Middleboro Review 2: POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: What Massachusetts is watching for in tonight’s debate

Thursday, June 27, 2024

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: What Massachusetts is watching for in tonight’s debate

UP FOR DEBATE — The stage is set . The prep is done . The expectations … have been tempered . And the spin is already whirling .

When Donald Trump and Joe Biden face each other for the first time this election cycle on CNN’s Atlanta studios stage, Massachusetts politicians will be watching (well, some of them). And while the candidates may be far apart on policy, top leaders in both parties in the state want to see the same thing from their de-facto nominees.

Gov. Maura Healey, a Biden campaign surrogate, was on CNN Wednesday night saying she hopes Biden makes abortion part of the conversation and lays bare the “two different worlds that a Biden presidency and a Trump presidency pose.”

That’s not much different from what MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale wants to hear from Trump. Though she didn’t mention abortion, Carnevale is looking for Trump to focus on the issues that matter most to Americans, such as inflation, immigration, and the economy,” she said in a statement.

And like Healey, she’s looking for him to highlight the contrast between himself and Biden, ”reminding Americans of how much better off the country and the world were during his tenure.”

Secretary of State Bill Galvin, who’s reprising his role as Biden delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, is hoping for a focus on the future.

“We know what the previous four years were like. He can’t just say he’s stabilized the country, which he has,” Gavin said over the phone Wednesday. “Trump has already given us a little bit of a preview of what his presidency would involve — obviously revenge, God knows what else.” Now Biden needs to do the same.

Workers unpack equipment at McCamish Pavilion on the campus of Georgia Tech near where CNN will host the first presidential debate on June 25, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia. | Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Senate President Karen Spilka and state Sen. Jamie Eldridge, both Biden delegates, may still be debating the Senate’s housing bond bill by the time the debate begins tomorrow. But Spilka hopes Biden frames the debate as a “choice between an aspiring dictator, convicted felon who cares only about himself, and a president who cares deeply about every American.” And more than hammering Trump’s history, Eldridge is looking for Biden to highlight his own record.

“What is he going to fight for to make further improvements to improve conditions for the country and for Americans?” Eldridge said.

House Minority Leaders Brad Jones, meanwhile, won’t be glued to the TV. “I’m probably not going to watch it,” the North Reading Republican told Playbook at the State House Wednesday, noting the House could still be debating its economic development bill when the candidates take the stage.

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . For those who are planning on tuning in tonight, here's a guide on where to watch and you can follow POLITICO's coverage throughout the day here .

TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey attends the National Child Care Innovation Summit in D.C. and participates in a panel with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb moderated by Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo at 10 a.m. She hosts a virtual pre-debate rally with MassDems Chair Steve Kerrigan at 8 p.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren visits a veterans’ housing facility at 12:30 p.m. in Worcester.

Tips, scoops, birthdays? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com .

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DATELINE BEACON HILL

— “As new fiscal year looms, Massachusetts (again) has no annual state budget in place,” by Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “Massachusetts appears poised to begin the fiscal year on Monday without a $58 billion annual state budget, which would ensure an unmatched streak of delays continues and that an array of proposals — including one to make community colleges tuition-free — remain up in the air. A tardy budget is now both familiar and comparatively rare: Massachusetts has not begun its fiscal year on July 1 with an annual spending plan in place since 2010, making this the 14th straight year — absent lawmakers and Governor Maura Healey hustling an agreement into law by the weekend.”

MUST READ!
What has AMY CARNEVALE done to get the MAGA GOP to pass the BIPARTISAN BORDER BILL that tRump sabotaged & has bragged about?

Amending the SHELTER LAW is NOT a solution since it will only create HOMELESSNESS.

The last article published indicated that HALF of those in SHELTERS were Massachusetts residents.

How about the MASS GOP propose SOLUTIONS instead of the knee-jerk condemnation?
REPUBLICANS never have solutions.

excerpt:

MassGOP Chair Amy Carnevale criticized the Texas trip, calling it a “publicity stunt that will neither address the migrant crisis in Massachusetts nor reduce the influx of migrants entering the commonwealth.”

