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Presented by Transportation for Massachusetts
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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It's Super Tuesday! Polls are open until 8 p.m.
WHO THE NEWSPAPERS CHOSE — Bay State newspapers had a number of Democratic presidential campaigns to choose from this cycle, and many stuck to a candidate with Massachusetts roots when it came to endorsements. (The editorial board of a newspaper is separate from the newsroom, which doesn't have a say in endorsements.)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has the backing of her hometown paper, the Boston Globe. The paper's editorial board had urged her not to run in 2018, but came around ahead of Super Tuesday.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was endorsed by the Daily Hampshire Gazette, the small Western Mass newspaper based in Northampton, where Warren won reelection with 86 percent of the vote in 2018. The Gazette endorsed Sanders in 2016 over Hillary Clinton.
SUPER TUESDAY PLACES TO WATCH — Massachusetts has 91 delegates up for grabs in the presidential race, and voting day comes after a chaotic 48 hours in the Democratic primary. Moderates Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race and endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden last night, which means the field winnowed dramatically just before polls opened. Here are a few places I'm watching as the results come in tonight.
Cambridge, Somerville and Northampton - These cities delivered Elizabeth Warren some of her largest wins during her 2018 reelection campaign. Warren won 91 percent in Cambridge, 87 percent in Somerville, and 86 percent in Northampton. But Bernie Sanders, who is making a play to beat Warren on her home turf, also has appeal in these deep blue locales, and progressive voters may be feeling strategic now that moderates have coalesced around Biden.
Worcester - Sanders made Worcester the hub of his get-out-the-vote operation in the four days leading up to Super Tuesday. He held a music and canvassing festival dubbed "Berniepalooza" here, and could appeal to the city's growing progressive population and Latino voters, a demographic he did well with in Nevada. Sanders lost Worcester to Hillary Clinton in 2016 by around 2 percentage points — he got 48 percent of the vote and she got 50 percent.
Boston and Springfield - Both cities were tough spots for Sanders in 2016 — Hillary Clinton won Boston with 58 percent of the vote to Sanders' 42 percent, and Springfield by 61 percent to 38 percent. This time around, Sanders made a play for both cities. He campaigned in Springfield and Boston, drawing more than 14,000 people over the course of the weekend. But Springfield Rep. Richard Neal, the powerful chair of House Ways and Means, threw his support behind Warren during Sanders' Springfield trip on Friday.
Quincy - Former Vice President Joe Biden planted a Massachusetts campaign headquarters in Quincy months ago, and held an office opening before the New Hampshire primary even began. Biden's got momentum from a landslide win in South Carolina, new endorsements from Klobuchar, Buttigieg and former Rep. Beto O'Rourke and tons of free media from a Texas rally last night. Quincy narrowly went for Sanders in 2016.
Waltham - This city seems to get it right. According to a Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll, Waltham voters have mirrored the preferences of the state in the last three Democratic primaries in 2004, 2008 and 2016. This cycle, Waltham shows Sanders and Warren in a statistical tie.
Don't forget to join us on the POLITICO live chat, which will show up on the homepage this evening before the polls close.
HAPPENING WEDNESDAY - The Horse Race podcast is taping a live post-Super Tuesday episode with Gina Christo and Wilnelia Rivera of the Deep Democracy podcast on March 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in Boston. The live show is free to attend, but guests must register in advance. The details.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker holds a ceremonial bill signing for Nicky's Law. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends a Laver Cup launch event. Sen. Elizabeth Warren votes in Cambridge. Former Gov. Bill Weld votes in Canton, and watches election results in the South End. Former Police Commissioner Ed Davis launches canvasses for billionaire Mike Bloomberg in Medford and Brookline.
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A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:
Massachusetts is facing a transportation crisis on our roads, bridges, transit, bikeways, and in neighborhoods that suffer from pollution and congestion. The Massachusetts House is about to debate landmark legislation to reform and revitalize transportation across the Commonwealth. Your voice matters, so please take action today at www.t4ma.org/takeaction. |
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 | HEALTH CHECK |
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- "First coronavirus case confirmed in N.H.; Mass. reports its second," by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, Edward Fitzpatrick and Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: ""Massachusetts reported its second case of coronavirus Monday and New Hampshire its first, while Rhode Island officials said one of the two people in that state with the illness had attended high school for more than three days after returning from a European trip.The developments in New England came as the US death toll rose to six, all in Washington state, and infections continued to surge in global hot spots such as South Korea and Italy."
- "Mass Officials Say Risk Of Corona Virus Still Low, But They Are Prepping For More Cases," by Kevin G. Andrade, WGBH News: "At a Monday press conference, Massachusetts state officials, led by Gov. Charlie Baker, said that though the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus is low, the situation remains fluid. "We understand the concern this new virus is causing, and we want to reassure residents that at this time there is still a single confirmed case COVID-19 in the Commonwealth," said Marylou Sudders, the secretary of health and human services. "While the risk remains low in the Commonwealth, it is possible we will see more cases, and we are preparing for it."
