Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Biden’s border move divides Mass. Dems

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Biden’s border move divides Mass. Dems

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A PROGRAMMING NOTE: Lisa here. It’s our last week together — if you’ve ever wanted to send me a tip or scoop, you’ve got two days left! Hit me up: lkashinsky@politico.com . And in case you missed our announcement last week, Kelly is taking over Playbook solo while I cover the presidential election for POLITICO’s politics team. Email her at kgarrity@politico.com .

PLAYBOOK MEET AND GREET: Remember last week when we said we had something special in the works? Join us at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at Carrie Nation for an evening of cocktails, small bites and big #mapoli chatter. Say farewell to Lisa, hello to Kelly and meet Massachusetts Playbook and POLITICO Deputy National Editor Katie Locke. Just don’t call it a happy hour. Signups are limited, so hurry up and RSVP here ! We’ll send out confirmation emails, which will be required for entrance, next week.

Gov. Maura Healey (left) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren are both surrogates for President Joe Biden's reelection campaign. | Charles Krupa/AP

SURROGATE SPLIT SCREEN — President Joe Biden’s move to shut down much of the southern border is dividing Democrats across the country. In Massachusetts, it’s splitting his top two campaign crusaders.

Gov. Maura Healey is standing by Biden in the face of progressive backlash over his executive action to suspend asylum claims that went into effect at midnight, which leans on the same rule Donald Trump used during his presidency to try to restrict immigration.

But Sen. Elizabeth Warren — who’s also a member of the Biden campaign’s national advisory board — slammed the edict as “a functional ban on asylum” and said “we can — and should — do better.”

Healey and Warren have been on opposite sides of immigration issues before. Healey lobbied the congressional delegation to pass the bipartisan border deal that could have funneled more federal dollars to Massachusetts’ overburdened emergency shelter system and tightened immigration rules — including authorizing a similar border shutdown. But Warren stood against it.

Why the divergence? Simply put, Healey has more at stake when it comes to immigration, even though Warren’s the one on the ballot with Biden this fall.

As the state’s top executive, the buck stops with Healey for handling the migrant and shelter crisis, even if the blame doesn’t. While few residents fault Healey for the migrant situation, according to a new UMass Amherst/WCVB poll , far more people hold a negative view of how she’s handling it — with 48 percent saying “not too well” or “not well at all” compared to 35 percent who said “somewhat” or “very” well.

The same poll, meanwhile, shows congressional Democrats taking even less of the blame for immigration issues than Healey. And it finds Warren on track to win reelection in November over any of her three Republican challengers by a sizable margin.

For Healey, backing Biden on the border is also a sign she’s willing to put aside her personal politics to help propel the president to a second term. Healey sued the Trump administration over immigration policy. But she told reporters Tuesday that Biden took “important action” that “I strongly support” and again blamed Republicans for Congress’ immigration inaction.

Still, Democratic divisions threaten to overshadow the border move that’s seen as a way for the president to both blunt Republicans’ attacks and make overtures to independent voters on a central campaign issue on which the incumbent is polling poorly.

And Massachusetts is again a microcosm of the broader party’s internal divide. House Speaker Ron Mariano and Reps. Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss lined up behind Biden’s executive action, with Moulton saying it “demonstrates that the [p]resident is serious about the problem” at the southern border.

But progressives railed against it, instead calling for Biden to ease pathways to immigration. Sen. Ed Markey decried Biden’s move as “irresponsible and ill-advised.” And Rep. Ayanna Pressley said “it is extremely disappointing that this White House would choose to double down on the previous administration’s harmful and flawed immigration policy.”

GOOD WEDNESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Scroll down for more polling!

TODAY — Healey speaks at the annual State House Pride Flag raising at 11 a.m., chairs a Governor’s Council meeting at noon, meets with Spanish Ambassador to the U.S. Ángeles Moreno Bau at 3 p.m. and keynotes CHAPA’s annual celebration, where Attorney General Andrea Campbell will accept the Outstanding Impact Award, at 7 p.m. at the BCEC.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the ClimaTech conference at 10 a.m. at Fenway and at the Age Strong Commission’s LGBTQ+ Pride luncheon at 11 a.m.

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YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

SENATE SHOWDOWN — The UMass Amherst survey shows Sen. Elizabeth Warren defeating each of the three Republican challengers who qualified for the ballot — Quincy City Council President Ian Cain , attorney and Marine veteran John Deaton and conservative activist Robert Antonellis — by double digits in hypothetical November matchups.

Republicans will latch onto the Democratic incumbent coming in just shy of 50 percent against Cain and Deaton, and that three relatively unknown candidates are already notching nearly a quarter of the potential vote. But Geoff Diehl couldn’t make up the gap against Warren in 2018 and Republicans here have struggled in federal elections in the Donald Trump era.

“It’s not impossible, nothing's impossible in politics,” said UMass Amherst Polling Director Tatishe Nteta . “But it’s a very long and difficult road for any Republican to win statewide office in Massachusetts.”

BALLOT BATTLES — More than two-thirds of Bay Staters would support gradually increasing the minimum hourly wage for tipped workers, and 64 percent would vote to give the auditor authority to probe the Legislature, according to the UMass Amherst survey.

Residents are evenly split over whether to support or oppose legalizing psychedelics. And a plurality, 44 percent, would support a question to “remove” MCAS as a high school graduation requirement — though that’s not the full picture of what that petition would do.

STIRRING THE POT — Eventually, Warren and Sen. Ed Markey won’t be in office anymore. So which Democrat has the best chance at an open Senate seat? Gov. Maura Healey , apparently.

