POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Spilka's love letter to a revolution

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY PROPAGANDA!  NUCLEAR IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ENERGY!  RADIOACTIVE WASTE? JUST LOOK AT HOLTEC'S PILGRIM CLEAN UP!  Presented by ‘LADIES CELEBRATING LADIES’ — A new political tradition blossomed last night in a city and state now run almost entirely by women: Galentine’s Day. Senate President Karen Spilka threw the first of what she hopes will be many Galentine’s Day bashes, packing Boston’s City Winery with a who’s who of women leaders from politics, business, philanthropy and beyond. “Women were left out of our commonwealth’s history for far too long,” Spilka told the crowd that included Massachusetts’ first elected female governor (Maura Healey), its first female governor (Jane Swift), its first Black female attorney general (Andrea Campbell) and its first female Senate president (Therese Murray). “I’m happy to say those days are over," Spilka beamed. "There's such a concentration of power in this room tonight. If we do this again I think we're going to have to name a designated survivor." From left: Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung, Gov. Maura Healey, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Senate President Karen Spilka at Spilka's first Galentine's Day event on Feb. 13, 2023. | Courtesy photo Kenny Pierre/United Artistry Think of Spilka’s Galentine’s Day soirée like the St. Patrick’s Day political breakfast, but pink. A lot more pink. Like glasses of rosé, roses in the centerpieces and candy hearts sprinkled around gold-flecked votives pink. Like Boston Mayor Michelle Wu wearing heart-shaped glasses on stage pink. There was hardly a man in sight, much to state Sen. Julian Cyr’s 1848 Massachusetts Senate President Zeno Scudder’s chagrin. Dressed in a period-appropriate top hat and coattails, Cyr took the stage as Scudder wondering why a picture of “Donn A. Summer” was covering his portrait in the Senate president’s suite. He demanded to speak to someone in charge. The Senate president? He must know. The governor? Surely him. The Boston mayor? Let’s find him to ask. Just one problem. It’s not 1848. The governor, the mayor and the Senate president, who were sitting onstage for the skit, are all women. And while the speaking program at times touched on serious topics, like the stereotypes and inequities women in politics are still overcoming, Galentine’s Day was truly a celebration of their achievements. Leslie Knope would be proud. Scratch that, she is proud. Burlington native Amy Poehler, whose “Parks and Recreation” character created Galentine’s Day, recorded a video sending love to Spilka, Wu, Healey and all the other attendees, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Rep. Ayanna Pressley among them. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Roses are red, violets are blue, there's never a dull moment writing these newsletters for you. Happy Valentine's Day! TODAY — Healey and Driscoll attend the UNCF HBCU breakfast at 9 a.m. at the State House and visit The Engine in Cambridge at 11 a.m. to discuss federal funding opportunities. Driscoll speaks at a Local Government Advisory Committee meeting at 1 p.m. Rep. Ayanna Pressley visits African Community Economic Development of New England at 10:30 a.m. Rep. Jim McGovern visits Franklin County Community Development Center at noon and meets with town officials in South Deerfield and Conway. Wu is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m.; Campbell joins at 1 p.m. Tips? Scoops? Bad poetry? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .  PROPAGANDA!  NUCLEAR IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ENERGY!  RADIOACTIVE WASTE? JUST LOOK AT HOLTEC'S PILGRIM CLEAN UP!  A message from NextEra Energy: Affordable, carbon-emissions free, reliable electricity from nuclear energy. Seabrook Station lowers consumer energy costs in Massachusetts and New England by providing a year-round, low-cost, baseload energy supply. And American-made nuclear energy supports hundreds of jobs across New England.   DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Report says millions from new tax on high earners could be lost to loophole,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Magazine: “A new report says Massachusetts could lose out on anywhere from $200 million to $600 million from the new tax on high earners unless legislators close a loophole in state tax law. The analysis from the left-leaning Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center said high-earning married couples could skirt the new tax by filing separate state tax returns, while still reaping the tax benefits that come from filing a joint return for federal taxes.” — “Super Bowl offered first big test for Mass. sportsbooks after in-person wagering launch,” by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: “The three sportsbooks in Massachusetts offering legal, in-person