“They can engage in rhetoric and publicity stunts all they want, but without concrete steps to limit access to emergency housing, nothing will change. To stop incentivizing migrants from coming to the commonwealth, the right to shelter law must be amended to restrict program access based on the duration of residency in the commonwealth,” she said in a statement.

— “Gov. Healey defends trip to southern border, MassGOP calls it ‘publicity stunt’,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Gov. Maura Healey said a five-person team sent to the southern border to ‘educate’ people there about the lack of shelter availability for migrants in Massachusetts had a ‘successful’ trip just as they were scheduled to return later Wednesday.”

— “The Mass. State House’s art collection mostly ignores Native Americans,” by Mara Mellits and Siena Griffin, GBH News.

— “Renaming Seaport convention center after Thomas Menino a ‘terrific idea,’ Jim Rooney says,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald.

FROM THE HUB

BUDGET BATTLE — After a marathon — and at times emotional — meeting that ran late into Wednesday night, the Boston City Council voted to partially override pieces of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’ s veto of the budget the body proposed. The Council passed an additional $6.2 million of the initial $15.3 million reallocation councilors first approved, adding to the $1.9 million Wu already accepted, according to a spokesperson for the Councilor Brian Worrell , who led the budget process.

RELATED — “Protesters confront Mayor Wu at neighborhood 'coffee hour' in Dorchester,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “Mayor Michelle Wu directly engaged with protesters at her eighteenth and final ‘coffee hour’ gathering Wednesday in a Dorchester park, defending her handling of pro-Palestine encampments and other police conduct. … [Khalil Howe, a 26-year old activist] and a small group of activists from the Muslim Justice League and the Youth Jobs and Power Union criticized Wu for vetoing the City Council’s proposal to reallocate $4.5 million from the city’s police and fire departments into youth job programs, rental subsidies and community land trusts.”

MEDIA MATTERS

— “Local news is in crisis. Massachusetts state government should take action, advocates say,” by Aidan Ryan, The Boston Globe: “The crisis facing local news is ravaging civic life everywhere — even in Massachusetts — a parade of journalists told legislators on Wednesday, as they called on state government to take steps, including considering tax breaks, to support struggling local newsrooms."

PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES

EYES EMOJI — “Mission to 'get eyes on the T' accomplished: Handful of trains now sport googly eyes,” by Meghan B. Kelly, WBUR: “Back in April, a group of local residents held a sparsely attended rally and march on Boston Common to ask the T for just one thing: to put some googly eyes on the trains. Well, they got it: Five trains, including a commuter rail train, now will offer passengers thousand-yard, googly-eyed stares. The T confirmed Wednesday it installed the decals thanks to the appeal from the group, ‘Googly Eyes on the MBTA.’”

MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS

— “Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy announces plans to close, migrants will stay,” by Grace Zokovitch and Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Eastern Nazarene College, a private liberal arts college in Quincy, will close after nearly 125 years following years of “significant financial headwinds,” administrators announced. … The college is also the site on a current migrant shelter. Eastern Nazarene College and the Healey administration struck a deal last summer to set up a temporary shelter and intake center for migrants on the institution’s campus in Quincy as the number of families from other countries started to overwhelm services here. The agreement was set to expire this summer but a college spokesperson told the Herald that the college’s board has approved an extension to the existing agreement through June 30, 2025, which officials are ‘working to finalize.’”

YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS

ENDORSEMENT CORNER — GOP Senate hopeful John Deaton isn’t the only candidate drawing support from a former top state Republican. Former Acting Gov. Jane Swift is endorsing Quincy City Council President Ian Cain in his bid for the Republican nomination, Cain’s campaign announced Wednesday.

Cain “represents the next generation of Massachusetts leadership,” Swift said in a statement. “His energy along with his commitment to fighting for what matters most to the Commonwealth separate him from the out of touch politicians he is running against.”

Cain celebrated the endorsement — along with nods from state Rep. Michael Soter and Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch — on social media , saying he was grateful for the support of “local, Massachusetts leaders.”

CAMPAIGN SHAKEUP — John Deaton’s campaign manager, Micheal Gorecki, is leaving the campaign for a role with New Hampshire’s Committee To Elect House Republicans.

“Michael Gorecki is an up-and-coming star in the Republican Party,” Deaton said in a statement. “I'm grateful for his hard work helping me build the infrastructure necessary to defeat Elizabeth Warren. Michael loves New Hampshire, where he lives, and will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the future of the Granite State and I wish him the best.”

