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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
CAMPAIGNING IN THE AGE OF CORONAVIRUS — While one Democratic primary candidate will announce this morning he has enough signatures to get on the Sept. 1 ballot, a candidate for Congress in another district is ending her campaign due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Alan Khazei, the co-founder of City Year who is running to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III, has collected 3,104 signatures, well over the state's 1,000 signature threshold to get on the ballot. He joins Newton City Councilors Jake Auchincloss and Becky Grossman, along with former Alliance for Business Leadership President Jesse Mermell, who have collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot in the 4th Congressional District.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Judicial Court ordered the number of signatures required to get on the ballot cut in half due to the coronavirus pandemic. Previously, candidates for Congress needed to turn in 2,000 signatures, a feat some campaigns argued was unsafe due to the pandemic.
But there are still a significant number of candidates running to replace Kennedy who have not announced whether they collected 1,000 signatures, which are due next month. There are 11 Democrats in the race, but the realities of putting together a congressional campaign during a pandemic could shrink the field.
And the race has already narrowed in another congressional district. For Brianna Wu, a Democrat who ran against Rep. Stephen Lynch in 2018 and again this cycle, coronavirus was too great a hurdle. Wu, a video game developer and computer programmer, announced she was ending her campaign yesterday despite having enough signatures to "easily get on the ballot."
Wu had planned to invest in an on-the-ground campaign strategy to "flood the district" this summer. But during a pandemic, she said it felt unethical to send staffers and volunteers out who may risk getting sick. Wu also faced a steep climb to match Lynch financially - she had $31,000 in cash on hand at the end of the last fundraising quarter, while Lynch had $1.5 million.
"I've asked myself if it's possible to win with an all-online strategy. This is where the dispassionate engineering part of my brain kicks in. And the answer I have come to is, 'Not in my particular race,'" Wu wrote in a Medium post. "A lot of people are simply not reachable through ads, as Mike Bloomberg can attest to." Dr. Robbie Goldstein, an infectious disease doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital, is still running against Lynch.
Wu's situation is one that could happen to other primary challengers in the state. It's already difficult to challenge an incumbent, and newcomers may find it harder to compete if small-dollar campaign donations dwindle due to the economic downturn, and door-knocking and other on-the-ground campaign tactics are virtually impossible due to social distancing into the summer.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Rep. Seth Moulton and Attorney General Maura Healey host a Facebook live forum on cybersecurity. Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Rep. Katherine Clark join Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro and New Hampshire Rep. Annie Kuster for a press call demanding support for frontline public service workers. Kennedy joins a Public Citizen webinar. Sen. Ed Markey hosts a livestream with Northern Essex Community College President Lane Glenn. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Jim McGovern are guests on WGBH. Pressley is a guest on WBUR.
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TODAY - A LOOK AT SWEDEN'S UNIQUE APPROACH TO COVID-19: Sweden's coronavirus response allowed many businesses and schools to remain open, drawing much attention from around the world. Join Global Translations author Ryan Heath today at 10 a.m. EDT for a virtual discussion with Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde about why Sweden took the approach that it did, its view of the World Health Organization, and the role Sweden wants the European Union to play in the recovery. Have questions? They'll answer as many as they can. REGISTER HERE TO PARTICIPATE.
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 | THE LATEST NUMBERS |
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- "Massachusetts sees 150 new coronavirus deaths, 1,840 new cases as state surpasses a quarter of a million tests," by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: "Massachusetts health officials announced announced another 150 coronavirus deaths on Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 3,153. The Department of Public Health confirmed an additional 1,840 cases of the virus for a total of 58,302 cases statewide. Officials to date have performed 254,500 COVID-19 tests."
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| DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Baker extends stay-at-home order, business closures," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Gov. Charlie Baker is extending a stay-at-home advisory and a shutdown of businesses by another two weeks as the state continues to battle a surge in COVID-19 infections and deaths. On Tuesday, Baker said non-essential businesses from a swath of industries won't be allowed to open again until at least May 18 and recommended residents continue to stay home and practice social distancing. He also extended a ban on gatherings of 10 or more people."