Healey is the first choice among Democrats, Democratic leaners and independents in the UMass Amherst survey, with 21 percent picking the first-term executive. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu follows at 15 percent, then Rep. Ayanna Pressley at 14 percent, former Gov. Deval Patrick at 12 percent, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III at 11 percent and Rep. Seth Moulton at 10 percent. The pollsters also included Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Reps. Lori Trahan and Jake Auchincloss , but not former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh .

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — Rep. Stephen Lynch and Suffolk County SJC Clerk Maura Doyle are endorsing John Powers in his campaign for Suffolk County clerk of civil courts.

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “Student free meals to continue this summer,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Hundreds of thousands of low-income students in Massachusetts will continue to receive food assistance this summer after the federal government approved the state's request for $70 million in funding. The Healey administration said the White House has approved the state's plan for a new child nutrition program it say will help feed an estimated 600,000 students when schools are closed for the summer.”

— “Lawmakers are hopeful about a climate bill. Advocates are skeptical,” by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: “Leaders of the Legislature’s energy committee have said that they are confident that lawmakers will pass another climate and energy bill this session. … ‘It’s a big risk given the lateness of the hour, but I think we’re going to overcome the obstacles, nevertheless,’ said [Michael Barrett, the Senate chair of the TUE Committee]. Rep. Jeffrey Roy, the House chair ... and Barrett have resolved a procedural impasse they’ve had since last fall with the intention of passing climate change and energy legislation in this session.”

FROM THE HUB

— “Boston City Council still weighing cuts to the police department ahead of Wednesday vote,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council is eying more than $12 million in amendments to the mayor’s budget as it heads into a Wednesday vote, changes that would cut more than $3 million from the police department and millions more from other city services.”

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FROM THE DELEGATION

— “House Democrats will try to force a vote to protect contraception, putting GOP on record,” by Ali Vitali, NBC News: “House Democrats unveiled a new plan on Tuesday to attempt to force a vote on contraceptive protections — or at least to get Republicans in their chamber on record on the issue before November’s elections. The petition from Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and North Carolina Rep. Kathy Manning comes just one day before Senate Democrats are set to vote on legislation protecting birth control access."

— “Lawmakers seek trustee to replace Steward management,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “In a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice , Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey urge the agency to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee to run the company in place of Steward’s current management ‘as quickly as possible,’ and to monitor the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.”

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

— “Wind energy could save New England customers hundreds of millions on electricity: Report,” by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: “A new report shows the burgeoning offshore wind industry could collectively save New England electricity ratepayers hundreds of millions annually. If already-in-place plans between Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut for several offshore wind projects become reality, it will save ratepayers between $2.79 and $4.61 a month on their electrical bills, according to a report produced by Synapse Energy Economics on behalf of the Sierra Club released on Tuesday. That may not seem like much at first, but when you multiply it out among the region’s many residences and businesses, it works out to be a savings of $630 million annually.”

FROM THE 413

— “In a surprise write-in campaign, Hinsdale resident Margaret Gregory defeated incumbent Earl Peck. A disagreement a few weeks prior fueled her bid,” by Matt Martinez, The Berkshire Eagle: “‘If you don’t like it, maybe you should be sitting in my seat.’ Those were the words that former Select Board member Earl Peck recalled saying to Hinsdale resident Margaret Gregory. They came during a disagreement over a promotion for a police officer, at a meeting just a few short weeks ago. That was the moment that Gregory’s impromptu write-in campaign — an effort which came together just weeks before the town’s election — began.”

— “Pro-Palestinian protesters shut down Amherst College Alumni Weekend keystone,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

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THE LOCAL ANGLE

WHERE WAS IAN CAIN?

— “How Quincy councilors voted on mayor's requested $125,000 pay raise,” by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: “The City Council approved Mayor Thomas Koch's $285,000 salary request, raising his annual pay from its current $159,000. The council approved the raise by a 7-1 vote, with only Ward 5 Councilor Dan Minton voting against. Minton proposed a salary of $230,000. Council President Ian Cain, who is running for U.S. Senate, did not attend the meeting.”

BUSINESSES THAT BROADCAST THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS DON'T DESERVE PATRONAGE!

— “Milford Has Fallen: Upside Down American Flag Flown Outside Mattress Firm,” by Neal McNamara, Patch: “A prominent local businessman flew an upside down American flag at one of his Milford shopping plazas over the weekend, which he said was his way of sending a message about a ‘nation in distress’ in the wake of the conviction last week of former president Donald Trump.”

— “Prosecutors: Jasiel Correia 'remains unrepentant,' should serve his full prison sentence,” by Jo C. Goode, The Herald News: “The federal government opposed former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia II’s request for early release from prison in a motion filed in federal court last week.”

— “State unlikely to enforce city’s paused ban on ‘nip’ bottles,” by Arthur Hirsch, The New Bedford Light.

MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND

— “Providence’s HR director is also the personnel director for a town in MA,” by GoLocalProv News Team: “The director of Human Resources for Brett Smiley’s administration in the City of Providence oversees thousands of employees. His name is Paul Winspeare. Smiley named him to oversee the city’s personnel functions in May of 2023. His salary in Providence is $132,567.89. Months after he was named to the six-figure Providence position by Smiley, in November of 2023, Winspeare also applied and was appointed to be the personnel director of Georgetown, Massachusetts. He was officially hired by the Georgetown Board of Selectman at the December 11, 2023 meeting.”

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HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Auditor Diana DiZoglio, state Rep. Kevin Honan, Teddy Warner, and Aaron Moser.

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