| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | PARTY POWER PLAY — Coming off Republicans’ surprisingly steady election cycle, Amy Carnevale is ready for round two. The MassGOP chair was making calls to shore up support over the weekend, and launched her bid for a second term at the helm in an email to Republican State Committee members this morning. “Electing Republicans in Massachusetts is no small task, but the results of this election prove that our persistence, strategy, and unity can overcome the challenges we face. After everything our party has endured in recent years, I sense a renewed optimism among us—and Massachusetts has taken notice,” Carnevale wrote. “It’s this optimism that that inspires me to continue leading our party toward even greater victories in 2026.” Carnevale pointed to wins in last month’s elections, when Republicans fended off challenges in the House and added one more member to their ranks in the Senate — not enough to make a dent in the Democratic supermajorities in chambers on Beacon Hill, but a rarity in an election year for Republicans in Massachusetts, particularly one with Donald Trump topping the ticket. She’s already flexing her support: Carnevale rolled out a list of endorsements from 44 state committee members who are publicly backing her — more than she needs to secure a victory, and more than the 37 votes she earned in 2023, when she narrowly wrested control of the party away from former Chair Jim Lyons. She’s not without opposition. Republican State Committeewoman Kim Duffy is also gunning for the top job, she announced on Facebook yesterday, promising to bring “the effective change this Republican Party needs” while taking some swipes at the party’s current leadership. And others could still get in the mix before Carnevale’s current term expires in January. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It’s good to be back in your inbox. Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving and decided not to watch the last minute of yesterday’s Patriots game. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at a groundbreaking for new affordable housing units at 8:30 a.m. and at a ribbon cutting for the Salem Willows Pier at 10 a.m. in Salem, and joins the first meeting of the preliminary screening committee to select the state’s new K-12 education commissioner at 1 p.m. in Wellesley. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces the Greater Boston Climate and Coastal Resilience Workforce Alliance at a press conference at 11 a.m. at City Hall. Tips? Scoops? Thoughts on the MassGOP chair’s race? Email me: kgarrity@politico.com.
| | | | 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 | | — “A migrant family sprints for housing as shelter clock ticks,” by Simón Rios, WBUR. — “Secretary touts 'transformative era' for veterans services in Mass.,” by Ed Harding and Sharman Sacchetti, WCVB. RELATED — “South Korea paid nearly $10K to bring Massachusetts veterans services secretary to conference, documents show,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “The South Korean government shelled out nearly $10,000 for Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago to stay at two five-star hotels and travel roundtrip in business class to the country for a conference last month on veterans affairs, according to documents reviewed by the Herald. … An ethics disclosure form signed by Santiago shows the South Korean government paid an estimated $9,620 — including $8,000 for airfare, $1,500 for lodging, and $120 for meals — to bring Santiago to the country.” — “With no more MCAS requirement, graduation standards vary widely among state’s largest districts,” by Mandy McLaren, The Boston Globe: “A Globe analysis of the largest 50 districts’ high school graduation requirements found a wide variation among math, science, and foreign language requirements — a range advocates say creates inequitable opportunities for students.” ORIENTATION TIME — The University of Massachusetts will host its new legislator academy next week, Senate President Karen Spilka’s office confirmed. The three-day orientation, set to run Dec. 11-13, includes presentations on the state’s budget, campaign finance and ethics rules, and committee hearing and formal session simulations. SEASON OF (POLITICAL) GIVING — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll are headlining a holiday fundraiser for the state Democratic Party on Dec. 18 at the Omni Parker House. Tickets range from $100 for “Grassroots Supporter[s]” to $15,000 to get in the “Governor’s Circle.” The event will also honor “the contributions of legislators who will be leaving the State House after years of service,” according to the invitation.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston offers its employees paid parental leave, but some say it’s not long enough,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “Unlike many cities in Massachusetts, Boston offers the vast majority of its employees access to paid parental leave, a policy advocates say is an essential support for municipal workers, who don’t benefit from a state law that helps most other workers wanting to start or grow a family. But while Boston employees applaud the city for adopting and expanding the benefit, many argue it isn’t long enough, and Boston should offer more help to parents who work for the city.” — “Boston Police official says Mass and Cass spillover driving spike in violence, drug use downtown, on Common,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston Police Deputy Superintendent Dan Humphreys said BPD is already in the middle of a ‘very deliberate pivot’ to tackle the ‘pockets of overflow throughout the city’ that resulted from last year’s crackdown at Mass and Cass — which is what he saw as the main issue a Tuesday City Council hearing on downtown safety was aiming to address.” — “He taught city-building at MIT. Now Boston’s once-and-future chief planner is back with some lessons,” by Catherine Carlock, The Boston Globe: “Kairos Shen taught the class on city-making. Quite literally, Boston’s once-and-future chief planner taught a semester-long course on real estate development during his years as a professor at MIT’s Center for Real Estate. ... Now Shen is back at City Hall as Mayor Michelle Wu’s newly named chief of planning. And he’s bringing a fresh perspective from the lecture hall.” — “Boston City Council looks to mandate ordinances, budgets be based on racial, social equity,” by Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald.
