POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: T for thee but not for me

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY CHALLENGE NOT ACCEPTED — Gov. Maura Healey says she’s willing to “get her hands dirty” to fix the T. Just don’t expect her to hop onboard anytime soon. The governor sidestepped a challenge from a WBUR listener who texted into yesterday’s show from a “crowded, slow Red Line train” to ask Healey to ride the rails at rush hour “when she needs to be at a specific place at a specific time.” “I completely sympathize with riders,” Healey replied. “I talk to people every day who take the T, including many of the folks I work with regularly here in the office. So I’m really familiar with the plight of those who are riding the T.” But when it comes to taking the train herself, Healey said “what the public needs to see is a T that’s working” — not a governor who shares the pain of getting stuck in a slow zone. It would be pretty easy for Healey to take the T to work. She lives less than a quarter-mile away from the Porter Square stop on the Red Line, which would take her right to Park Street station. From there, it’s a short climb up the hill to the State House. Door-to-door, the entire trip would take her 31 minutes, according to the MBTA’s online trip planner. Her security needs could complicate things, but it’s still doable — and been done by governors past. Yet Healey is facing a lose-lose situation here: she either gets criticized for not riding the T — like former Gov. Charlie Baker was — or pilloried for pulling a publicity stunt if she does — like Baker was. Healey's already staged one photo-op on a train , when she traveled two stops on the Red Line last month with reporters and cameras in tow. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, right, and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll take the Red Line from Park Street station to take a tour of a MBTA Operations Control Center, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, in Boston. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via AP) | AP Former Gov. Mike Dukakis has a solution . The Duke, who famously rode the Green Line to work when he was governor, said communicating directly with commuters “was an important part of my governorship." He encouraged Healey to make taking the T part of her routine. “There was some concern at the beginning of what was going to happen to me, but surprisingly nothing happened to me other than I became a better governor,” Dukakis told Playbook. “If you do it on a regular basis, it becomes very much a part of your life and your governorship, and I think you’re better off for it.” GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. It’s 17 days past Healey's self-imposed deadline to hire a transportation safety chief. She's also yet to name her new MBTA general manager. Healey said an announcement would be coming within "days" more than two weeks ago. Yesterday, she told WBUR it would be "very soon." Hey, the T is used to delays. TODAY — Healey visits Hajjar Elementary in Billerica at 11:45 a.m. and Dwelling House of Hope food pantry in Lowell at 1 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the El Centro Adult Education Center ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:30 a.m. in Jamaica Plain. Rep. Ayanna Pressley and colleagues reintroduce the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act at 1 p.m. in D.C. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll is also in D.C. Tips? Scoops? Think Healey should hop on the T? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .   FROM THE DELEGATION — TIKTOK ON THE CLOCK: The CEO of TikTok will testify to a U.S. House panel today that banning the app would be bad for American business. But members of our congressional delegation aren’t pushing for full prohibition — yet. Instead, lawmakers are focusing on making the video-sharing service — and other social media platforms — safer for younger users while also addressing the national security concerns that drove Rep. Jake Auchincloss off the app last fall and stopped others from ever using it. But they’re not taking a ban off the table. Rep. Lori Trahan — who sits on the committee hearing CEO Shou Zi Chew ’s testimony today, and who laid out her security concerns in a Boston Globe op-ed yesterday — is open to supporting a bipartisan Senate bill that would give the White House and Commerce Department authority to restrict and potentially ban technologies coming from China and other U.S. adversaries, like TikTok. Rep. Seth Moulton would also consider a ban in order to guarantee the app can’t influence or collect information on Americans, according to a spokesperson. And Sen. Ed Markey told GBH News that TikTok should be “banned from governmental institutions’ use.” He's also capitalizing on the commotion around the app to promote the Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act he’s long fought to pass. The House and Senate have already banned TikTok on government devices. Out of the 11-member delegation, Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley appear to be the only two with active accounts.   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 .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Number of homeless and migrant families living in emergency hotels rises in Massachusetts,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “As of Tuesday, the number of families living in hotels reached 600 for the first time this year — a nearly 55 percent increase in three months, according to state numbers. The Department of Housing and Community Development, which oversees the state’s emergency assistance program, said the shelter system uses hotels ‘when there are no other available options for immediate placement needs.”’ — “Charitable donations could impact millionaires' tax,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “A long-delayed state tax deduction for charitable contributions could help soften the financial blow to wealthy households subject to the new millionaires' tax. Beginning this tax year, the state Department of Revenue will allow individuals for the first time to claim a state income tax deduction for such donations, which for decades have only been allowed for businesses and corporations.” — “State officials issue guidance to Mass. pharmacies: stock abortion pills,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe: “State officials on Wednesday reminded Massachusetts pharmacies that they must stock all reproductive health medications including mifepristone, a drug that can safely end a pregnancy in its early stages and whose availability is the subject of dueling lawsuits.” — “‘Really annoying’ sports betting ads are protected by 1st Amendment, lawmakers say,” by Chris Van Buskirk, MassLive: “The fire hose of sports betting advertising in Massachusetts should slow down once March Madness finishes, and taking any action to restrict the commercials may raise questions around First Amendment rights, the two top state lawmakers focused on consumer protection said in interviews.” FROM THE HUB — “Fired anti-vax Boston police officer followed Wu in a car after protesting at her house, documents say,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: “Former Boston police sergeant Shana Cottone failed to assign a protection detail for Mayor Michelle Wu, whose COVID-19 vaccine mandates Cottone railed against for months. On a number of occasions, the 15-year veteran of the department protested in front of the mayor’s home, yelling and screaming through a bullhorn, and on at least one occasion, followed Wu in a car.” — “Battle brewing in redistricting suit,” by Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner: “According to the plaintiffs suing the Boston City Council over the redistricting map, the body violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by taking race into account in redrawing district lines. Lining up in support of the lawsuit are a Who’s Who of Irish American elected officials representing South Boston and Dorchester: Congressman Steve Lynch, state Sen. Nick Collins and the city’s four Irish American councilors. On the other side are the defendants — the City Council and the City of Boston — and a collection of civil rights organizations that have signed on to an amicus brief rejecting the plaintiffs’ assertions of rights violations.”       WARREN REPORT — “ Republican U.S. Senator Rick Scott, Democrat Warren unveil Fed oversight bill,” by David Morgan, Reuters: “A conservative Republican and a progressive Democrat in the U.S. Senate [introduced] legislation on Wednesday to replace the Federal Reserve's internal watchdog with one appointed by the president, aiming to tighten bank supervision following the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.” — “After bank failures, Elizabeth Warren demands Fed crackdown on large regional banks,” by Matt Egan, CNN: “In a new letter shared exclusively with CNN, Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders and ten other senators are calling for the Fed to crack down on large regional banks with assets between $100 billion and $250 billion.” MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS — “Cannabis regulators putting out ‘a series of fires’ involving a Russian oligarch and data breach,” by Tori Bedford, GBH News: “Thousands of employees in the Massachusetts cannabis industry received an official email last week about a major data breach: the name, home and email address, phone number and date of birth of every cannabis worker in the state had been made public in an ‘inadvertent release of agency documents’ by the state’s own Cannabis Control Commission.”   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 .     FROM THE 413 — “Springfield City Council backs resolution for a 50% subsidy for PVTA bus lines,” by Jonah Snowden, MassLive: “City Councilor and mayoral candidate Justin Hurst has pushed forward a resolution to benefit residents who take public transportation. The council on Monday voted to support a resolution that would approve a 50% subsidy for all of Springfield residents for the next two years. The end goal would be to make public transportation permanently subsidized for riders within those two years. The initiative would cost about $4 million over that time.” — “AG cites Great Barrington officials for holding closed sessions on short-term rental bylaw revisions,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “The Select Board in 2022 violated the state’s open-meeting laws, the Massachusetts Attorney General Office has ruled, when two board members peeled away to privately hone the town’s proposed short-term rental bylaw before bringing it back to the entire board for a vote.” THE LOCAL ANGLE — “Lexington bans sale of new fur products in near-unanimous town meeting vote,” by Chris McLaughlin, MassLive: “Lexington is now the sixth municipality in Massachusetts to adopt such a ban, with the ordinance passing by a margin of 161 town meeting members in favor, to two against, according to MSPCA Advocacy.” — “Appeals Court upholds former Brookfield selectman violated conflict-of-interest law,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “The Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld a decision Tuesday finding Stephen J. Comtois II, a former Brookfield selectman, violated the state conflict-of-interest law when he acted as a selectman concerning a donation of land to the town that he was interested in purchasing.” — "With school transportation an 'equity' issue, mayor wants Home Rule petition to change law," by Jo C. Goode, Herald News.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Sen. Paul Feeney. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: FIRE IN THE POLL — Hosts Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith dig into the state of polling. Smith and host Lisa Kashinsky take a look at both sides of the debate over gig-workers’ rights. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud . 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

