| | |  | BY STEPHANIE MURRAY | GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF! IS THIS GOING TO GO ON FOREVER? — There are still four days to go until the Sept. 1 primary, but sources I speak with are already buzzing about the possibility of recounts in several tight Democratic contests. A recount is not a given, but it's also not all that unlikely. Especially in the 4th District, where seven Democrats are running in a crowded race to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III. Polls released over the course of the summer have shown the top-tier candidates within a couple percentage points of each other. The last time a House seat opened up in Massachusetts, Rep. Lori Trahan won a similarly crowded primary by fewer than 150 votes. Second-place finisher Dan Koh called for a recount, and the process took about two weeks. But the timeline for getting election results could make this year more complicated. The postal service warned Massachusetts officials that some mail-in ballots may not reach town and city clerks in time to be counted by the state's Sept. 1 deadline, and some voters who requested mail-in ballots received the wrong ones, according to Boston.com. Secretary of State Bill Galvin's office told me we can expect to see unofficial primary results later in the night than usual on Sept. 1, especially if a large influx of ballots arrive that day. Clerks in many cities and towns have already begun pre-processing ballots and placing them in ballot boxes. As far as recounts go, there are two types. Any candidate can petition for a precinct-by-precinct recount, while the margin must be within half of one percent to petition for a district-wide recount. In Trahan's race, the margin was small enough to call for the district-wide process. Another factor: mail-in ballots. The Supreme Judicial Court tossed a ballot access lawsuit this week brought by congressional candidate Becky Grossman, which pushed for the state to count ballots postmarked by Sept. 1 but received up to 10 days later. According to one lawyer I spoke with, however, another petitioner could bring a similar suit on voting day, which could push the results back by as many as 10 days. Another option could be to wrap counting those late-arriving ballots into a recount, in the event that a candidate requests one. If the blockbuster race between Sen. Ed Markey and Kennedy is close enough to go to a recount, both campaigns are prepared with lawyers who specialize in elections law. Kennedy retained attorney Dennis Newman, and Markey tapped attorney Kate Cook of Sugarman Rogers. Recent polling shows Markey with a pretty substantial lead, but advisers on both campaigns acknowledge this particular primary electorate is hard to poll, and the race may end up much closer. "We will be ready for any scenario and to ensure every ballot is counted," Kennedy spokesperson Emily Kaufman told me. It's a normal practice to retain an elections lawyer in a campaign, and having attorneys on hand doesn't mean anyone is about to call for a recount. But if the outcome of the race is close, as many suspect it could be in this unpredictable election year, the campaigns are ready to request the ballots be counted again. "When I signed up a year ago, the first person I called, literally, was the best election lawyer in Massachusetts and I said 'Can I retain you for a recount?' We're going to be ready for anything that comes," Markey campaign manager John Walsh said. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com. TODAY — President Donald Trump holds a rally in Londonderry, N.H. President of NAACP Boston Tanisha Sullivan, Segun Idowu, executive director for Black Economic Council of Massachusetts and other racial justice advocates gather for a press conference at the State House on the anniversary of the March on Washington. Rep. Joe Kennedy III campaigns in Cambridge, Boston, Attleboro, Fall River and Taunton. Sen. Ed Markey campaigns in Randolph, Brockton, New Bedford, Fall River and Taunton. | |
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| – “Massachusetts COVID infection rate down to 1% as state reports 20 new deaths, 365 new cases Thursday,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “State health officials announced another 20 coronavirus deaths on Thursday, bringing the statewide death count to 8,775. Officials also confirmed 365 new cases of COVID-19, for a total now of at least 117,450 across Massachusetts.” | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Baker, a Republican, continues push for Democrats,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Republican Gov. Charlie Baker continued his push for Democrats on Thursday, personally sending out a tweet endorsing US Rep. Richard Neal in his primary fight with Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and, via a super PAC with which the governor has close ties, pouring more money into Democratic primary races for the House, Senate, and Governor’s Council.” – “Mass. stays course on testing, despite shift in federal guidelines,” by Felice J. Freyer and Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “Massachusetts continues to recommend testing for asymptomatic people who come in contact with someone infected with the coronavirus, despite new federal guidelines saying such tests are unnecessary, a