| | | | 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. | | | | | | | BIDEN TIME | | PARDON ME — Peach and Blossom weren’t the only lucky beneficiaries of a Thanksgiving time presidential pardon this year. President Joe Biden announced a sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter, last night, absolving the younger Biden of any crimes he may have “committed or taken part in” since the start of 2014. The Sunday night news bomb quickly caught fire among House Republicans, who blasted Biden as a “liar” — and it stoked some backlash from Democrats such as Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who called it “a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation.” The decision comes after Biden said in June he wouldn’t pardon his son, who was convicted on felony gun charges and pleaded guilty to tax fraud over the summer. More: “We haven’t seen a pardon as sweeping as Hunter Biden’s in generations,” by Betsy Woodruff Swan, POLITICO. AND: “How the pardon happened,” by Eugene Daniels and Rachel Bade, POLITICO. MEANWHILE ON NANTUCKET — “Biden’s Thanksgiving holiday is part of a longer farewell as Trump’s return to White House nears,” Josh Boak, The Associated Press.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | WILL-HE-WON’T-HE — Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn hasn’t said if he’ll challenge Mayor Michelle Wu next year, but he’s still keeping his name in the mix. “Whether I’m on the city council or I run for higher office, I want to be part of the solution, to try to continue to provide positive leadership to the residents of the city,” Flynn said during an interview on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” that aired Sunday. Flynn did lay out what his likely pitch would be to voters if he makes it official, criticizing Wu over dysfunction with the city’s school bus system and reiterating concerns about public safety in the city, particularly in Boston Common. (Wu has parried past public safety criticism by pointing to data that show Boston had one of the lowest homicide rates of any major city in the country earlier this year.)
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson:   | | | | | TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “With Trump, clean energy projects in low-income communities could be ‘dead in the water’,” by Erin Douglas, The Boston Globe: “As much as tens of millions of dollars in federal grants and tax credits are slated to go to the Commonwealth’s historically disadvantaged neighborhoods to build clean energy, transportation, and climate infrastructure. However, under President-elect Donald Trump, it’s unlikely that such projects will ultimately get funded — and many worry that even those already under contract are at risk since the federal government allocates the money only after the projects are built at local expense.” — “‘I would have to be asleep to not be concerned’: With Trump set to take office, Massachusetts could see drop in federal funds,” by Emma Platoff, The Boston Globe.
| | TRANSITION TIME | | — “Trump picks Patel to lead FBI,” by Megan Messerly and Kyle Cheney, POLITICO: “Patel, a Trump transition insider, has been one of Trump’s most visible and vocal allies, showing up at his criminal trial in Manhattan, perpetuating conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. He worked as chief of staff to the secretary of Defense during the first Trump administration, and has been outspoken about calling for a purge of Trump’s enemies from the Justice Department, FBI and other intelligence agencies.”
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “DESE awards grant to Springfield schools to support homeless, multilingual students,” by Namu Sampath, The Springfield Republican: “The Springfield Public Schools have been awarded $75,000 to aid newcomer, multilingual and homeless students. The grant will cover costs associated with welcoming these immigrant students and their families to the school environment.” — “Great Barrington Fire Department terminates Butternut Fire command in a final update,” by Mitchell Chapman, The Berkshire Eagle.
| | | | 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 | | — “Lead pipe replacement leads to higher bills, breaking a key promise,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light. — “Council takes first step in approving an ordinance that would allow Attleboro theater to get grant,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle. — “Lowell begins ‘sweeps’ of homeless camps,” by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun: “The city of Lowell will start clearing homeless encampments this week, beginning with the community living at the Thorndike Street and YMCA Drive area right off the Lowell Connector. On Nov. 25, the city posted on a tree a ‘notice to vacate’ that called the site ‘uninhabitable.’ ‘All persons are directed to vacate this site immediately and remove all belongings’ by Dec. 4, the notice said in all capital letters." — “No appetite for debate as Worcester council puts off action on taxes and Batista contract,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “In a relatively quick City Council meeting, councilors delayed action on the annual tax classification hearing and a vote to advertise City Manager Eric D. Batista's proposed three-year contract. Mayor Joseph M. Petty put off a vote on the manager's contract and scheduled an executive session, a session closed to the public, for further contract negotiations with Batista at the next meeting, Dec. 10.” — “Lawrence mayor, City Council push to appoint some members to elected-only School Committee,” by James Vaznis, The Boston Globe: “As Lawrence attempts to regain control of its schools from state control, political infighting is emerging among local leaders, with the teachers union and the School Committee accusing the mayor and the City Council of a ‘power grab.’”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to retired Associate Justice Barbara A. Lenk and Morgan Hughes.
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