POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: How Christie’s exit changes the race

 

BY LISA KASHINSKY AND KELLY GARRITY With help from Mia McCarthy SHAKE-UP IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — Chris Christie was supposed to be headlining a fundraising lunch for the MassGOP today. Instead, he’s regrouping from the end of his presidential campaign . The former New Jersey governor launched his second White House bid in June with the near single-minded mission of taking out Donald Trump. But less than two weeks before the first-in-the-nation primary, the GOP field’s most anti-Trump candidate risked becoming his biggest enabler — a reality he acknowledged when he exited the race Wednesday. “I am going to make sure that in no way do I enable Donald Trump to ever be president of the United States again,” Christie told the few dozen people who had gathered in a wedding chapel in Windham, New Hampshire, for what some of his staunchest supporters in the room had been told was a policy speech. “And that’s more important than my own personal ambition.” Chris Christie ended his presidential bid in a likely boon to Nikki Haley in New Hampshire. | Robert F. Bukaty/AP Christie ultimately caved to an intense pressure campaign from New Hampshire Republicans anxious to consolidate the anti-Trump vote around a single candidate: Nikki Haley. GOP Gov. Chris Sununu, a longtime friend of Christie’s, became his most prominent antagonist, describing Christie’s faltering campaign as “dead in the water” during a TV interview at the end of last month and saying on a radio show this week that casting a ballot for Christie would be a "wasted vote." Privately, Haley supporters were pressing those in Christie’s camp to look at the math, in some cases appealing directly to the candidate and his wife, Mary Pat, according to conversations recounted to Playbook. While Christie’s exit paves the way for anti-Trump Republicans and independents who had been torn between him and Haley to migrate her way, the former New Jersey governor isn’t actively encouraging them to do so. In fact, he continued to make the case on Wednesday — on a hot microphone and, later, to his town-hall audience — that neither Haley nor any of the other candidates still running (the ever-shrinking field includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy) are treating the front-running Trump with the appropriate level of villainy given the threat Christie believes he poses to the nation’s democracy. But according to a recent UNH/CNN survey , Christie’s exit alone could be a boon to Haley. Sixty-five percent of those who backed Christie in the poll said they would break for Haley if he was no longer in the race. Whether that will be enough to help Haley close the gap with Trump remains to be seen. But for those desperate to see the former president fail, it almost assuredly puts her closer to the type of upset victory on Jan. 23 that could change the trajectory of a presidential race that’s seemingly headed for a rematch between Trump and President Joe Biden. And so Christie’s campaign ends not with a victory but perhaps with some redemption for the New Jerseyan whose endorsement of Trump in 2016 helped pave his path to the White House — a decision he offered a direct-to-camera mea culpa for in the waning days of his longshot bid. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. There are 12 days left until the New Hampshire primary. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks virtually at the Massachusetts Society of CPAs annual tax conference at noon. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends the grand opening of ArLab at Quincy College at 6:30 p.m. Senate President Karen Spilka is on WBUR’s “Radio Boston” at 11 a.m. Tips? Scoops? Email us: lkashinsky@politico.com and kgarrity@politico.com . DATELINE BEACON HILL ON A TIGHT BUDGET — More funding for Massachusetts’ overtaxed emergency shelter system could be “harder to support” as the state grapples with a revenue shortfall, House Speaker Ron Mariano told reporters Wednesday. “I mean, obviously, it’s a concern,” he said. “As revenues continue to bottom out and flatten, it becomes harder and harder to support some of these things.” Mariano didn’t directly weigh in on Gov. Maura Healey ’s proposal to cover remaining shelter costs for this year and expected costs for next year by draining $700 million from a surplus account that holds one-time, pandemic-era funds. But he said her move to cut the state’s budget — from which Healey is slashing $375 million to balance out poorer-than-projected tax collections — was the right call: “We have to keep that balance, no matter what the economic conditions are.” FOR YOUR RADAR — Senate President Karen Spilka is plotting another push for free community college for all. "Keep your eyes peeled" for funding in the Senate’s version of the fiscal year 2025 budget, she said on the heels of a new report that puts the annual cost of such a program at $170 million a year. — “Elon Musk goes after Gov. Maura Healey over using private homes to