spokesman for the command center overseeing the state’s COVID-19 response said Thursday.” – “Chelsea’s COVID-19 situation worsens; decision time for Rivera,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “Overall, the state’s COVID-19 status changed very little over the last week, but nevertheless there were some interesting stories tucked inside this week’s town-by-town breakdown. The numbers indicate Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera has some decisions to make.” | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Discrepancies emerge between video and district attorney’s report,” by Dugan Arnett, Boston Globe: “Video of police killing a man following a high-speed chase that began outside Brigham and Women’s Hospital in February appears to contradict a key aspect of a district attorney’s report that found the shooting was justified.” – “Study suggests racial disparities in COVID-19 rates have ripple effect across Massachusetts communities,” by Tanner Stening, MassLive.com: “Nonwhite communities face a higher risk of contracting COVID-19 with household size and occupation sometimes playing a role in who is most likely to become infected, a study published Thursday suggests.” – “As Reopening Nears, School Leaders Wish For More Timely Support From State,” by Carrie Jung, WBUR: “With just a few weeks before the new school year starts, tensions over how to restart classes are rising in many districts. Superintendents are often caught in the middle and many are feeling frustrated by state guidance that they say is coming too late. The latest source of tension is the state’s ‘expectation’ that educators show up in their classrooms, even if their students are all remote.” | | THE SENATE SHOWDOWN |
| – “Kennedy Brand Takes Center Stage in Massachusetts Senate Primary,” by Andrew Duehren and Joshua Jamerson, Wall Street Journal: “When Rep. Joe Kennedy III launched his campaign against Sen. Ed Markey about a year ago, he looked to be in a strong position to unseat the veteran incumbent. Well ahead in early polling, the 39-year-old challenger largely avoided invoking his family’s storied political brand, leaving it instead as an unspoken part of his appeal for some voters.” – “Before he was a congressman, Joe Kennedy was a prosecutor,” by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: “He was the new guy in the office, the entry-level prosecutor trudging with an armful of paperwork from his office in Barnstable to one district court after another, sometimes on a 7 a.m. flight to Nantucket to argue the motions and bail reviews for that day’s docket. Joseph P. Kennedy III was straight out of Harvard Law School when he joined the Cape and Islands district attorney’s office full time in 2009, after a brief internship.” – “Ed Markey On Why He Thinks He Should Continue Serving As Your Senator,” by Bob Oakes and Wilder Fleming, WBUR: “Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy are locked in a tight race for a U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts, with less than a week to go before the Sept. 1 primary. WBUR's Bob Oakes caught up with Markey via Zoom at his home in Malden to hear his final pitch to Massachusetts voters.” – “Edward Markey rallies support in Falmouth, Hyannis before primary,” by Geoff Spillane, Cape Cod Times: “U.S. Sen. Edward Markey made a campaign swing through Cape Cod on Thursday, hoping to woo undecided voters ahead of Tuesday’s Democratic primary election. Markey, seeking reelection to a second full term in the Senate, is in the midst of a heated primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III.” – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Entrepreneur and investor Joe Sanberg, one of the founding investors of Blue Apron, is endorsing Sen. Ed Markey for reelection today. Sanberg is the co-founder of Aspiration, the online financial institution. Link. | | PRIMARY SOURCES |
| – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: “Franklin Town Council Chair Tom Mercer Endorses City Year Co-founder And Democratic Candidate For Congress In MA-04 Alan Khazei,” from the Khazei campaign: “Tom Mercer, Chair of the Franklin Town Council, has endorsed City Year CoFounder and Democratic Candidate for Congress Alan Khazei for the Fourth Congressional District Seat. … Tom Mercer was previously Chris Zannetos’ most prominent local elected official from the Fourth District supporting his campaign. – “Foxboro Democratic leader draws fire for 'racially insensitive' remark, other comments,” by Tom Reilly, Sun Chronicle: “As the 4th Congressional District race comes down to the wire, the campaign is, not surprisingly, getting heated. But it may be a bit surprising that one of those taking the heat is the head of the Foxboro Democratic Town Committee. Dennis Naughton, a longtime party activist, is facing backlash after making an allegedly ‘racially insensitive’ remark on social media about one of the seven remaining Democratic candidates in the race, and comments other candidates have found objectionable.” – “Gay Democrat claims he’s being attacked by ‘transphobic’ push poll,” by John Riley, MetroWeekly: “An openly gay Democratic candidate seeking a congressional seat in Massachusetts has issued a statement denouncing anti-transgender push polling, claiming that it is being used to appeal to socially conservative Democrats in the hope of undermining his campaign.” – “McQuilken seeks change this cycle,” by Ethan Forman, The Salem News: “Sixth District congressional candidate Angus McQuilken is not only a gun violence prevention activist, coalition builder, and life sciences industry relationship builder for a large law firm, he’s also an avid bike rider and a 12-year cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 38.” | | THE WILD WEST |
