Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The Baker candidates

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The Baker candidates

THE CHARLIE BAKER MYTH!

THE MEDIA GAVE CHARLIE BAKER A FREE RIDE, NEVER CONDEMNED THE POLITICAL HACKS HE APPOINTED, OUT OF STATE HACKS APPOINTED TO MBTA - HOW'S THAT GOING FOR YOU? THE RMV SCANDALS? STATE POLICE SCANDALS? THE NO BID BATHROOM? MBTA COMMUNITIES ACT WAS CHARLIE BAKER! DEFECTIVE CHINESE RAILCARS? DEFECTIVE RAIL LINE THAT WAS KNOWN PRIOR TO LEAVING OFFICE?

FOLLOW THE FORMER LEADER — It’s cool for Bay State Republicans to be like Charlie Baker again.

For the past few years, many of the GOP’s most prominent candidates eschewed the highly popular governor’s brand of bipartisan politicking in favor of conservative policy positions and pro-Donald Trump rhetoric — a byproduct of both the former president’s grip on the party’s grassroots and of hard-right former party Chair Jim Lyons’ power struggle with the more moderate Baker.

But now, in the GOP Senate contest , the two main candidates — both newly minted Republicans — are competing to claim the Baker lane.

Ian Cain (left) and John Deaton | Courtesy photos/Cain and Deaton campaigns

IAN CAIN: FLIP-FLOPPER!

Quincy City Council President Ian Cain has stylized himself in the image of Baker: a moderate able to work across party lines. In a radio interview earlier this month, he described Baker as someone “I see myself modeled after in the Republican Party.” And he included Baker in the list of former Republican electeds (along with former Sen. Edward Brooke and former Govs. Mitt Romney and Jane Swift) whose leadership he took “inspiration” from, in a new Boston Herald op-ed .

JOHN DEATON: CARPET BAGGER! VOTED 3 TIMES

IN 20 YEARS!

Meanwhile, his biggest Republican competitor, John Deaton, has a campaign operation packed with former Baker political aides. Former Baker political adviser Jim Conroy is helping to run the attorney and crypto advocate’s campaign. His campaign manager, Michael Gorecki, interned in Baker’s office in 2015. A slate of Baker campaign alums — former campaign manager Brian Wynne, former finance coordinator Pamela Saad, former adviser and advertising mogul Larry Weitzner, former treasurer Brad Crate, general counsel Chris Ashby, Chris Faulkner of Majority Strategies and David Drummond, who served as finance director for Baker’s political committee — are working with him. And Baker’s No. 2, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, is serving as an informal adviser.

Deaton also likens himself to Baker — to an extent.

“When I'm pushed to compare myself with someone that Massachusetts voters would be familiar with, then certainly, I would compare myself to both Gov. Baker and Lt. Gov. Polito,” Deaton told Playbook on Monday after dropping off the paperwork at the secretary of state’s office to secure his spot on the primary ballot.

“But I believe I stand alone,” he added. “I don't believe there's any candidate, Republican or Democrat, that is similar to me.”

For which we should be thankful!

Chasing the fading image of Baker Republicanism does come with some risk given that a sizable chunk of the state's GOP electorate considers the former governor and those with similar politics to be Republicans in name only (and that's putting it nicely). But it's a gamble both Cain and Deaton appear willing to take. Baker did win two statewide races, after all.

So, who is the more Baker-esque Republican? The one person who could definitively settle the score — Baker himself — hasn’t weighed in publicly on the race. And though he has thrown his political clout behind some local candidates since he departed Beacon Hill, his job atop the NCAA, which requires him to lobby Congress, may keep him sidelined this time around.

GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are about to walk into the first events of their jam-packed jaunts to Italy and the Vatican.

Healey is hosting a roundtable with the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy and Italian business leaders looking to establish or expand their footprint in Massachusetts. She and her climate chief, Melissa Hoffer, then meet with Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly. Wu is slated to attend a welcome reception hosted by Donnelly shortly thereafter. Later this week, Wu will meet with the mayor of Rome. She'll also travel to Sulmona, which has "local ties to Boston's North End," according to her office, and to Coreno Ausonio, where "her children will see the hometown" of their great great grandparents. The city is footing the bill for flights and lodging for Wu and her staff in Rome, and for the staff's stay in Sulmona. Wu is covering their own stay in Sulmona, according to her office.

TODAY — Here at home, Acting Gov. Kim Driscoll chairs a Local Government Advisory Commission meeting at 1 p.m. in Westborough.

Tips? Scoops? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com .

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

BAILING ON STEWARD — Maura Healey is not considering a state bailout of the bankrupt Steward Health Care, her office clarified on Monday after the governor appeared to not rule out the possibility during a weekend appearance on WCVB’s “On the Record.” That’s in line with her past comments on WBUR that Steward is “not going to get bailed out.”

— “Senate Republican swings back at governor, says migrant response her ‘choice’,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald.

FROM THE HUB

— “Boston City Council grills police commissioner about ShotSpotter technology,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Boston’s police chief said he won’t delay signing a new contract for continued use of ShotSpotter technology that ‘saves lives,’ shrugging off concerns from city councilors around its effectiveness and perceived overuse in communities of color. ShotSpotter, which places sensors that detect audio aimed at transmitting the sound of gunshots quickly to garner a rapid police response, was subject to some of the most pointed scrutiny at a Monday City Council hearing on the police budget — given an April ACLU report that found the technology to be ineffective and racially biased. The city’s contract for the equipment expires next month.”