sports betting faced their first big test Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs pulled out a victory in their Super Bowl matchup versus the Philadelphia Eagles. But the true impact of one of the biggest sporting events of the year on Massachusetts’ nascent sports wagering industry will not come into clear view until early next month when the three casinos report revenue figures to regulators. Numbers aside, officials at Encore Boston Harbor, Plainridge Park Casino and MGM Springfield said the weekend was a resounding success.” FROM THE HUB — “Mayor Michelle Wu files rent control proposal with City Council, setting up debate,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Monday formally filed her rent control proposal with the City Council, teeing up what’s likely to be a contentious debate at both the city and state level. The policy, which Wu made a centerpiece of her mayoral campaign and has been floating for weeks, would tie allowable rent increases to the health of the economy, allowing annual rent increases of 6 percent plus inflation, with a cap of 10 percent in high inflation years. It would exempt from that cap new construction for the first 15 years it is open, as well as small owner-occupied properties such as three-deckers.” — “Flynn to other Boston councilors: Open your doors,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Open up. That’s the message that Boston’s city council president recently sent to the rest of the councilors, asking them to make sure to have their City Hall offices open and accessible to the public after what he described as people telling him they came to City Hall to bend a councilor’s ear — only to find a closed door.”   STEP INSIDE THE WEST WING : What's really happening in West Wing offices? Find out who's up, who's down, and who really has the president’s ear in our West Wing Playbook newsletter, the insider's guide to the Biden White House and Cabinet. For buzzy nuggets and details that you won't find anywhere else, subscribe today .     CAMPAIGN MODE — “New super PAC aims to elect Black candidates in local races,” by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: “A new super PAC dedicated to electing Black Democratic candidates to local offices has formed, with its founder pledging to fill a void arising from the state party's lack of vigor in supporting new office seekers. ‘It is hard for candidates of color to raise money, and in a world where there are $1,000 campaign donation limits, it makes it even harder to have a well-funded campaign for candidates of color, especially first-time candidates of color,’ said founder Reynolds Graves, a 34-year-old political consultant.” — “Fiorentini not seeking reelection,” by Mike LaBella and Teddy Tauscher, Eagle-Tribune: “James Fiorentini, the mayor of Haverhill since 2004, will not be running for reelection. He formally made the announcement at a breakfast with friends, family and supporters on Saturday at Maria’s Family Restaurant. … With Fiorentini announcing he will not seek an 11th straight term in office, the field is wide open and potential successors are already preparing to run including two, long-time city councilors and one former mayoral challenger.” That includes City Councilor Melinda Barrett , who Playbook reported last week is in the hunt and has the backing of state Rep. Andy Vargas and Auditor Diana DiZoglio , who represented Haverhill in the Legislature. — “In Attleboro, a kinder, gentler mayoral debate,” by Jim Hand, The Sun Chronicle: “The candidates said their life experiences range from singing opera, to almost losing an arm in an accident, to working on a garbage truck.” PROPAGANDA!  NUCLEAR IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ENERGY!  RADIOACTIVE WASTE? JUST LOOK AT HOLTEC'S PILGRIM CLEAN UP!   A message from NextEra Energy:     DAY IN COURT — “Massachusetts judge ‘publicly reprimanded’ for his Facebook posts about the 2020 election,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “A Massachusetts judge has been “publicly reprimanded” by the Supreme Judicial Court for his Facebook posts about the 2020 presidential election. Housing Court Judge Joseph Michaud — a former Dartmouth selectman and Republican candidate for state rep. who was sworn in by Gov. Charlie Baker in 2018 — violated the Massachusetts Code of Judicial Conduct when he made those social media posts in 2020, the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct has announced.”  