house homeless,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Elon Musk indirectly criticized Gov. Maura Healey’s handling of immigration in Massachusetts, saying 'now they want your homes too' in a repost of an August news story on the administration’s efforts to find more housing for homeless families.” — “ State education secretary takes to airwaves with a message: make school attendance ‘a priority,’ ” by Max Larkin, WBUR: “Nearly four years after COVID-19 first shuttered schools, students are still missing class at rates unprecedented in the past two decades. In an effort to reverse that trend, Patrick Tutwiler, the state’s education secretary, will make his television debut this week to deliver the message that ‘school is where kids belong.’” — “Massachusetts House approves bill outlawing revenge porn for second session in a row,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “The bill representatives approved on 151-0 vote would make it illegal for someone to spread nude content of another person without permission even if the subject agreed to take the photos or videos in the first place. The proposal now heads to the Senate for consideration." — “‘The right next step’: Early education board votes to boost subsidy for child care providers,” by Samantha J. Gross, The Boston Globe. — “Supporters of Everett soccer stadium renew push on Beacon Hill,” by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR. YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS SAVE THE DATE — Republican state Rep. Mathew Muratore told Playbook he’s planning a “special announcement” for Jan. 23, after saying late last year that he’s considering a bid to succeed Democratic state Sen. Susan Moran , who is foregoing reelection to seek a county post. Already in the running for her seat are Democratic state Rep. Dylan Fernandes (who has the backing of Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll ) and Bourne School Committee member Kari MacRae , a Republican. FROM THE HUB — “Was last year really the least violent in Boston’s history?,” by Danny McDonald, The Boston Globe: “In a 30-minute speech highlighting the accomplishments and vision of Mayor Michelle Wu’s administration, it was an easily missed but historic superlative buried in the 15th paragraph of her remarks: Last year saw the least gun violence recorded in Boston’s history. … [Last year] featured the lowest number of shootings, both fatal and nonfatal, since the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, a police intelligence gathering operation sometimes referred to as BRIC, started keeping track of such statistics in 2005, according to police.” — “ 20 arrested following Boston State of the City address, charged with disorderly conduct, ” by Flint McColgan, Boston Herald. — “ Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen touts inflation reduction, clean energy opportunities in Boston visit, ” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald. — “Boston reaches $2.4 million settlement with female police commander over gender discrimination case,” by The Associated Press. — “Boston puts housing tax incentives on ice,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Beacon. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “It’s ‘Groundhog Day’ at the T when it comes to worker safety. Agency acknowledges yet another near-miss,” by Taylor Dolven, The Boston Globe: “A train came dangerously close to hitting an MBTA worker ... again. On Monday evening, a Green Line train entered a work zone where trains weren’t allowed while a worker was turning off a signal heater on the tracks near the Medford/Tufts station, the T confirmed.” DAY IN COURT — “ Dewar confirmed to state’s highest court, ” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “Gov. Maura Healey's first nominee to the Supreme Judicial Court was unanimously confirmed to the bench Wednesday. When Dewar is seated at the SJC, it will be the first time since December 2020 that the high court will include any justice not nominated by Gov. Charlie Baker. The Swampscott Republican filled all seven seats on the SJC during his two terms in office.” MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND FROM THE GRAVE — With one day until the deadline, presidential candidates are scrambling to get on the ballot in Rhode Island. And at least one — Vivek Ramaswamy — has been accused by the state’s Board of Elections of having an "unusually high number of invalidated signatures and instances of deceased voters” submitted on his behalf, The Providence Journal’s Katherine Gregg reports . HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Nick Black is now director of strategic initiatives for the Office of Climate Innovation and Resilience. —  Former MassDems Chair Gus Bickford is joining MassDOT as chief of intergovernmental affairs. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former GOP Senate candidate Kevin O’Connor, Ben Finkenbinder, Barry Shrage and Jonathan Sarna . 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 Nightly: What if Mike Pence is killing it in Iowa?