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| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Could Uber and Lyft survive if the state levies higher fees on the rides they provide?" by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "Can Uber and Lyft sustain $50 million or more in new annual fees paid to the Massachusetts government? The ride-hail companies today pay 20 cents for every trip in the state but would see a considerable hike under a bill before the House of Representatives that also includes a 5-cent gas tax increase. The proposal would keep the 20-cent fee in place for shared trips, such as UberPool, but increase the rate to $1.20 for solo trips and to $2.20 for services like Uber Black, which connects riders with luxury vehicles."
- "New No. 1 among Mass. lobbying firms," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "SMITH COSTELLO & CRAWFORD vaulted into the top spot among Massachusetts lobbying firms in 2019, raking in $4.2 million in fees and displacing the prior king-of-the-hill, ML Strategies. Smith Costello & Crawford has grown rapidly over the last four years, jumping from just over $1 million in revenues in 2016 to $3.2 million in 2018. Its growth has been fueled by clients in the marijuana, health care, energy, and gaming industries. Its biggest client, bringing in $432,000 in revenues last year, was Mass Gaming and Entertainment, which is seeking to build a casino in southeast Massachusetts."
- "Activists see gap between higher ed ask, Baker's budget," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "Students and teachers rallied at the State House Monday, pushing for the lawmakers who last fall agreed to a $1.5 billion investment in K-12 schools to follow that commitment with new money for higher education. The advocacy day, hosted by the Fund Our Future campaign and the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts, focused on one pair of bills that propose to steer additional state dollars into community colleges, state universities and the University of Massachusetts system, and another pair that would that would create a grant program to cover the full cost of tuition and fees for Massachusetts residents attending state colleges and universities."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "As audit looms, Boston schools brace for more bad news," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "By many measures, the Boston schools are in crisis. Graduation rates dropped last year, while the gap between Black and white students earning diplomas more than doubled. The state last fall ordered the school district to ramp up improvement efforts at nearly three dozen low-performing schools. A Globe review revealed that fewer than one in four graduates at several Boston high schools earned college degrees. The school system's buildings are deteriorating, and school officials can't even keep bathrooms stocked with soap and toilet paper. As the state wraps up its first comprehensive review of the Boston system in a decade, local officials are bracing themselves — and the public — for more bad news."
- "With Finn retiring, who should lead Boston fire?" by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "With Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn announcing his retirement on Monday, City Councilors began pushing for a successor who will commit to making the city's very white and very male fire department more diverse. "I want someone who will prioritize that the Boston Fire Department looks like Boston," Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards said. Edwards said she wants "an excellent firefighter who is going to lead, and not just respond to, issues of diversity and inclusion."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- "How to watch Super Tuesday like a pro," POLITICO: "There are more states voting on Super Tuesday, and more delegates at stake, than on any other primary day in 2020 — roughly one-third of all Democratic delegates will get parceled out. The big prize is California, a state that once came so late in the primary season that it rarely mattered. Not today: In the four early states that have voted so far — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — 155 delegates have been up for grabs. California alone offers nearly three times that many. How the candidates fare in the 14 states (and American Samoa and Democrats Abroad) will set their trajectories for the rest of the primary."
- "Mass. voters have say in wild Democratic primary race," by Matt Stout and Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "Record-setting droves of Democratic primary voters are expected to flood Massachusetts polling centers Tuesday to have their say in a tumultuous presidential race, where a thinning field and tightening polling are fueling uncertainty for campaigns and voters alike. The primary election, just one of 14 scheduled for Super Tuesday, is expected to help shape a race where story lines shifted seemingly by the hour Monday. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was last week polling in a statistical dead heat with Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, is fighting to avoid embarrassment in her home state, a place where she hasn't campaigned since late 2019."
- "Galvin Expects High Democratic Turnout For Mass. Primary," by Mike Deehan, WGBH News: "Secretary of State William Galvin expects a record-setting number of Massachusetts voters will take part in tomorrow's Democratic presidential primary election. Galvin says nearly 1.9 million people may cast ballots in the Democratic and Republican primaries tomorrow. 1.5 million of them may pull Democratic ballots, enough to set a new record for Democrats."
- "Virus concerns? Bring a pen to the polls," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "CONCERNS ABOUT the coronavirus are seeping into Super Tuesday preparations, as Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin suggested voters heading to the polls bring along their own pens to avoid fingering the same pens used by other voters. Galvin said he is urging local voting officials to regularly clean voting compartments, have additional election officials on standby if some workers stay away, and provide extra pens to cut down on repeat uses."