| – “Neal and Morse refocus on issues, not allegations, as race for 1st District heads to finish,” by Brian MacQuarrie, Boston Globe: “On the ground, the sprint to Tuesday’s finish in the primary election for the First Congressional District in Massachusetts has plenty of traditional campaign visuals. There’s US Representative Richard Neal, the incumbent and dean of the New England delegation, snipping a red ribbon in front of a new market and gas station here. There’s Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, his opponent, going from store to small store on a struggling section of Main Street, introducing himself to immigrant owners and asking for their vote, sometimes in Spanish.” – “Morse campaign treasurer hired to $62K temporary post overseeing Holyoke COVID-19 response,” by Dennis Hohenberger, MassLive.com: “The treasurer of Mayor Alex B. Morse’s congressional campaign was hired in mid-July for a $62,000-a-year temporary post as director of operations and logistics for the city’s COVID-19 response — prompting a call for more accountability of him and other recent hires for the effort.” | | DAY IN COURT |
| – “Healey sues Trump over immigrant ed aid,” by Sarah Betancourt, CommonWealth Magazine: “Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey sued the Trump administration on Thursday seeking to block a rule barring colleges and universities from using federal stimulus money to provide financial aid to certain immigrant college students.” | | TRUMPACHUSETTS |
| – “7 Trumps But No Baker, Romney Or Weld: Mass. Republicans Don't Fit At GOP Convention,” by Callum Borchers, WBUR: “President Trump will accept his party's nomination for a second term in a speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention. The four-day event has included some big names, but several Massachusetts political figures are notably absent. Some state Republicans say this shows that prototypical Massachusetts Republicans — and others who are socially moderate and fiscally conservative — don't fit easily into the GOP under Trump.” | | MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| – “N.H. officials, residents speak out about Mass. income tax rule,” by Madeline Hughes, Eagle-Tribune: “During a Thursday public hearing via video, New Hampshire officials voiced disapproval for a Massachusetts tax rule that forces out-of-state residents to pay Massachusetts income taxes even while working remotely from their home state.” | | ABOVE THE FOLD |
| — Herald: “END OF AN ERROR,” — Globe: “In different kind of spectacle, Trump gets his moment," "Unified, athletes shake sports world and the country.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “University of Massachusetts Amherst to furlough hundreds of employees this fall,” by Steph Solis, MassLive.com: “The University of Massachusetts Amherst intends to furlough hundreds of employees for the remainder of the fall semester, MassLive has confirmed. In an email to members, Local 1776 President LeeAnn Robinson said the furloughs affect roughly 780 bargaining unit members. Robinson said the union was ‘forced’ into accepting the furloughs and that the alternative would have been layoffs in which members would lose their benefits.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Newton may reconsider city seal over its depiction of Native Americans,” by John Hilliard, Boston Globe: “As communities across the state drop Native American imagery from team mascots, Newton’s mayor wants to rethink the city’s longstanding official seal because of its depiction of a white man standing over indigenous people. The seal depicts the moment when a group of Massachusett tribe members, including leader Waban, listened to a sermon by English missionary John Eliot in 1646.” – “Quincy parents rally for more in-person classes,” by Mary Whitfill, The Patriot Ledger: “Dozens of Quincy parents stood outside Central Middle School Wednesday night to demand the district allow students of all ages to attend classes part time this fall. Under the district’s current plan, only high-needs students and kids in kindergarten through third grade will physically head back to class when school starts.” – “Student group presents list of demands for Worcester schools,” by Scott O’Connell, Telegram & Gazette: “A group of current and former Worcester students on Thursday night presented a list of demands to the School Committee that included removing police from schools and making cultural and mental health competency training mandatory for staff. The students, who are calling themselves Racism Free WPS, issued nine demands in total, which they want school officials to address in the next academic year.” HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Katie Bowler and Meghan Sorenson. 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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