Where does WARREN go from here? — HOUSE votes to raise GAS TAX — Pols eye NANGLE’s seat
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Presented by Transportation for Massachusetts
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
WARREN CHARTS HER NEXT MOVE — Where does Sen. Elizabeth Warren go from here? After finishing third in her home state to Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, and facing tough results across the Super Tuesday map, the Warren campaign huddled yesterday to chart its next move.
It's not clear what's next for Warren, though her campaign manager Roger Lau acknowledged yesterday that they "fell well short of viability goals and projections, and we are disappointed in the results." If she does drop out, it's not clear whether Warren would throw her support behind Sanders or Biden, or stay out of the endorsement game. Lau said the choice was in Warren's hands, and that she needed time and space to make a decision.
Sanders echoed that language in a press conference yesterday. The Vermont senator said he had spoken with Warren post-Super Tuesday, and that it was important to "respect the time and the space" she needed to decide what to do . Sanders' relationship with Warren has become strained in recent months, which culminated in a flare-up over what was allegedly said between the lawmakers in a private 2018 meeting. Sanders held a series of rallies on Warren's turf in the days leading up to Super Tuesday to try and beat her at home, but lost both cities he visited to Biden on election day.
Outside Warren's Cambridge home yesterday, a cluster of photographers and television cameras gathered on her quiet street in case the candidate stepped outside. Curious neighbors snapped photos from the sidewalk, while a trusted Warren aide kept watch from the driveway.
It was a departure from the scene 24 hours prior, when hundreds of Warren supporters holding campaign signs and decked out in her signature liberty green lined the street to watch Warren walk to her polling place and cast a ballot. Warren won her hometown of Cambridge with 42 percent of the vote, but struggled across the electoral map.
WHOOPS: LAWMAKERS WANT OFF KENNEDY LIST — Two state lawmakers are criticizing Rep. Joe Kennedy III's campaign as "sloppy" and "disrespectful" for incorrectly listing them as supporters of the primary challenger on its website. Reps. Smitty Pignatelli and Angelo Puppolo say they have not endorsed anyone in the Senate primary, but showed up on Kennedy's endorsement list anyway.
Last month, the Kennedy campaign shared a list of Western Mass lawmakers who endorsed the congressman in his bid to unseat Sen. Ed Markey, which included Puppolo and Pignatelli. The endorsements were circulated in a press release and published by MassLive.com, and were later corrected.
But the campaign didn't update its website, where Puppolo and Pignatelli were listed as endorsers until yesterday afternoon. "It was the result of a staff error in putting out the press release and correction was made as soon as we were notified," a Kennedy aide said yesterday. The endorsements were removed from the website shortly after POLITICO asked about them on Wednesday.
Puppolo expressed frustration in an interview, saying it was "aggravating" to be listed as an endorser. Puppolo, who represents Springfield, said he has nothing against Kennedy but has "no idea" what the congressman was thinking. Taking sides in a race as sensitive as the Kennedy-Markey primary is a touchy subject for pretty much any elected official in Massachusetts.
"I never endorsed this Kennedy kid. ... These kinds of mistakes make me consider endorsing Ed Markey," Puppolo said. "I think it's disrespectful. I never endorsed Joe Kennedy. Why is my name on there?"
Pignatelli called the announcement "premature" and "sloppy." "I haven't endorsed anybody. I was never asked," Pignatelli said, adding that the campaign billed him as a Pittsfield lawmaker, despite his living in Lenox. "I'm staying out at this point. It's too early and I'm focused on what we're doing here in the State House."
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: PRO-CHOICE GROUP BACKS BEACON HILL HOPEFULS — The NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts PAC, the political arm of the abortion rights advocacy group, is endorsing two Democratic candidates running for seats in the Legislature today.
The PAC is backing Danillo "Dan" Sena to replace former Rep. Jennifer Benson, and Susan Moran to fill former Republican Sen. Vinny deMacedo's seat. Both candidates won primary elections on Tuesday, and will be on the special election ballot March 31.
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 and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito proclaim today White Ribbon Day. Baker participates in the Dana Farber Cancer Institute's "Saving by Shaving" event. Baker, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Boston Police Commissioner William Gross and NAACP Boston Chapter President Tanisha Sullivan commemorate the anniversary of the Boston Massacre. The House meets in formal session.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "Baker administration says coronavirus test kits are coming to Mass., but many questions remain," by Kay Lazar, Adam Vaccaro and Felice J. Freyer, Boston Globe: "Governor Charlie Baker moved to reassure a jittery public that Massachusetts is taking decisive action to prevent the spread of coronavirus, announcing Wednesday the MBTA would begin routine disinfections of its stations and vehicles, and urging colleges and high schools to cancel student travel overseas. Just hours after Baker's assurances at a Beacon Hill news conference, though, state lawmakers grilled administration officials on whether they are taking enough steps to keep the public safe."
- "Baker calls on schools to cancel all trips abroad," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "GOV. CHARLIE BAKER on Wednesday urged the state's colleges and high schools to cancel all organized trips abroad, as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expands its travel guidance regarding coronavirus. "Due to the evolving situation, we are urging colleges, universities, and high school to cancel upcoming organized international trips at this time," Baker said at a State House briefing. " Taking this precaution will help protect the students and the Commonwealth."