- "This 17-member board has 3 weeks to draft what coronavirus reopening of Massachusetts will look like," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "Plans to reopen businesses, daycares and government agencies in Massachusetts lie in the hands of a 17-member advisory board that includes elected officials, public health experts and business leaders. Massachusetts was originally set to reopen May 4. Gov. Charlie Baker, who had not disclosed plans for reopening under that deadline, said Tuesday afternoon that the state's non-essential businesses will remain closed to the public for another two weeks."
- "DeLeo drops proposed rule making roll calls more difficult," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced Tuesday evening that the new rules being considered by the chamber to allow for remote participation during the coronavirus pandemic will be altered to remove a provision that would have made it harder to ask for a roll call vote. DeLeo issued a statement saying he had 'numerous fruitful discussions' throughout the day with members who objected to the change, which required a higher number of votes to trigger a roll call."
- "Massachusetts officials don't seem keen on letting nursing home staff test residents, might leave it to National Guard, clinical resource teams," by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: "A week after the state hit pause on sending COVID-19 test kits to long-term care facilities, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders didn't seem keen on letting the employees resume testing their residents, at least not right away. Sudders said last week the state was pausing that portion of its mobile testing program because only 4,000 of the 14,000 test kits sent out to long-term care facilities were returned."
- "Coronavirus antibody testing in Boston, Massachusetts has Baker, Walsh in opposite corners," by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: "An unimpressed Gov. Charlie Baker shot down the idea of statewide antibody testing Monday, as Mayor Martin Walsh trumpeted a major antibody testing initiative in Boston, with the governor dismissing most antibody tests as flawed and potentially useless. 'I think a test that up to a third of the time is wrong is not very helpful,' said Baker during a coronavirus update Monday."
- "Ailing convenience stores ask for delay of ban on flavored tobacco," by Gintautas Dumcius, Boston Business Journal: "Overall sales are off an estimated 30% to 50%, gasoline sales are off 60%, and lottery sales are down 20% at Massachusetts convenience stores. The head of a trade association for convenience stores is pointing to those numbers in a request to Gov. Charlie Baker for delaying a statewide ban on flavored tobacco."
- "State Board Waives MCAS Graduation Requirement, Explores Plans For Reopening Schools," by Carrie Jung, WBUR: "The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has temporarily waved a graduation requirement that high schoolers pass the 10th grade MCAS exams. Instead, officials will use student transcripts to determine their competency in math, English and science for seniors who haven't passed the tests. Officials estimate the move will impact about 1,000 students. The board made the change unanimously Tuesday morning."
- "Eviction bill negotiations hit some bumps," by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: "A recent bill establishing a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures marked the Massachusetts Legislature's first attempt to hammer out a tricky compromise bill using a conference committee during the coronavirus pandemic, and some Republican representatives are raising concerns about the process. 'It was a poor bill that was rushed through the process,' said Rep. Peter Durant, a Spencer Republican who sat on the conference committee but did not sign on to the final bill."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "The 100 Most Influential People in Boston Right Now," by David Bernstein, Boston Magazine. Link.
- "Boston Children's Hospital to lead coronavirus studies," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "Boston Children's Hospital will lead two studies investigating why most children and young adults infected with the novel coronavirus don't become seriously ill, while some others do, the hospital said Tuesday. The $2.1 million nationwide Overcoming COVID-19 study, funded and overseen by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will collect data from 800 patients hospitalized at more than 35 children's hospitals across the country, the hospital said."