 

View in browser   BY MELINA KHAN Presented by Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen greet supporters during a visit to a Pizza Ranch restaurant on June 8 in Waukee, Iowa. | Scott Olson/Getty Images SO YOU’RE SAYING THERE’S A CHANCE — It’s been an eventful month for former Vice President Mike Pence. He hired a campaign manager and formally launched his presidential campaign. A Pence-aligned PAC ran its first ad not long after, and its executive director told donors in a memo Tuesday that after just five weeks of being in the field, its canvassers have knocked on over 120,000 doors in Iowa and collected over 20,000 data points . Last week, on the eve of the first anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, Pence called for a nationwide 15-week abortion ban as “a minimum nationwide standard,” underscoring a key difference with his former boss, former President Donald Trump. Despite all that, there’s a consensus view that he has been slow to gain traction in Iowa and South Carolina, the two essential early states for him due to their high percentages of evangelical voters . Pence, the thinking goes, is already buried before the campaign has even started because he’s spinning his wheels with Christian conservatives. But what if that view was wrong? What if Pence is stronger with evangelicals than he’s given credit for? After all, his comfort level with Christian conservatives was the major reason that former President Donald Trump chose him as his running mate in the first place. The limited polling that is setting conventional wisdom in those states so far isn’t exactly independent — it’s mostly from outfits with connections to other campaigns. The Iowa polling done by Committed to America, the Pence-affiliated PAC, tells a different story. According to their data, Pence is in second-place in Iowa with 19 percent, trailing only Trump. Whether you believe it or not, it’s not an outlandish finding in a state where Pence has spent so much of his time campaigning. He’s kept a steady presence in the pages of the Des Moines Register. He’s a born-again Christian who’s in line with every major issue that is important to evangelicals. He even knows many of the pastors of Iowa evangelical churches. Pence speaks to the evangelicals better than anyone in the field, routinely sharing his personal faith testimony with voters on the trail, quoting from Scripture with the ease of a pastor in the pulpit. What’s more, he has used his book tour to speak Sunday mornings at a number of megachurches in a way that sets him apart from the field. Trump, of course, remains strong in Iowa and South Carolina. And South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who’s making a hard push for faith-based voters, could easily carve out a healthy portion of the evangelical vote in both states. It’s a crowded field, but it’s still early. As evangelical influencer Bob Vander Plaats wrote recently on Twitter , “The Iowa caucuses are wide open.” Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at melinakhan07@gmail.com or on Twitter at @MelinaGKhan .   A message from Bank of America: Make everything recyclable: TerraCycle has recycled more than 7.7 billion items since its founding in 2001. Its philosophy? “Everything can be recycled in the end.” This Bank of America partner is working to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.   WHAT'D I MISS? — Americans remain divided on gun control as national worry over violence rises, Pew report finds: A new Pew Research study found that while views about gun ownership and gun policy remain starkly divided along party lines, Americans across the political spectrum increasingly see gun violence and violent crime as issues of national concern . Democrats and Republicans agree on little when it comes to gun ownership and gun policies, according to the report released today. Seventy-nine percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents surveyed said they believe that gun ownership increases safety; nearly the same percentage of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said the opposite. Only one policy proposal, restrictions on gun purchases for people with mental illnesses, received bipartisan support in the Pew study. — Warren, Yellen at odds over bank mergers: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is drawing Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) ire over bank mergers. Yellen has signaled an openness to consolidation as the industry recovers from the failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and First Republic. Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu, appointed to the job by Yellen, has hinted at a similar permissiveness. Warren in a new letter warns Yellen and Hsu that they are taking “exactly the wrong approach.” — Deal on restoring NYC public library cuts reached between Adams, City Council: Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Council have reached a deal to restore funding to public libraries , three people with knowledge of budget negotiations told POLITICO. The accord settles one of the most contentious issues ahead of a handshake agreement on the city’s spending plan, which is expected before the July 1 start of the new fiscal year. Under the pact, the Adams administration and the Council plan to restore $36.2 million — the shortfall facing the city’s three library systems — to the coffers of the book lenders.   SUBSCRIBE TO POWER SWITCH: The energy landscape is profoundly transforming. Power Switch is a daily newsletter that unlocks the most important stories driving the energy sector and the political forces shaping critical decisions about your energy future, from production to storage, distribution to consumption. Don’t miss out on Power Switch, your guide to the politics of energy transformation in America and around the world. SUBSCRIBE TODAY .     NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 ON THE ROAD AGAIN — Toward the end of last year, senior aides of Vice President Kamala Harris gathered in the vice president’s ceremonial office and sat around a table to chart out the year ahead. The group presented her with a strategy document. It recommended that Harris get on the road as much as possible and posited that Americans weren’t seeing and hearing from their leaders enough and that they’d be wise to fix that. The plan also called for Harris to lean into issues they felt suited her skill set. The fight to try and shore up abortion rights across the country stood atop the list. Half a year later, the plan is being put into practice , writes POLITICO. As the Biden campaign begins to rev up, the microscope on Harris is intensifying. Republicans have made clear she will be used as a cudgel to go after the president, making the case that his age effectively makes her the head of the ticket. How she performs over the next few months will determine whether those attacks stick. It also will go a long way in sealing the confidence within Biden world about having her in a more public role. INTO THE VOID — Donald Trump is a known quantity. Ron DeSantis is struggling. A plethora of other traditional GOP politicians, some declared and some not, have so far failed to catch on. Into the void has stepped ... Vivek Ramaswamy , reports Vox. The 37-year-old former biotech CEO and first-time candidate has been omnipresent in the media. He’s been campaigning vigorously in the early states. And in recent months, he’s polled comparably with candidates like Mike Pence and Nikki Haley, in the hunt for third place behind Trump and DeSantis — getting between 1 and 5 percent support nationally. Ramaswamy has gotten to this point through a combination of talent, message, and money. After making an estimated half-billion-dollar fortune from his biotech startup ($10 million of which he’s put into his campaign so far), Ramaswamy became an outspoken commentator criticizing “woke capitalism,” frequently spotlighted on Fox News. His pocketbook and networking ability also helped him get onto the conservative groups event circuit.   A message from Bank of America:     AROUND THE WORLD Governor of the West Bank city of Ramallah Laila Ghannam, with a white scarf, carries the body of 2-year-old Palestinian toddler Mohammed al-Tamimi on June 5. The Palestinian toddler who was shot by Israeli troops died of his wounds, Israeli hospital officials said. | Nasser Nasser/AP Photo RARE AGREEMENT — The U.N. Security Council urged Israel and the Palestinians on Tuesday to avoid actions that can further inflame tensions in the volatile West Bank . The statement was backed by both the United States and Russia in a moment of unity on a divisive issue, reflecting the widespread international concern at the escalating violence especially by Israeli forces and settlers. The statement followed what U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland called “an alarming spike in violence” in the West Bank that led to numerous Palestinian and Israeli casualties. He warned the council that “unless decisive steps are taken now to rein in the violence, there is a significant risk that events could deteriorate further.” Wennesland said he was particularly alarmed by “the extreme levels of settler violence, including large numbers of settlers, many armed, systematically attacking Palestinian villages, terrorizing communities,” sometimes with support from Israeli forces. This year has been one of the deadliest for Palestinians in the West Bank in years, and last week saw a major escalation in settler violence. At least 137 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank in 2023. As of Saturday, 24 people on the Israeli side have been killed in Palestinian attacks.   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 .     NIGHTLY NUMBER Around 178,000 The number of Zimbabweans who will now likely be allowed to remain in South Africa after a South African court ruled against the government today and ordered it to reconsider an order that would have terminated the special permits that allow these Zimbabwean nationals to live and work in the country. The government’s decision was set to force Zimbabweans to return home if they didn’t obtain regular work visas, even if they have children who were born in South Africa and are South African citizens. RADAR SWEEP SAVED FROM THE FLAMES — In July 1973, a massive fire ripped through the offices of the National Personnel Records Center , destroying between 16 million and 18 million official military personnel records. In one evening, the accounts of huge swaths of American history were lost. But since then, a massive effort has begun to recover the records and revive a bygone history. For WIRED, Megan Greenwell traces the night of the fire, the race to recover records and her personal connection to what’s lost — and what can be recovered. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1919: Allied leaders and officials gather in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. There to sign the treaty are Allied leaders French Premier George Clemenceau, standing, center; U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, seated at left; Italian Foreign Minister Giorgio Sinnino; and British Prime Minister Lloyd George. | AP Photo Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   A message from Bank of America: TerraCycle has recycled more than 7.7 billion items since its founding in 2001. Its philosophy? “Everything can be recycled in the end.” This Bank of America partner is working to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12. This goal is grounded in the recognition that creating more responsible consumption and production processes will be key to achieving a more sustainable global economy and healthier environment. “Our mission is not just to manage waste, but to eliminate the idea of waste.” CEO of TerraCycle Tom Szaky explains how, with Bank of America’s support, the company is reducing waste by making more kinds of products recyclable, and devising ways to integrate recycled materials into new products. Read more.     Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Katherine Long @katherinealong   FOLLOW US

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