ANOTHER CHARLIE BAKER INCOMPETENT! excerpt: A Massachusetts judge has been “publicly reprimanded” by the Supreme Judicial Court for his Facebook posts about the 2020 presidential election. Housing Court Judge Joseph Michaud — a former Dartmouth selectman and Republican candidate for state rep. who was sworn in by Gov. Charlie Baker in 2018 — violated the Massachusetts Code of Judicial Conduct when he made those social media posts in 2020, the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct has announced. Michaud, who took home $195,472.70 as a judge last year, made those Facebook posts leading up to and following the 2020 presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. His social media posts were about political figures, political events, and politicized public events. In its order, the Supreme Judicial Court adopted the Commission on Judicial Conduct’s recommendation that Michaud get publicly reprimanded for that social media activity. FROM THE 413 — “After the killing of Tyre Nichols, a local attorney wants to make a failure to intervene a fireable offense for Pittsfield cops,” by Meg Britton-Mehlisch, Berkshire Eagle: “A new petition coming before the City Council could make it a fireable offense for any Pittsfield police officer to stand by without intervening while another law enforcement officer ‘engages in unlawful violence.’”   DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .     THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Annie Dookhan took the blame for the state drug lab scandal, but she wasn’t the ‘sole bad actor,’ new documents show,” by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: “Disgraced state chemist Annie Dookhan was falsely labeled the 'sole bad actor' who submitted bogus test results in the biggest drug lab scandal in US history, according to just released court documents that suggest other employees at the Hinton Lab in Jamaica Plain may have escaped accountability for their roles.” — “Correctional officer hired as Lawrence mayor's new chief of staff,” by Jill Harmacinski, Eagle-Tribune: “William Castro, 55, who resigned from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department on Friday, is expected to 'bring a fresh perspective and professional direction' to the mayor’s office and City Hall, [Mayor Brian] DePena announced Monday. Castro succeeds Jhovanny Martes-Rosario, 48, the former chief of staff who was immediately fired last week after his arrest by state police for illegal possession of child pornography.” — “Report: Hundreds waiting for nursing home beds,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association’s report, which surveyed 37 hospitals, found that there were at least 891 patients awaiting discharge to long-term care facilities or services in January, more than half of whom were waiting for beds in a skilled nursing facility. Nearly 400 of the patients were in the Metro Boston area, according to the report, with about 130 in the northeast corner of the state.” — IN MEMORIAM: “Politics and the City: Christopher Condon, behind-the-scenes giant of Worcester politics, dies at 46,” by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette. PROPAGANDA!  NUCLEAR IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE ENERGY!  RADIOACTIVE WASTE? JUST LOOK AT HOLTEC'S PILGRIM CLEAN UP!  A message from NextEra Energy: Seabrook Station has provided Massachusetts with low-cost, clean, reliable energy for over 30 years, reducing carbon emissions regionally by approximately 4 million tons per year. Nuclear energy is Massachusetts’ most cost-effective and essential tool to combat climate change.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH SPOTTED — at the Beanpot final: former Gov. Charlie Baker , Boston Mayor Michelle Wu , former House Speaker Bob DeLeo , Rep. Stephen Lynch and state Reps. Aaron Michlewitz, Mike Moran, Alice Peisch, Dan Cahill and Tram Nguyen all sitting together. Congratulations to the Northeastern alums of the group (DeLeo, Michlewitz, Cahill and Nguyen) on the win. TRANSITIONS — Tim Buckley , who rose to chief of staff under former Gov. Charlie Baker, is following his old boss to the NCAA. Buckley will become senior VP of external affairs for the college sports organization in March, when Baker takes over as president. He’ll oversee the association’s government relations and communications efforts. — Darshan Goux has been named chief program officer at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute; Josh Silver will serve as special adviser to the CEO and the Maura Callahan Group has been retained to continue developing the institution’s fundraising and stewardship efforts. — GreenRoots’ María Belén Power is joining the Healey administration in the newly created position of undersecretary of environmental justice and equity. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Rep. Richard Neal , Medford native Mike Bloomberg, Hayley Johnson and Diana Felber. 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   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: Clerks eye changes to voting-reform law

 

