Pan, The Boston Globe: “Leaders in Marblehead and Beverly brokered contract agreements with their striking teachers Tuesday evening, ending two of the state’s longest educator strikes in decades, and following more than two weeks of stalemate that left more than 7,100 students out of class and forced the court to intervene. … Marblehead students — who have missed 11 days of school since the union’s strike — will return to class Wednesday, as will students in Beverly — who have missed 12 days, eclipsing the Newton teacher strike earlier this year as the longest in recent history.” — “Attleboro mayor says restrictions on water use could be in effect until May 14 or longer,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle: “Mayor Cathleen DeSimone says restrictions on water use in the city could extend longer than first thought. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection declared a water supply emergency for Attleboro on Nov. 19. Depending upon the amount of precipitation received in upcoming weeks or months, the declaration of water supply emergency will be in effect until May or longer, the mayor said.” — “In dramatic move, Brockton mayor vetoes laws that would 'criminalize homelessness',” by Chris Helms, The Brockton Enterprise: “In a rare use of veto power, Mayor Robert F. Sullivan rejected two controversial local laws about homelessness, sending them back to the Brockton City Council. Councilors recently passed ordinances imposing fines for people camping or loitering on public property. ‘While I commend the efforts of the City Council to find solutions to the problems related to the unhoused population, these Ordinances do not provide any solution to these problems,’ Sullivan wrote in his veto letter. ‘Rather, these Ordinances violate the constitutional rights of our residents to occupy public spaces throughout our city.’” MEANWHILE — “Homeless camps still in Fall River despite a ban: Why finding shelter for everyone is hard,” by Emily Scherny, The Herald News.
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Catherine Carlock of the Boston Globe and Andy Hoglund. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY — to Sarina Tracy and Doug Rubin of Northwind Strategies, Deloitte’s John Kim, former state Rep. Louis Kafka, WaPo’s Nicole Dungca, Baker alum Terry MacCormack, Erin Forry, Glen Johnson and Louise Coleman, who celebrate Thursday; and to Joe Valente, Seth Gitell, Katherine Forde, Dominique Manuel, Trent Spiner, Kaveesh Pathak and Maddie Kilgannon, who celebrate Friday. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Chris Dempsey, Larry Summers and Ben Josephson, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Jennifer Jordan, John Murray and Joe Murray, Berry Kurland and Katie Wetstone.
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