- "Boston banks face another PPP slog: 'Round 1 was awful. Round 2 was atrocious.'" by Greg Ryan, Boston Business Journal: "Banks around Greater Boston faced difficulties Monday pushing through loan applications in the Paycheck Protection Program's first day back online, with executives expressing the same types of frustrations that marked the program's initial rollout in early April. The U.S. Small Business Administration program returned Monday morning after Congress authorized an additional $310 billion in funding late last week ."
- "The Secret Group of Scientists and Billionaires Pushing a Manhattan Project for Covid-19," by Rob Copeland, The Wall Street Journal: "A dozen of America's top scientists and a collection of billionaires and industry titans say they have the answer to the coronavirus pandemic, and they found a backdoor to deliver their plan to the White House. The eclectic group is led by a 33-year-old physician-turned-venture capitalist, Tom Cahill, who lives far from the public eye in a one-bedroom rental near Boston's Fenway Park."
- "10 dead, 103 infected with coronavirus at South Boston nursing home," by Jeremy C. Fox, Boston Globe: "Ten residents at a South Boston nursing home have died from the novel coronavirus and more than 100 are infected, administrators said Tuesday. Marian Manor Nursing Home has finished testing nearly all its residents and found 103 positives, though 'a significant portion of the COVID-19 positive residents remain asymptomatic,' administrators said in a statement."
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| PRIMARY SOURCES |
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- "Joseph Kennedy III, Maura Healey push for universal vote by mail, saying current proposals don't go far enough," by Christina Prignano, Boston Globe: "Renewing his calls for automatic mail-in voting in time for the state primary in September, Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III was joined by Attorney General Maura Healey and other advocates and local leaders Tuesday to pressure the Democrat-led state Legislature to mandate that all registered voters be mailed a ballot this fall as the coronavirus pandemic throws new challenges on in-person voting."
- "MassVOTE gives guidance on how Massachusetts can implement voting by mail during the COVID-19 crisis," by Jackson Cote, MassLive.com: "Due to the coronavirus outbreak's impact on ballot-casting last month, one nonprofit is providing guidance on how to vote by mail ahead of this fall's general election. MassVOTE published a policy brief this week analyzing four issues surrounding voting by mail - including accessibility, cost, infrastructure and security - and highlighted best practices states being used by states across the country ."
- FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: "Prominent Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter Endorses Alan Khazei For Congress, Joins Him For 'Come Together' Facebook Live Interview On Covid-19," from the Khazei campaign: "Prolific author and prominent Harvard Business School Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter announced her endorsement of Alan Khazei for Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District. 'I've known Alan for a long time and have admired his visionary leadership, belief in people, and commitment to service,' said Professor Kanter."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "Mass. High Court Urges Governor To Use His Powers to Release Prisoners Because of COVID-19," by Deborah Becker, WBUR: "The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court says it's up to Gov. Charlie Baker to take further steps to release more prisoners because of the coronavirus pandemic. The court, in an opinion addressing a request to revisit a previous decision on the matter, said that a broader release of prisoners is up to the executive, not judicial, branch of government."
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| MARKEYCHUSETTS |
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- "Senators demand answers from Pompeo on Wuhan lab cables," Josh Rogin, The Washington Post: "The State Department was warned two years ago of safety concerns at a Wuhan lab doing dangerous research on bat coronaviruses. Now, two Democratic senators want to know if those warnings were ignored — and why, despite these warnings, the Trump administration reduced our government's health presence in China before the novel coronavirus pandemic broke out. On Tuesday, Sens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo requesting information about two sensitive but unclassified diplomatic cables sent from the U.S. Embassy in Beijing back to the State Department in Washington in early 2018."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "COVID WAR ZONE," — Globe: "Baker extends closure order until May 18," "Outbreak hit Boston much earlier, model concludes." |
| FROM THE 413 |
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- "Coronavirus at Holyoke Soldiers Home: 2 more veterans die in worst outbreak at health care facility nationwide," by Jeanette DeForge, Springfield Republican: "Two more veterans have died of COVID-19 in the past day at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and three more residents have tested positive for the coronavirus making it arguably the deadliest outbreak of the disease in any health care facility nationwide. By Tuesday, 71% of the about 210 veterans who were living in the Home when the virus was first detected in a resident on March 21 have contracted COVID-19."