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY PROPAGANDA! NUCLEAR IS NOT A SOLUTION!  Presented by NOT MAILING IT IN —  Local clerks gearing up for this year’s municipal elections say universal mail-in voting isn’t working for everyone — and they want changes to the state’s sweeping new elections law ahead of next year’s state and presidential contests, too. Some clerks are urging their towns to opt out of no-excuse mail-in voting for their spring municipal elections , citing the cost and burden on clerks’ offices with smaller staffs. Danvers and Foxboro have already nixed it, while Wareham is considering it . Voters would still be able to request absentee ballots. Clerks weighing the costs and benefits of universal mail-balloting in typically low-interest local elections could face a different problem in state and federal contests. Mail-in voting proved popular in last year’s state elections, accounting for more than 45 percent of ballots cast in the September primary and more than 37 percent in the November general. But voters’ embrace of mail-balloting and eagerness to return to the polls on Election Day meant that few people took advantage of expanded early in-person voting. Less than 5 percent of primary voters hit the polls early, and less than 8 percent of general-election voters. Now municipal clerks' associations are aiming to late-file legislation to shorten early in-person voting. They say doing so would help election workers better juggle the demands of processing mail-in ballots and running Election Day polls. “Vote-by-mail I think has minimized the need for a long period of early voting," Everett City Clerk Sergio Cornelio, who heads the city clerks' association, told Playbook. “I don’t disagree with it, and it’s OK to have it, but it’s a cost to the municipality which is an unfunded mandate from the state.” They’re also floating changes to help streamline processing mail-ballot applications.  Cornelio wants to merge the applications for absentee and no-excuse mail-in ballots. Northborough Town Clerk Andy Dowd, who leads legislative efforts for the town clerks’ association, wants to minimize the number of times voters have to apply for mail-in ballots and give them the ability to opt out of being mailed applications. “We need some way to help us manage the volume,” Dowd told Playbook. “It’s a very labor-intensive process in Massachusetts, and it’s created a pretty significant burden. But clearly voters like it and we want to be able to continue to support the voters and make sure things are done correctly.” Secretary of State Bill Galvin cautioned against tinkering with the new law,  at least for now. Off-year elections aren't a reliable indicator of how people will vote in a presidential year, Galvin said. He also said he would be "more sympathetic" to towns opting out of early in-person voting for smaller municipal elections rather than culling vote-by-mail. But the top elections official also acknowledged that clerks need more help from the state. “Financial support, improving procedures, simplifying processes — those are all things we should have conversations about" ahead of the next presidential cycle, Galvin told Playbook. “But changing the fundamentals? No, it’s too early.” GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Winter had to show up at some point. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey , Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and administration members tour Analog Devices in Wilmington at 10:30 a.m. and 88 Acres in Dorchester at 12:15 p.m. Tips? Scoops? Wish the pig got more airtime on the first night of the Bachelor? I sure did. Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .  PROPAGANDA! NUCLEAR IS NOT A SOLUTION! A message from NextEra Energy: NextEra Energy is the first company in history committed to moving past net zero all the way to Real Zero™, leveraging low-cost renewables to drive energy affordability for customers.   DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Mass. lawmakers consider state funding for migrant housing, schools,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Top lawmakers are grappling to pinpoint how large the influx of migrants to Massachusetts may be as they mull over potential state funding for emergency shelters, as well as support for migrant children in local schools. But both House Speaker Ron Mariano and House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz on Monday signaled their chamber’s overarching commitment to help the migrant crisis, as they wait to see a potential spending proposal from new Gov. Maura Healey.” — “State regulators probe spike in electricity rates,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “State utility regulators are looking into the skyrocketing electricity rates that are putting a squeeze on consumers this winter. In a filing, Department of Public Utilities Chairman Matthew Nelson said the review was prompted by ‘concerns about basic service rate impacts’ on utility customers and said the commission will be ‘exploring any opportunity to mitigate’ rate increases regulators approved this winter.” FROM THE HUB — “Boston Teachers Union is calling for audit amid payroll debacle that is short-changing thousands of teachers,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: “Boston Public Schools has yet to pay thousands of teachers and other educators millions of dollars in pay increases for the last school year and most of this fall — one of the most egregious in a growing number of payroll problems that has their union calling for an audit. The pay increases were part of a three-year contract ratified four months ago by the Boston Teachers Union, which had been working without a contract for a year.” — HE KNEW HER WHEN: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’s new director of tourism, sports and entertainment, John Borders IV , has a long resume — one that includes befriending singer and actress Janelle Monáe when she was going dorm-to-dorm in college selling CDs out of her guitar case, the Dorchester Reporter’s Gintautas Dumcius reports. — LISTEN: “ Citing 'dire, destructive' housing market, Wu makes her case for rent control in Boston,” by Amanda Beland and Tiziana Dearing, WBUR.   JOIN POLITICO ON 2/9 TO HEAR FROM AMERICA’S GOVERNORS: In a divided Congress, more legislative and policy enforcement will shift to the states, meaning governors will take a leading role in setting the agenda for the nation. Join POLITICO on Thursday, Feb. 9 at World Wide Technology's D.C. Innovation Center for The Fifty: America's Governors, where we will examine where innovations are taking shape and new regulatory red lines, the future of reproductive health, and how climate change is being addressed across a series of one-on-one interviews. REGISTER HERE .     THE CLARK CAUCUS — “No. 2 House Democrat condemns violence after daughter charged with assaulting cop,” by Lisa Kashinsky and Kelly Garrity, POLITICO: “House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark is condemning violence against police after her daughter was arraigned Monday on charges that included striking an officer who was trying to arrest her over the weekend. ‘I condemn violence against everyone, whether that is against police or against community members as a result of any person or government entity,’ Clark, the second-ranking House Democrat, told reporters at an unrelated event in a Boston suburb on Monday afternoon. … Clark’s daughter, Riley Dowell, 23, was arraigned earlier in the day in Boston Municipal Court on charges of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, vandalizing a historic marker or monument and tagging property.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “MBTA bus system ‘fails’ Greater Boston residents, report says,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The MBTA needs to purchase 200 to 600 electric buses and hire 740 additional drivers to meet the current demands of a Greater Boston population that grew 53% over the past 50 years while the region’s bus fleet decreased, a new report found. According to the report, released Monday by LivableStreets Alliance and the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, the MBTA’s operating fleet of 1,121 buses is smaller than it was in 1972, when the agency operated 1,200 buses.” — “WRTA cutting back on Friday trips due to drivers out on family, medical leave,” by Cyrus Moulton, Telegram & Gazette: “The Worcester Regional Transit Authority is cutting 112 one-way trips on more than a half-dozen routes Fridays, citing a lack of available drivers primarily due to [the] Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. ‘We’ve been trying to work this out for a while,’ WRTA Administrator Dennis J. Lipka said Monday. ‘We thought PFMLA when it first came in would get used a lot, but that then there would be some evening out.’ But Lipka said that prediction turned out to be ‘totally inaccurate.’”               PROPAGANDA! NUCLEAR IS NOT A SOLUTION! RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN PILGRIM? WHERE'S IT GOING?  A message from NextEra Energy:     MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — “Mass. lawmakers propose cannabis reforms, decriminalization of psychedelics,” by Dan Adams, Boston Globe: “When Massachusetts lawmakers rewrote the state’s marijuana laws in 2022, they focused largely on changing the legal cannabis industry. Now, it appears the emphasis will shift to consumers and workers. In advance of a late-Friday deadline for filing bills, state legislators last week submitted dozens of marijuana-related measures, including proposals to ban employers from firing workers over flunked THC tests, make it easier to wipe away old marijuana-related criminal charges, and require licensed cannabis facilities to allow workers to vote on unionizing.” FROM THE 413 — “Labor board to hold hearing over Amherst teachers union allegations of school board retaliation against 2 members,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Complaints brought by the teachers union alleging that the Amherst School Committee unlawfully retaliated against two school employees for protected union activity will be subject to a hearing after a state Department of Labor Relations investigation found a probable cause that violations occurred. … The complaint filed with the Labor Relations Board in 2021 contended there was retaliation against two employees at Fort River School after they raised