Deaton’s scheduler, Kevin Chrisom, is also leaving the campaign, according to a spokesperson. Mark Steffen , who managed Anthony Amore's campaign for state auditor, is taking on an expanded role with Deaton's campaign amid the departures.

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN

***VINEYARD WIND***

ICYMI: NEW NO. 1 FOR OFFSHORE WIND — The Vineyard Wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts is now the United States’ largest operating offshore wind farm, developers Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners announced on Tuesday. The project now has 10 turbines online generating 136 megawatts of power, just edging out New York’s South Fork Wind, which produces 132 megawatts. The developers said Vineyard Wind has installed 21 turbines and 47 foundations — when complete, it is set to have 62 turbines delivering 806 megawatts to the Massachusetts grid. More from POLITICO’s E&E team (for Pros!).

Understand 2024’s big impacts with Pro’s extensive Campaign Races Dashboard, exclusive insights, and key coverage of federal- and state-level debates. Focus on policy. Learn more .

FROM THE 413

— “Northampton school committee supports superintendent amid labor dispute,” by Liesel Nygard, MassLive.

— “Amherst Town Council clears regional schools budget hike one-time funds and warning,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette.

— “Councilors give Batista mostly good reviews; contract extension in works,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “A year and a half into his tenure as city manager, Eric D. Batista was the recipient of many kind words about his dedication to the city, his willingness to engage with residents and his integrity, during his job evaluation from the City Council Tuesday. Batista did receive some criticism — about communication, union contracts and other matters.”

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING

— “Housing costs so much to build. What if they did it on an assembly line?,” by Andrew Brinker, The Boston Globe: “Over the last few decades, housing has become prohibitively expensive to build. Construction materials are pricey. Permitting can drag on, adding time and expense. Labor costs have shot up. … Enter a not-so-new idea that promises to do exactly that. What if we built apartments on assembly lines, instead of on a construction site? Now that idea is going to get a closer look here in Boston. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday awarded the Metropolitan Area Planning Council and a consortium of local cities a $3 million grant to study the idea of bringing a modular housing plant — a factory, for housing — to Greater Boston.”

— “Inflation is costing Mass. students hundreds of millions. Now Gateway Cities, advocates call on state to increase school aid,” by Christopher Huffaker, The Boston Globe: “Facing budget crunches and layoffs, Massachusetts school leaders and advocates are calling on the state give districts more money, after high inflation cost them nearly half a billion unaccounted for by the state’s funding formula. At a recent news conference, the advocates presented a proposed fix from MassBudget, a progressive think tank. The proposal would address two years of unusually high inflation by adding more than $465 million in state aid in next year’s budget, a change that would carry forward into future budgets as well.”

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

ON THE AIRWAVES — New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial hopeful and former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig is out with her first TV ad of the cycle. Craig gets personal in the 30-second spot, talking about her own miscarriage (and sneaking in a jab at one of her potential Republican opponents, former Sen. Kelly Ayotte ). The ad — backed by a six-figure spend, according to the campaign — is running on cable TV, WMUR and digital platforms. Watch … Read .

HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH

TRANSITIONS — The Associated Industries of Massachusetts appointed Dr. Matthew Gardner to serve as the Chair of its Energy, Environment & Sustainability Committee. Gardner is co-founder and managing partner of the ESG consulting firm Sustainserv.

SPOTTED — at the Massachusetts Republican Party's annual the Lincoln-Reagan Reception: former Gov. Charlie Baker awarding longtime National Committeeman Ron Kaufman with the Lincoln-Reagan Award (the "highest honor in Massachusetts Republican politics," according to a MassGOP spokesperson).

ALSO SPOTTED — Baker with Republican Senate hopeful John Deaton ... pic.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Sen. Joe Boncore, Lexington state Sen. Michael Barrett, Plymouth state Rep. Mathew Muratore, Molly McGlynn, press secretary for AG Andrea Campbell; Nick Mitchell, Jesse Lehrich and Paul Tencher, a Sen. Ed Markey alum. Happy belated birthday to state Rep. Nick Boldyga, who celebrated Wednesday.

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