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BY LISA KASHINSKY , SOPHIE GARDNER AND KELLY GARRITY | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO — Two surveys showing hypothetical but unrealistic Senate showdowns between Elizabeth Warren and former Gov. Charlie Baker underscore the GOP’s problem: the party still doesn’t have anyone to run this race. One poll of likely voters, from Republican-aligned Advantage Research for the Fiscal Alliance Foundation, shows Baker leading Warren 49 percent to 34 percent. Another poll , by Change Research for Northwind Strategies (whose founder, Doug Rubin, advised Warren in 2012), showed her leading Baker 46 percent to 41 percent. We could debate the polls’ methodologies all day. But our time is better spent talking about the problem these surveys present for the flailing state GOP. Republicans are going to need someone with money and name recognition to mount any sort of serious challenge to powerhouse progressive Warren. That’s not going to be Baker. Sure, the former governor is set to headline a June party fundraiser . And he hasn’t ruled out a run for higher office someday. But he’s not leaving his brand new, probably $3-million-per-year job running the NCAA to do it now. Really, his political adviser said so . That brings us to former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. Despite the persistent speculation about her political ambitions — she’s got $1.7 million in her state campaign account, she’s got houses in two congressional districts — she’s shown no outward interest in such a campaign. Warren’s last Republican rival, Geoff Diehl, has lost two statewide races in a row and ended his last campaign in debt. Chris Doughty, the political newcomer who lost the Republican gubernatorial primary to Diehl last year, has personal wealth but isn’t looking at this race, according to people familiar with his thinking. There’s a potential new Doughty on the block in Peter de Silva, a Cape Cod businessman, author and former Harvard fellow who’s been floated as a possible contender. He didn’t return a request for comment yesterday. There’s also the open question of whether the faction of the state party led by former Chair Jim Lyons will try to muddy the primary waters by running its own candidate. MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale told Playbook she’s aware of “at least one candidate who could be a serious contender” but declined to say who. “My hope, frankly, is the poll that came out [yesterday] will show that the race is winnable for a Republican that has the right message,” she said. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . C’s in seven! TODAY — AG Andrea Campbell speaks at ROCA’s 35th anniversary breakfast at 7:45 a.m. at the Intercontinental Hotel in Boston. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the GBLC breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Pipefitters Local 537, attends a Dorchester coffee hour at 9:30 a.m., announces a new program for tree canopy growth at 11:15 a.m. at Mass Audubon's Boston Nature Center, is on GBH at 12:30 p.m. and attends the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce conference at 1:40 p.m. at the Mandarin Oriental Boston. Sen. Ed Markey and CDC Director Rochelle Walensky hold a youth mental health panel at noon at Suffolk University. THIS WEEKEND — Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Richard Neal is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Tips? Scoops? Thinking of running for Senate? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com , sgardner@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com . | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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— BAD BLOOD: Auditor Diana DiZoglio is accusing top Senate Democrats of trying to "settle political scores" over her audit of the Legislature by shortchanging her office's budget. Gov. Maura Healey and the House both budgeted more than $26 million for the auditor’s office, while the Senate is pitching around $23 million for fiscal year 2024. And DiZoglio said other statewide offices received larger percent increases to their budgets than hers did. “The shameless tactics used to coerce, control, manipulate and punish just add to the many examples of why an audit of the Legislature is so desperately needed,” DiZoglio said in a statement. “No amount of bullying or retaliation will stop our office from doing our jobs by conducting this audit.” The auditor’s office is still in line for a $315,000 bump in the Senate budget, while “hundreds of accounts were level funded,” Senate Ways and Means Committee spokesperson Sean Fitzgerald said in response to DiZoglio's claims. DiZoglio’s word choice echoes what House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz said last month when explaining why his chamber matched the governor’s monetary request for the auditor’s office despite the ongoing drama. The budget, he said, was "not the place to potentially settle a political score.” Still, House lawmakers rejected the other piece of the governor’s ask — that state agencies be audited on a four-year cycle instead of three. DiZoglio is reviewing her legal options to force her former colleagues in the Legislature to comply with her audit. — “For years, Mass. Senate has set aside thousands to pay interns. This summer, it will actually pay some student workers,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “Each state Senate office will be allowed to choose one fellow who comes from an ‘underserved population’ for either summer or fall, and each fellow will be paid $20 per hour for a maximum 150 hours, according to an e-mail announcing the online application obtained by the Globe. The state Senate will also continue to offer an unpaid internship program available to a wider pool of applicants.” | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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— “As Massachusetts’ COVID public health emergency ends, advocates worry about the lifting of mask mandates,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “On Thursday, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported 979 virus cases over the last week. The daily average of 140 COVID cases from the last week was a slight increase from the daily rate of 128 virus infections during the previous week.” | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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— “Boston Police budget returning to the fore as council mulls amendments,” Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “City councilors and the Wu administration last year clashed over millions of dollars in cuts to the Police Department’s budget. The debate saw the council flex its budgetary powers, a mayoral veto of proposed cuts, and a council override attempt. This year, the issue has flown under the radar, fading into the background behind a run of major pieces of legislation, drama over council redistricting, and acrimony among members of the divided council. But now the issue of budget cuts is moving to the fore, even if in lower dollar amounts.” — “Boston-area mayors sign compact to improve diversity in real estate projects,” by Alexi Cohan, GBH News: “Local mayors are committing to improving diversity, equity and inclusion in the real estate business by signing a compact that pledges a historic 25% DEI evaluation criteria in public and private projects. … Mayors in Boston, Lynn, Somerville, Cambridge and Salem signed onto the compact.” | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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— “State transportation secretary approached Bill Bratton, her former brother-in-law, before his firm won a $900,000 no-bid contract with MBTA,” by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Shortly into her tenure as state transportation secretary, Gina Fiandaca turned to Bill Bratton, a well-known figure and former family member, as she faced mapping a response to a scathing federal review of the T. Months after that, Bratton’s firm scored a no-bid deal to help the agency with that very task.” — “ MBTA budget gap could hit $542M by 2028 ,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “ The MBTA was able to lean on state and federal assistance, and a hefty dip into its own emergency fund to close a $366 million budget gap for fiscal year 2024, but faces future shortfalls that could grow to $542 million by 2028.” — “Sagamore Bridge repairs are complete, two weeks before Memorial Day weekend,” by Andrea Perdomo-Hernandez, WBUR. — “Somerville extends free taxi service for low-income residents,” by Jacob Garcia and Vanessa Ochavillo, WBUR.
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