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "Straus lays out rationale for transpo revenues," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "WITH THE HOUSE PREPARING to take up transportation funding legislation this week, Rep. William Straus explains the rationale behind many of the bill's provisions. Straus, the House chair of the Legislature's Transportation Committee, is one of the architects of the bill, which hikes the gas tax by 5 cents, raises fees on ride-hailing apps, increases the minimum corporate income tax, and eliminates a sales tax exemption on rental cars. All in all, it is expected to raise roughly $600 million a year."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Progressive Groups Aren't Ready To Rally To Bernie Sanders To Oppose Joe Biden's Centrist Army," by Ryan Brooks, BuzzFeed News: "As centrist Democrats consolidate around Joe Biden's presidential campaign, progressive organizations that have divided in support between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren say they do not have a plan to quickly band behind one of the two to form a coalition against the moderate threat. Justice Democrats, founded by alumni of Sanders' 2016 campaign, is suggesting Monday that Warren ease up on attacks on Sanders and commit to supporting him with her delegates should he continue to run well ahead of her campaign."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "BACK IN THE GAME," "CORONA IN THE CLASSROOM," — Globe: "N.H. sees first Covid-19 case, Mass. its 2nd," "Moderates coalesce around Biden; Sanders pushes bid across West. " |
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "County seeks emergency funds to address virus," by Cynthia McCormick, Cape Cod Times: "The Barnstable County administrator is asking that $250,000 in emergency funding be set aside to protect the Cape's high percentage of older residents from the coronavirus spreading across the globe. "Our senior population is at a high risk potentially if the virus comes over the bridge," John "Jack" Yunits Jr. said Monday. "It's something we have to be very careful about," he said. "We have no idea what's going to be asked of us."
KENNEDY SKIPS NORTH ANDOVER BREAKFAST!
- "Kennedy fails to attend North Andover breakfast," by Genevieve DiNatale, Eagle-Tribune: "Congressman Joe Kennedy III was notably absent from the North Andover Democratic Town Committee Scholarship Breakfast on Sunday. Kennedy was expected to speak alongside Sen. Ed Markey, who he's challenging for the Senate seat in the Democratic primary Sept. 1. And while there were murmurs among the crowd about whether it was politically wise for Kennedy to skip out on the event, committee member Diane Huster had her own reasoning for his absence."
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| HISTORY LESSON |
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- "Six Things Everyone Gets Wrong about the Boston Massacre," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine: "Everyone who took American history in school knows the basic story of the Boston Massacre, right? On March 5, 1770, a band of patriots stood their ground against the British troops occupying their land when a row of troops mercilessly fired into a crowd of innocent civilians at their commanding officers' order. American patriots rallied in the aftermath of the violence and the massacre became shorthand for the brutal injustice of British rule. Eventually, it was used to stoke support for full-on revolution."
- "Susan B. Anthony: 'the woman who dared,'" by Meghan Sorensen, Boston Globe: "March is Women's History Month, so let us pay homage to Massachusetts' native Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906). Anthony was born in Adams before moving at age 25 to Rochester, N.Y., where she lived until her death. Nicknamed "the woman who dared," Anthony devoted her life to race and gender equality. Even now, visitors to her grave leave their "I Voted" stickers on Election Day."
TRANSITIONS - Christina Knowles joins Dr. Robbie Goldstein's campaign for Congress as campaign manager. Goldstein is a Democrat challenging Rep. Stephen Lynch.
REMEMBERING JACK WELCH ... via WSJ: "Jack Welch led General Electric Co. through two decades of unparalleled growth and transformation, with a brash style that single-handedly remade the conglomerate and changed the landscape of American corporations. He died Sunday at age 84. Mr. Welch's success, driven by a hard-nosed strategy to slash less profitable businesses and unproductive employees, made him an international celebrity in the 1980s and drove GE to become the most valuable U.S. company during the 1990s." Link.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Grace Nowakoski.
FOR YOUR COMMUTE: BERNING DOWN THE HOUSE - On this week's Horse Race podcast, hosts Steve Koczela and Stephanie Murray talk all things Super Tuesday. Beth Huang from the Boston chapter of Democratic Socialists of America discusses Bernie Sanders and the possibility of a brokered Democratic National Convention. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud.
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.
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A message from Transportation for Massachusetts:
All throughout the Commonwealth, in our cities and rural towns, people are frustrated with the transportation status quo. Now the Massachusetts House is about to debate legislation to tackle our toughest transportation challenges.The proposals will fund expanded public transit statewide, make our roads and bridges safer, encourage clean transportation, and improve our daily commutes. This is a time when your voice will make a difference. Please take action, and contact your State Representative today at www.t4ma.org/takeaction. |
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