BALLOT BATTLES

ON THE AIRWAVES — The group backing the bill and ballot question that would allow ride share app drivers to unionize is taking to TV to promote the legislation. The 30-second ad alleges that “billion dollar app companies” refusing to provide benefits for employees is taking a toll on Massachusetts taxpayers.

The campaign is spending at least six figures to run the spot on channels across the state — you might even see it play during a Bruins or Celtics game.

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

— “Commuter rail operator reaches contract agreement with car cleaners and inspectors,” by Bob Seay, GBH News: “The union representing coach cleaners and car inspectors who work for the MBTA’s commuter rail service has reached a tentative agreement that they say will avert a threatened strike. … The five-year contract with Keolis will raise wages by 4% to 5% annually, as well as add paid sick days, a $2,000 signing bonus, and make Juneteenth a paid holiday.”

— “Two dead after being hit by commuter rail train in Natick,” by Adam Sennott, The Boston Globe.

DAY IN COURT

— "Uber, Lyft say they aren’t transportation companies, liken themselves to travel agents," by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Beacon: "[Attorney General Andrea Campbell] argues that the ride-hailing companies have been misclassifying their drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. ... Lawyers for Uber and Lyft took exception to their characterization as transportation companies, arguing that they have no fleets of vehicles nor set shifts for the drivers. It would be a closer comparison, argued Uber’s attorney Michele Maryott, to think of them as akin to coordination and logistics services like travel agents."

— “Three inmates accused of killing James ‘Whitey’ Bulger have struck a plea deal,” by Shelley Murphy, The Boston Globe: “[T]he three would like to plead guilty to murder charges and be sentenced at the same time.”

— “New Bedford court to decide city councilor's criminal harassment claim,” by Frank Mulligan, Standard Times: “Local activist, journalist videographer and failed candidate for local elective office Carlos Felix was arraigned in court May 7 on a charge of criminal harassment. It's being brought on behalf of City Councilor Ryan Pereira, who says Felix has followed him as he's driven home from City Hall after meetings multiple times.”

— “Military to weigh additional charges against Jack Teixeira Tuesday,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News.

FROM THE DELEGATION

— “Biden urged to lower 'sky-high' food prices,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle Tribune: “In a letter to [President Joe] Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Jim McGovern and other members of the state’s congressional delegation outline several actions they want the administration to take to ‘help families at the grocery store’ and ‘combat corporate greed and higher food prices.’”

MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Social equity marijuana businesses sold ‘bag of dreams’,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: “The entire cannabis industry is struggling as pot prices have plummeted and operators deal with the unique challenges of working with a substance that is illegal under federal law. But those who got into the industry based on state promises of social equity seem to be in particularly dire straits.”

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FROM THE 413

— “21 arrested at UMass protest last week arraigned on Monday; more to come in coming days,” by Daily Hampshire Gazette staff: “The first group of 130 people arrested last week following pro-Palestinian protests on the University of Massachusetts campus were arraigned Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court. Twenty-one people pleaded not guilty before District Court Judge Bruce S. Melikian to charges including trespassing, failing to disperse from a riot, and resisting arrest, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office. They were released on their own recognizance and told to return to court in July.”

THE LOCAL ANGLE

— “Worcester Public Schools budget proposes cutting 163 teaching positions,” by Adam Bass, MassLive: “In an attempt to erase a budget deficit of $22 million, Worcester Public Schools is proposing cutting 163 teaching positions in its proposed fiscal 2025 budget, according to School Superintendent Rachel Monárrez. … 86 classroom-based educators, 70 student support positions, five vacant psychologist positions and two positions based out of the Chandler YMCA building will not be funded next school year.”

— “Worcester cable TV board leaders resign in protest of Batista's Spectrum negotiations,” by Henry Schwan, Telegram & Gazette: “Several members of the city’s Cable TV Advisory Committee have resigned to protest City Manager Eric D. Batista’s decision to negotiate a new franchise license agreement with cable provider Spectrum. Meanwhile, a potential lawsuit is in the works, said John Keough, the advisory committee’s former chairman, who resigned over the weekend.”

LONG OVERDUE! USED FOR DECADES IN AUSTRALIA FOR DESALINATION!

— “Harnessing the tides. Cape Cod Canal site gets federal OK to test water-powered turbines,” by Heather McCarron, Cape Cod Times: “Marine Renewable Energy Collaborative, a Marion nonprofit that promotes sustainable development of renewable energy in New England ocean waters, has secured an 8-year pilot license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to test prototypes of turbines that harness tides to create energy.”

— “Safety concerns at Tewksbury Hospital bring workers to picket line,” by Jason Laughlin, The Boston Globe.

****MUST READ!****

— “'Couldn't be worse than it is right now': Doctor gives inside look at Good Sam in Brockton,” by Chris Helms, The Enterprise.

— “Lowell Planning Board debates segregation, substandard housing,” by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun.

MEDIA MATTERS

— “WBUR host Rupa Shenoy to leave Morning Edition,” by Todd Wallack, WBUR.

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — Dr. Hugh Taylor has been elected president of the Massachusetts Medical Society.

— John Warner is now adviser to the secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor. He was at the Employee Benefits Security Administration within the department and is a former political adviser to Sen. Ed Markey.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Pam Wilmot, Lucy Martirosyan, Samuel Greer, Jeffrey Barrett, Alycia DiTroia, Sophia Nigro and Kylie Harrigan . Happy belated to Taylor Sprague , who celebrated Monday.

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