- "In search of a hot spot: How one local student is learning remotely ... in her car," by Lillian Eden, Daily Hampshire Gazette: "As many in the commonwealth transition to remote learning, some students have an extra barrier to work around every day: no broadband internet access in their homes. Emily Godden, 17, is one of those students. 'I feel like the only reason it's getting any attention is because of classes moving all online,' said Godden, a student at Hampshire Regional High School in Westhampton, 'but it was definitely an issue before the whole coronavirus happened, and it just never got any attention.'"
- "Springfield, Baystate Health will begin large-scale coronavirus testing for homeless people," by Peter Goonan, Springfield Republican: "A coronavirus testing program for the homeless is set to begin Wednesday at a tent facility on Worthington Street. Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Health and Human Services Commissioner Helen Caulton-Harris jointly announced the program in partnership with Baystate Health. The tent triage area was erected at the beginning of April across the street from the Friends of the Homeless Shelter."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "UMass Medical School to furlough 100 employees," by Scott O'Connell, Telegram & Gazette: "UMass Medical School plans to furlough 100 employees for up to six months in an effort to rein in costs amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Those workers had not been informed of who they are as of Tuesday afternoon, according to a medical school representative. The school planned to send out a memo on Wednesday, she said. The furloughed workers account for about 2% of the medical school's workforce of around 6,000 employees."
- "Rivera orders $300 fine for breaking mask rule," by Breanna Edelstein, Eagle-Tribune: "A new executive order from Mayor Daniel Rivera threatens a $300 fine for anyone older than 5 years old who does not wear a face mask or face covering in certain settings. Rivera's announcement Tuesday, in conjunction with the Lawrence Board of Health, is a response to the city's continually high coronavirus counts, he said. Records show Lawrence is among the top infected cities in the Commonwealth."
- "Worcester Baptist pastor speaks out against public service," by Bill Doyle, Telegram & Gazette: "The Rev. Brent A. Newberry, pastor at the First Baptist Church, believes the Rev. Kris Casey, pastor at Adams Square Baptist Church, was misguided in conducting a public worship service attended by 56 people Sunday in defiance of Gov. Charlie Baker's ruling to limit social gatherings to no more than 10 people."
- "Right whale sighting pushes back start of South Shore lobster season," by Wheeler Cowperthwaite, The Patriot Ledger: Lobstermen say the extended closure, with the added challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, likely won't make for a good fishing season. Lobster season in southern Massachusetts has been put off for an additional seven days after endangered right whales were spotted feeding in the southern Cape Cod Bay."
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| MEDIA MATTERS |
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- "Boston Magazine parent names new CEO, cuts jobs," by Jeff Blumenthal, Philadelphia Business Journal: "For the first time since 1946, a member of the Lipson family will not serve as CEO of Boston Magazine parent Metrocorp. David Lipson has turned the reins over to management consultant Nick Fischer but will remain with the company as majority owner and chairman. Lipson announced the news to staff at Boston Magazine and sister publication Philadelphia Magazine Monday afternoon and held a company-wide Zoom call Tuesday."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Voter Protection Corps chair Quentin Palfrey, 2018 Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor; Karen Dynan, Peter Diamond and Lauren Janes.
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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POLITICO Magazine Justice Reform: The Decarceration Issue, presented by Verizon: Over the past decade, the longstanding challenge of criminal-justice reform has emerged under the spotlight with a new twist: Both Republicans and Democrats are on board. But if both parties want to lower the incarceration rate, why are our jail and prison populations still so high? The latest series from POLITICO Magazine works to answer this important question and take a deeper look into what it will take to make progress in the policy and politics of justice reform. READ THE FULL ISSUE.=
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