concerns about the effectiveness of COVID-19 protocols between August and October 2021, and clashed with a former principal of the school. One employee was subject to a transfer to another school building before resigning, while the other was placed on leave.” TODAY'S SPECIAL (ELECTION) — “In race for Salem mayor, four men are running to serve remainder of Kim Driscoll’s term,” by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: “There’s the insider. The outsider. The former mayor. And a former city councilor. These are the four men running to serve as mayor of Salem for a truncated term last held by Lt. Gov. Driscoll, the first woman elected to the post who held it for 16 years before moving to a successful bid for lieutenant governor this past fall.” — “DiLisio leads DeSimone, Davis, Barone in campaign funds for Attleboro mayor's race,” by Jim Hand, The Sun Chronicle: “Acting Mayor Jay DiLisio has a substantial financial lead over his opponents in the mayoral campaign leading up to a Feb. 28 special election. The election will determine who will serve out the remaining term of Paul Heroux, who resigned as mayor to become Bristol County sheriff.”   DOWNLOAD THE POLITICO MOBILE APP: Stay up to speed with the newly updated POLITICO mobile app, featuring timely political news, insights and analysis from the best journalists in the business. The sleek and navigable design offers a convenient way to access POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Don’t miss out on the app you can rely on for the news you need, reimagined. DOWNLOAD FOR iOS – DOWNLOAD FOR ANDROID .     THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Groups urge schools to resist book bans,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Civil liberties groups are urging state and local education officials to push back against ‘coordinated’ efforts to ban books, warning that pulling any controversial titles from libraries could run afoul of anti-discrimination laws. In a letter to the state’s public school districts, the Massachusetts chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders cited a recent uptick in library book challenges from parents and conservative groups targeting titles related to LGBTQ issues, communities of color, and other marginalized groups.” MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — 2024 WATCH: Former President Donald Trump will keynote New Hampshire Republicans’ state party meeting on Saturday in Salem, marking his first trip back to the Granite State since before the 2020 presidential election and since he declared his third run for the White House. With New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary locked in on the Republican side, state Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley used Trump’s pending visit to reiterate his calls for the DNC not to go along with President Joe Biden ’s proposed calendar shakeup that would make South Carolina the first primary. “The path to the White House runs straight through New Hampshire, and Republicans know it,” Buckley said in a statement. “The DNC’s plan to penalize New Hampshire and withhold resources from our state jeopardizes the entire Democratic slate in 2024.” PROPAGANDA! NUCLEAR IS NOT A SOLUTION! RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN PILGRIM? WHERE'S IT GOING?  A message from NextEra Energy: NextEra Energy is the first company committed to reaching Real Zero™, as in 100% clean energy. We’re not just offsetting carbon emissions — we’re eliminating them.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH JUST CAME TO SAY FELLOW — The Harvard Institute of Politics’ spring 2023 resident fellows are former Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), Kristin Amerling, Negah Angha, Quentin Fulks, Matthew Raymer and Jason Rezaian. Former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and former Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) join as visiting fellows. — Mia McCarthy is joining POLITICO as a 2023-2024 fellow. She previously was a metro correspondent for the Boston Globe and is a Boston University alum. TRANSITIONS — Amanda Torres-Price is now director of communications for the Massachusetts Teachers Association. She was previously deputy director of communications for 32BJ SEIU in Boston. — Sarafina Chitika is now deputy comms director for Sen. Elizabeth Warren. She most recently was national press secretary for Sen. Raphael Warnock’s (D-Ga.) reelection campaign. WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell welcomed son Elias Corban Edwin Worrell last Friday. Both mom and baby are doing great. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Roberto Jiménez-Rivera , DJ Napolitano , principal at Dewey Square Group, and Andrew Friendly. Happy belated to Jessica Spence of Rep. Jake Auchincloss’s office, who celebrated Monday. 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   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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