POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Trahan's leadership play

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY , LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY TALKING TRAHAN — Several top Democrats in the U.S. House hail from Massachusetts. Lori Trahan could join their ranks today. Trahan is competing for co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee — a key (if little known beyond Capitol Hill) panel that controls the caucus’ messaging. House Democrats will meet in a few hours to pick either Trahan or Colorado Rep. Jason Crow for the leadership post that will be instrumental to the party’s efforts to win the House majority in 2024. “I am a competitor, a former athlete,” Trahan, who played volleyball for Georgetown University, told Playbook at the Capitol last night. “I want to do everything I can to make sure we leave it all out on the field coming next November.” Rep. Lori Trahan is looking to join her Massachusetts colleagues in Democratic leadership | AP To the casual observer, the congresswoman’s bid came as a surprise — especially after Rep. Jake Auchincloss sent up a public trial balloon for the post Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) gave up before launching his presidential bid. (Auchincloss told Playbook he is supporting Trahan today.) But Trahan has been quietly climbing the rungs of House Democratic leadership since she came to Congress in 2019. She’s already a senior member of Democratic Whip Katherine Clark’s whip team. And she’s a member of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ Regional Leadership Council and the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. The chaos that gripped Congress this fall complicated Trahan’s campaign. Days that should have been filled with lengthy votes on appropriations bills were replaced by only occasional votes for House speaker, scrambling Trahan’s opportunities to pitch her caucus-mates. So Trahan changed her approach, handing out fliers to members’ offices outlining why she was running — with a s'more from Lowell's Sweet Lydia’s attached to each one. During the few votes that were held in October, Trahan was seen talking to dozens of Democrats around the House floor. In the end, Trahan told Playbook, she talked to every Democratic member. If Trahan wins, she would increase the Bay State’s already outsized influence in the House. Massachusetts is a small but mighty state: Of its nine House members, three — Clark and Reps. Richard Neal and Jim McGovern — hold positions of power as minority whip and the ranking Democrats on the Ways and Means and Rules committees, respectively. “Pretty great for a small state,” Neal told Playbook. Trahan heads into this morning’s vote with the backing of several Bay State colleagues, Neal included. Rep. Stephen Lynch even helped campaign for her. And while Clark, Trahan’s mentor, can’t endorse anyone because she's a member of leadership, she lauded the Westford Democrat for stepping forward to run for the post. “Lori is incredibly talented and would do an excellent job , especially going into an election year. She brings tremendous insight,” Clark told Playbook. “It's a terrific opportunity for her to join leadership.” GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Say hi to Mia around Capitol Hill! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey participates in a press conference on the Army-Navy game at 11:15 a.m. at Gillette Stadium. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon.  ADDED: "R" voters are consistently uninformed and fail to do their research before supporting an "R" candidate. PETER DURANT ENDORSED DESANTIS! MASS GOP statement: And the MassGOP’s ability to help Durant may be limited by its still-dire financial straits — even though a win in this race is exactly what the party needs to start turning its fortunes around. “If we didn’t have the debt, certainly we would be able to do more in this race,” Carnevale said. “But we certainly are confident in our chances.” PETER DURANT IS A CLOWN FOR ENDORSING DESANTIS, THE BOOK BANNER, RE-WRITES HISTORY, DON'T SAY GAY DIM WIT! That's before defining the ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION in FLORIDA or the numerous other issues...homeowners insurance? radioactive roads? DEAD MANATEES? POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DESANTISLAND — One of GOP state Rep. Peter Durant ’s first big actions as state senator-elect: endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, per the Florida governor's campaign. THIS IS THE CLOWN THAT PETER DURANT ENDORSED: NOTE: GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded think tank - it's a SCAM! Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video excerpt: One of the video's main speakers, Dr. Stella Immanuel, is a physician who operates a medical clinic in a Texas strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries. In the video, she called hydroxychloroquine a "cure" and said, "You don't need a mask" to prevent the virus' spread. Immanuel has claimed that ovarian cysts and endometriosis are caused by "demonic seed." Demons insert sperm into sleeping individuals when they have sex in their dreams, Immanuel claimed in articles on her church's website. Ladapo has also promoted the anti-parasite medication ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against using ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment. In October 2020, Ladapo signed the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement that called for developing societal herd immunity to COVID-19 through natural infection. https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-new-surgeon-general-appeared-demon-sperm-doctors-covid-conspiracy-video-1631372 Healey and Driscoll swear in Peter Durant as a senator at 3 p.m. in the governor’s ceremonial office. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu hosts a winter weather preparedness press conference at 9:45 a.m. at the Boston Public Works Yard and speaks about a flood risk-management project at 11 a.m. in Fenway. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. Tips? Scoops? Birthdays? Email us: mmccarthy@politico.com , lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com .   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     IN MEMORIAM The late John Walsh | Courtesy photo REMEMBERING ‘CAPTAIN SUNSHINE’ — John Walsh wasn’t one for the spotlight. But the dozens of top Democratic officials and operatives who packed Faneuil Hall’s Great Hall yesterday to pay tribute to the “architect of the modern-day grassroots” served as a public testament to his lasting impact on Massachusetts politics. In all, hundreds of people came out to commemorate Walsh, an insurance salesman and son of Irish immigrants who helped engineer Deval Patrick ’s historic rise to the governor’s office in 2006 and Sen. Ed Markey ’s 2020 reelection. Walsh died on Nov. 20 at age 65 after a battle with stomach cancer. “John Walsh changed the face of Massachusetts politics,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said. “So many women and people of color count him as a mentor.” Markey called Walsh a “Buddha with a spreadsheet” who’s probably “already started organizing Heaven.” Attorney General Andrea Campbell described him as the guiding force behind a generation of politicians and operatives and a strategist whose “political genius was unmatched.” An emotional Patrick read a letter to Walsh’s family from former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle , offering their condolences. But tears mixed with laughter throughout the nearly two-hour celebration of life. Friends and family and current and former elected officials commemorated Walsh not just for his political know-how, but for an optimism so unfailing that his sister once said he “was born with a rainbow up his ass” — a line delivered by Patrick to peals of laughter. “John’s optimism wasn’t wishful thinking,” Patrick said. “It was leadership.” Former Gov. Deval Patrick speaks at the celebration of life for the late John Walsh. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO ALSO SPOTTED — House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark , Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll ; former Gov. Mike Dukakis , Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , former Sen. Mo Cowan , state Sens. Julian Cyr, Lydia Edwards, Will Brownsberger, Jamie Eldridge, Robyn Kennedy, Adam Gomez, Pavel Payano and Marc Pacheco ; current and incoming Boston City Councilors Gabriela “Gigi” Coletta, Ruthzee Louijeune, Sharon Durkan, Henry Santana and Enrique Pepén ; former Boston City Councilor Larry DiCara ; state Reps. Kate Donaghue, Dylan Fernandes, Judith Garcia, John Moran, Tram Nguyen, Samantha Montaño and Chris Worrell ... ...former NBC10 reporter Alison King ; Mary Anne Marsh, Doug Rubin, Scott Ferson, Corey Welford , former state Rep. Jim Cantwell , Chris Dempsey , former Auditor Suzanne Bump, Jon Cohn, Kate Cook, Liz Vlock, Jesse Mermell, former state Sen. Ben Downing ; former Treasurer Shannon O’Brien ; Easthampton Mayor Nicole LaChapelle ; Alex Goldstein , Sean Curran, Sydney Asbury, MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan , former MassDems Chair Gus Bickford and many more. DATELINE BEACON HILL — “ ‘It’s frankly shameful.’ Mass. Legislature closes out least productive period in decades. ” by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Nearly 11 months after it convened, the Legislature has failed to move proposals to Healey’s desk that would address some of the state’s most pressing issues — housing, gun control, and oversight of the beleaguered MBTA. And by Tuesday, lawmakers hadn’t yet sent Healey a nearly $3 billion spending bill designed to close out last fiscal year, and this time, includes hundreds of millions in funding for homeless children and families.” — “Governor Healey unveils plan to protect Mass. coastline from climate change,” by Jason Margolis and Billy Baker, Boston Globe: “On Tuesday morning, the governor laid out a new regional approach called ‘ResilientCoasts,’ a plan to collaborate with 78 coastal communities. It will be led by a chief coastal resilience officer at the Office of Coastal Zone Management. The team will unite communities that share similar landscapes and face similar challenges from climate change, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and more severe storms.” — “Gun control bills bring heated testimony to Beacon Hill,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “Dozens of gun control measures under consideration by the state Legislature are plainly at odds with recent rulings by the Supreme Court and wouldn’t actually prevent gun violence or crime, firearms advocates told a legislative joint committee. However, some of the would-be gun laws might make Massachusetts safer and potentially save lives, if advanced to the full Legislature and given the governor’s signature, gun safety advocates told the same group of lawmakers.” — “Goldberg indicates meeting with O’Brien to be private,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: “State treasurer Deborah Goldberg’s office indicated on Tuesday that she intends to meet next week with Shannon O’Brien to discuss why she suspended O’Brien as chair of the Cannabis Control Commission. A spokesperson for the treasurer said the meeting would be private, suggesting the public will most likely remain in the dark about what led to O’Brien’s suspension more than two months ago.” FROM THE HUB BIDEN’S GOT A FRIEND IN JAMES TAYLOR — Grammy-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor is hosting a concert with President Joe Biden in Boston on Tuesday to benefit the president’s reelection campaign and other Democratic fundraising arms. Tickets range from $50 to $7,500 for the event, according to the invitation . Biden’s visit comes less than a month after Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to Boston to fundraise for the Democratic National Committee.   GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK : Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR CEASE-FIRE NOW — Somerville City Council President Ben Ewen-Campen joined residents in delivering an open letter to Markey and Warren’s offices in Boston urging the senators to “stand up for our shared humanity” and call for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Dozens of hostages who were held by Hamas and more than 100 Palestinian prisoners in Israel have been freed in recent days thanks to a temporary truce that has allowed much-needed aid into Gaza. While Markey and Warren have praised the temporary pause in fighting — and called for it to be extended — neither has voiced support for permanent cease-fire. — “Harvard University faces federal civil rights investigation for antisemitism amid Israel-Hamas war,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “The U.S. Department of Education has added Harvard University to its list of schools that are under investigation for possible civil rights violations as students have reported antisemitic incidents amid the Israel-Hamas war.” — More: “Harvard, MIT presidents to testify before Congress about confronting antisemitism on campus,” by Hilary Burns, Boston Globe. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “'Stealing' overtime was common for years in Mass. State Police, retired trooper testifies,” by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: “‘Stealing’ by not working full overtime shifts was commonplace in the Massachusetts State Police dating to the 1980s, a retired trooper testified under an immunity agreement Tuesday in federal court." — “Police stun gun use continues to decline,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “The use of stun guns and Tasers by Massachusetts law enforcement officers dropped in 2021, according to a new report, which shows the decline comes as more officers are trained to use the non-lethal devices.” — “Resolution Against Hate now hangs in Attleboro City Hall,” by George W. Rhodes, The Sun Chronicle. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HALEY HAS A MOMENT — Fresh off a big endorsement from a Koch brothers-backed super PAC, Nikki Haley is turning new heads in New Hampshire. Spotted among the few hundred people who packed into the Derry Opera House to hear her last night: former Sen. Gordon Humphrey (R-N.H.) who backed John Kasich in 2016 and Joe Biden in 2020 out of disdain for Donald Trump . Humphrey told POLITICO he’s “leaning” toward Haley and has requested a private meeting with her to help make up his mind. He said he’s drawn to her “experience, her qualifications, her energy, her policy positions and the fact that she can win” — or at least finish a “strong second” in New Hampshire. As for whether he would support Biden again, Humphrey said it “depends on who the Republican nominee is. I supported Biden because I despise Trump.” MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND — “Mr. Amo goes to Washington (and Smithfield),” by Edward Fitzpatrick, Boston Globe: “Three weeks have passed since Amo, a Providence Democrat, defeated Gerry W. Leonard Jr., a Jamestown Republican, in the special election to fill Rhode Island’s First Congressional District seat. And at this point, even insiders are struggling to get his name right.” HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Former state Sen. John O’Brien has been named COO of JERA Americas, a Houston-based energy company expanding into New England. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Joe Valente, Seth Gitell, Katherine Forde, Dominique Manuel, Trent Spiner, Kaveesh Pathak and Maddie Kilgannon. 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Courting Chris Sununu

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY NEW HAMPSHIRE’S MOST ELIGIBLE BACHELOR — If the GOP presidential primary were a dating app, almost everyone would be swiping right on Chris Sununu. The Granite State governor is going on dates — a diner with Nikki Haley , ice cream with Ron DeSantis , a town hall with Chris Christie . He packed in appearances — and packed on the PDA (well, hugs and handshakes) — with all three in a whirlwind 24 hours before Thanksgiving. His suitors aren’t shy about their intentions. Haley has publicly asked Sununu — albeit jokingly — for his endorsement multiple times. Christie, meanwhile, said of Sununu: “We’ve been friends for 11 years, and so I would love to have Chris working with me." Sununu has swiped left on a few candidates already: Donald Trump, the former president whom he routinely criticizes, and Vivek Ramaswamy, whom he told POLITICO “would be a poor choice” for president. Neither appear to want his endorsement , anyway. But Sununu doesn’t seem ready to go steady with anyone just yet. He told POLITICO over the summer that he wouldn’t be making a decision until November or December. He said the third debate would weigh heavily on his thinking, but the early November bout came and went without him making a pick. Then he said it would be after Thanksgiving. Three days before the holiday, he told reporters that people — himself perhaps included — are going to be making up their minds “even later than normal because it’s such a late campaign.” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (right) dishes with Gov. Chris Sununu over popovers during a campaign stop in Epping, N.H. | Charles Krupa/AP New Hampshire-based operatives and surrogates for some of the campaigns have a few theories as to who Sununu will choose and why. He could seek to further boost Haley, who’s been rising in polls of the Granite State throughout the fall and sits in second place on average. He could join Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in backing DeSantis, giving the Florida governor a sweep of the first two nominating states and a lifeline in the latter, where surveys show his support is tanking. Or, Sununu could back the field’s most vocal Trump critic, Christie, who’s also on the upswing in the state. Sununu has every reason to take his time. The longer he plays the field, the more attention he gets from the candidates and from the reporters and columnists who press him after every campaign event about who and when he’ll endorse. And the longer he waits, the more time he’ll have to see if anyone can emerge from the crowded race for second place as the clear alternative to Trump. Of course, Sununu’s endorsement could help make that happen . But history and at least one private poll shared with Playbook show the impact of the governor’s support could be limited. Roughly three-quarters of the 600 likely New Hampshire GOP primary voters surveyed by Republican pollster Whit Ayres and his firm, North Star Opinion Research, in early November said Sununu’s endorsement wouldn’t sway them. But among the quarter of respondents who said it would, they’d be more likely to vote for Sununu’s pick by a margin of 2-1. Sununu has sought to downplay the weight of his endorsement even as he pledges to put “110 percent” behind his eventual pick. His next opportunity to appear with a potential endorsee is tonight at Haley’s town hall in Derry. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. For our loyal readers who are also loyal fans of "The Bachelor" (we know there are a lot of you), think of the scenario we just ran through like this: Sununu is the bachelor holding all the roses, and he's down to his final three contestants. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announce a new coastal resilience strategy at 9 a.m. at Beverly’s Lynch Park. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at MassDOT’s first Morrissey Boulevard Commission meeting at 6 p.m. at Southline Boston. A celebration of life for the late John Walsh begins at 11 a.m. at Faneuil Hall's Great Hall. Tips? Scoops? Are you Chris Sununu? Drop us a line on who you’re endorsing: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com .   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     DATELINE BEACON HILL ADDED: "R" voters are consistently uninformed and fail to do their research before supporting an "R" candidate. PETER DURANT ENDORSED DESANTIS! MASS GOP statement: And the MassGOP’s ability to help Durant may be limited by its still-dire financial straits — even though a win in this race is exactly what the party needs to start turning its fortunes around. “If we didn’t have the debt, certainly we would be able to do more in this race,” Carnevale said. “But we certainly are confident in our chances.” PETER DURANT IS A CLOWN FOR ENDORSING DESANTIS, THE BOOK BANNER, RE-WRITES HISTORY, DON'T SAY GAY DIM WIT! That's before defining the ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION in FLORIDA or the numerous other issues...homeowners insurance? radioactive roads? DEAD MANATEES? POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DESANTISLAND — One of GOP state Rep. Peter Durant ’s first big actions as state senator-elect: endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, per the Florida governor's campaign. THIS IS THE CLOWN THAT PETER DURANT ENDORSED: NOTE: GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded think tank - it's a SCAM! Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video excerpt: One of the video's main speakers, Dr. Stella Immanuel, is a physician who operates a medical clinic in a Texas strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries. In the video, she called hydroxychloroquine a "cure" and said, "You don't need a mask" to prevent the virus' spread. Immanuel has claimed that ovarian cysts and endometriosis are caused by "demonic seed." Demons insert sperm into sleeping individuals when they have sex in their dreams, Immanuel claimed in articles on her church's website. Ladapo has also promoted the anti-parasite medication ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against using ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment. In October 2020, Ladapo signed the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement that called for developing societal herd immunity to COVID-19 through natural infection. https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-new-surgeon-general-appeared-demon-sperm-doctors-covid-conspiracy-video-1631372 THANK YOU, NEXT — State Rep. Peter Durant is set to file his resignation from the House today ahead of being sworn into the Senate tomorrow. Now Republicans who reveled in Durant flipping a district that Democrats held for decades are looking for candidates to backfill his House seat in a yet-to-be-called special election. David Adams , a Southbridge town councilor, has already filed paperwork with OCPF and set up a website to run. John Marsi, a Dudley Select Board member, is likely to run as well, MassGOP chair Amy Carnevale told Playbook. SUPP SLOG — Lawmakers sparked speculation that a deal was close on the $2.8 billion supplemental budget that includes $250 million in shelter funding and raises for thousands of state workers when they held their informal sessions open late into yesterday afternoon. But both chambers eventually adjourned to tomorrow. Gov. Maura Healey is holding out hope the lawmakers can “get it done this week,” she said during an interview on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio.” But Republicans could be a roadblock. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr said there’s “bipartisan support” for moving forward with some items in the spending plan, likely referring to the state-employee contracts. But if the conference committee report that comes up for a vote “contains controversial items” — likely the shelter money — he said Republicans might move against it. Meanwhile, the emergency shelter system has dipped below its 7,500-family capacity limit. On Friday, there were 102 families on the waitlist for housing. On Monday, there were 91 families, the Healey administration said. — “Regulators skeptical of low underage betting reports,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “The Massachusetts Gaming Commission seems unconvinced by the numbers they are getting from sportsbook operators on how frequently underage gamblers access their platforms and place bets. The Commission met Monday to receive third-quarter reports from representatives of sportsbook operators Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, Penn Sports Interactive, and WynnBet, when regulators wondered if the single digit instances of illegal gambling they were being shown were an accurate representation of reality.” — “There are 56 gun bills before the Mass. Legislature. Here's what's next for them,” by Katie Lannan and Jeremy Siegel, GBH News. BALLOT BATTLES KEEPING HER POWDER DRY — State Auditor Diana DiZoglio ’s push to probe the Legislature has been shot down by Democratic legislative leaders. But Healey isn’t taking sides. “We’ll see what happens if this gets on the ballot,” Healey said yesterday on GBH. Though DiZoglio’s effort to sue the Legislature into complying with her audit was blocked by Attorney General Andrea Campbell , her ballot question appeared poised to clear the first major signature-gathering hurdle last week.   GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK : Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     FROM THE HUB — “A guaranteed basic income for Boston’s poor? Officials consider the idea,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “With about 18 percent of city residents living below the poverty line, Boston officials are mulling the implementation of a temporary guaranteed income program for the city’s poor. While many specific questions regarding such a program remain unanswered, including total cost, where the money would come from, a timeline for implementation, and who exactly would benefit, city councilors and officials from Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration discussed the idea during a Monday council hearing.” THE RACE FOR CITY HALL RECOUNT IN REVERE — Revere’s mayoral recount is set to get underway Friday at the request of former Mayor Dan Rizzo , who lost his bid to reclaim his old role to Acting Mayor Patrick Keefe by more than 300 votes, according to the city’s official results. Though the city is bearing the cost of the recount, Keefe has opened up a new account for donations to help pay for an attorney to represent him through the process. — “Marlborough Mayor-elect Dumais sees staff appointments, salary evaluation as key issues,” by Jesse Collings, MetroWest Daily News. 2024 WATCH ALL IN ON BIDEN — Healey, a member of Joe Biden ’s national campaign advisory board, said on GBH that she’s “absolutely” backing the president in 2024 even as polls show him trailing former President Donald Trump in hypothetical head-to-head matchups and some voters worry about his age. Healey, who sued the Trump administration nearly 100 times while serving as the state’s attorney general, said “it's not OK if you have somebody in charge who is going to continue to deny elections, commit fraud in so many different ways and do things that are so destabilizing to our role and influence in the world.” She cast next year's presidential election as about "the fate of our democracy." — "Pro-Dean Phillips super PAC knocks Biden's electability in New Hampshire TV ad," by Bridget Bowman, NBC. FROM THE DELEGATION — “McGovern is first member of Congress to address UN about Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “The United States [and many of its allies] remain holdouts to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, otherwise known as the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. … U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, speaking on behalf of a handful of colleagues who have explicitly called on President Joe Biden to sign the treaty, was expected to be the only member of Congress to address the parliamentarians.” REGIONAL ROUNDUP — “Suit by Republican challenger to keep Trump off the ballot in RI dismissed,” by Katie Mulvaney, Providence Journal. — “‘Tragic irony:’ Burlington shooting victims’ family members say they’re shocked by violence so far from the Middle East,” by Emma Cotton, VT Digger. HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH ENGAGED — Wesley Hall, minister of music and the arts at The First Baptist Church of Worcester, recently proposed to Taylor Bolton, senior manager of partner marketing at Upstream USA. The couple met at Yale during grad school. He played at opening chapel and then cut in line behind her during coffee hour to speak with her. He proposed at Sleeping Giant National Park, where they had their first date. Pic ... Another pic TRANSITIONS — Pamela Peak is the new chief development officer for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Sarina Tracy and Doug Rubin of Northwind Strategies, Deloitte’s John Kim , former state Rep. Louis Kafka , WaPo’s Nicole Dungca, Baker alum Terry MacCormack, Erin Forry, Glen Johnson and Louise Coleman . 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 .   Follow us on Twitter Lisa Kashinsky @lisakashinsky Kelly Garrity @KellyGarrity3   Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook  |  Playbook PM  |  California Playbook  |  Florida Playbook  |  Illinois Playbook  |  Massachusetts Playbook  |  New Jersey Playbook  |  New York Playbook  |  Ottawa Playbook  |  Brussels Playbook  |  London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters FOLLOW US

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