- "Mass. Lawmakers To Question Health Leaders About Coronavirus Response," by Carey Goldberg, WBUR: "Massachusetts lawmakers get the chance Wednesday to question public health and medical leaders about the state's response to the new coronavirus, from current impacts to the capacity to handle much worse. The state has thus far seen only one confirmed case of the virus — a student who traveled from China and is reported to be recovering well at home — and one apparent case stemming from a trip to Italy."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "Massachusetts House passes hike to gas tax, ride-hailing fees," by Matt Stout and Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "The Massachusetts House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a package of fee and tax hikes late Wednesday night that would make it more expensive for motorists to get around, raising as much as $600 million and plowing that money into the MBTA, rural towns, and improvements to crumbling transportation infrastructure. Six months before most seek reelection in the state primary, lawmakers approved the legislation, 113-40, which would raise the state's gas tax 5 cents, to 29 cents per gallon."
- "Farm food benefits program revived," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "AFTER A NEARLY two-week hiatus, Massachusetts plans to use $2 million in new state funds to restart a program that lets SNAP recipients receive additional money to buy fresh produce. The program will begin again on Friday. "It's great to see the administration and Legislature supporting the program so it can operate the way it's intended," said Winton Pitcoff, director of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, a privately funded organization created to implement the state's local food action plan."
- "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker files $240M economic development bill," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "A new $240 million economic stimulus bill filed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday seeks funding to incentivize the construction of new housing near public transit, maintain broadband service in western Massachusetts, grow manufacturing jobs and support key technology industry clusters centered around the work being done on university campuses. Baker unveiled his bill on Wednesday afternoon in Salem, where Mayor Kim Driscoll has been a vocal supporter of his separate "Housing Choices" bill, which he attached to the new economic development bill to reinforce his desire to see it passed."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "For third time in history, more than 40,000 apply to Harvard for class of 2024," by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: "Just over 40,000 prospective students applied to Harvard's class of 2024, a slight dip from the previous year but only the third time the Ivy League institution has eclipsed that threshold in its centuries-long history, the university said Wednesday. In a statement posted to The Harvard Gazette, which is published by the school, university officials said applications for the 2024 class totaled 40,246, down from the 43,330 who sought admission to the class of 2023."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "Joe Biden's supporters didn't think he would win Massachusetts. Here's how he did." by Lisa Kashinsky, Boston Herald: "No one expected Joe Biden to win Massachusetts — not even his own supporters. But in what was ostensibly a contest between two New Englanders — home-state U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — it was the former vice president from Delaware who swept to victory with roughly a third of the vote, riding a wave of momentum across the state and across the country on Super Tuesday. "It was not expected. It certainly wasn't expected or predicted within the Biden camp," said Biden backer and state Sen. Marc Pacheco, D-Taunton."
- "Warren And Sanders Lose Massachusetts — Big Time," by Peter Kadzis, WGBH News: "Until several days ago, former Vice President Joe Biden was the political equivalent of a dead skunk in the middle of the road. (Apologies to Loudon Wainwright III.) Now, with Biden's surprising upset victory in the Massachusetts Democratic presidential primary, it's Sen. Elizabeth Warren who's roadkill."
- MEANWHILE IN NEW JERSEY: "Joe Kennedy raising money in N.J. this week," by David Wildstein, New Jersey Globe: "A group of powerful New Jersey Democrats are hosting a fundraiser for Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III to boost his campaign for a United States Senate seat in Massachusetts. State Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) is heading the event this Friday at the Wilentz Law firm's Eatontown offices. Middlesex County Democratic Chairman Kevin McCabe, powerbroker Maggie Moran, Assemblyman Tom Giblin, State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin are about the hosts of the fundraiser."
- "Joan Menard backs Grossman for Kennedy's House seat," by Ted Nesi, WPRI: "Former Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Joan Menard, a longtime fixture in Fall River and statewide politics, is endorsing Newton City Councilor Becky Grossman for the U.S. House seat currently held by Joe Kennedy III. Menard represented the South Coast on Beacon Hill as a state representative and then state senator for over three decades until her retirement a decade ago."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "'We fell well short': Warren team considers ending campaign," by Alex Thompson, POLITICO: "Elizabeth Warren's campaign manager Roger Lau sent a frank email to staffers this morning saying the campaign missed its goals on Super Tuesday and that the "decision is in her hands" about what to do next. "Last night, we fell well short of viability goals and projections, and we are disappointed in the results," Lau wrote in an email obtained by POLITICO, adding that "we are obviously disappointed."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "Baker fails to gain ground in state GOP," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "COMPLETE ELECTION RESULTS were still not available last night, but Republican insiders said Gov. Charlie Baker appeared to lose ground Tuesday night in his bid to seize control of the Massachusetts Republican Party. The insiders said Baker forces failed to increase their representation among the 80 state committee officials elected Tuesday night and may have even lost ground to candidates loyal to GOP party chairman Jim Lyons. Lyons, a President Trump supporter, stunned the Baker forces in 2019 by winning the party chairmanship by a margin of 47-30."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
- "Walsh Names Five To Boston Marijuana Board," by Saraya Wintersmith, WGBH News: "Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has named members of a new board that will oversee the city's decisions about licensing marijuana businesses. The announcement Wednesday comes nearly four months after Walsh signed an ordinance that called for creating the board. It will issue operating licenses, sanction owners for any violations and recommend terms for host community agreements."
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
— Herald: "DIDN'T GO WELL," "SHIELDING SENIORS," — Globe : "Despite Baker reassurance, worries about virus persist," "Biden, Sanders square off."
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.