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA

 

POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Baker's 2024 outlook

 

View in browser   BY LISA KASHINSKY Presented by WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES — Don’t expect to see Gov. Charlie Baker on your presidential ballot in two years. Do expect he’ll be “involved” in 2024 in some other way. Baker quashed the recent presidential buzz surrounding him when he capped off a week of rare national media interviews by telling WCVB’s “On the Record” that he’s “not going to be a candidate in 2024.” “If I was looking at this point in my career to continue to engage in public service, I think [my wife] Lauren and I, and Karyn Polito, the lieutenant governor, and her husband, Steve, would have run for another term,” Baker said. “I certainly plan to be involved in 2024, but I think the likelihood I would be on the ballot in 2024 is pretty small.” Baker keeps hinting at some greater involvement in national politics as he prepares to leave office. But he hasn’t said much about his plans beyond pontificating on his party's underperformance in the midterms and being more vocal in his opposition to former President Donald Trump. There are plenty of things Baker could do: Baker has relationships with several potential 2024 hopefuls, including outgoing Govs. Larry Hogan of Maryland and Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. The nation’s most popular governor could serve as a surrogate for his candidate of choice. Or he could connect non-Trump candidates to his deep-pocketed donors in Massachusetts. He could also turn his attention down the ballot. Baker, who’s active in the Republican Governors Association, could take on a leading role with its fundraising program . Or he could get more involved in Massachusetts Majority, the super PAC with ties to his donors that plays in local and statewide races. Behind-the-scenes work now could help Baker build key relationships if he decides to run for higher office in the future. Baker told WCVB he’s “not going to rule out ever running for anything.” FWIW, Baker continues to dance around Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republicans’ leading contender to take on Trump. Baker continued to limit his criticism of DeSantis flying 49 migrants to Martha's Vineyard in September. And he wouldn’t answer a direct question on whether he’d back the popular Florida governor for president. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Baker did say — again — that he doesn’t think Jim Lyons should remain chair of the MassGOP. But Lyons, who still hasn’t said whether he’s running again, appears focused on a different leadership fight — Ron Kaufman’s reelection bid for treasurer of the Republican National Committee. Lyons sent a letter to RNC members blaming Kaufman, Massachusetts' RNC national committeeman, for Republicans’ losses in congressional races here and asking them to “consider someone else” for the job. Lyons, who's tried to oust Kaufman as treasurer before, didn't respond to a request for comment. Kaufman declined to comment on the letter, which was signed by just 19 of the nearly 80 MassGOP state committee members and doesn’t acknowledge Lyons’ role in recruiting and supporting losing congressional candidates in the last two cycles. Speaking of Republican rifts, Lyons also didn’t join the majority of RNC members in signing onto a letter endorsing Ronna McDaniel for another term as chair as she faces a potential challenge. TODAY — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attends the Boston EMS recruit graduation at 11 a.m. at Faneuil Hall, joins Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey and Assistant House Speaker Katherine Clark to announce ARPA grants to expand the early childhood workforce at 12:30 p.m. at Horizons for Homeless Children in Roxbury, and attends the annual trellis lighting at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park at 5:30 p.m. Former Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone receives Tufts University’s presidential medal at noon. Tips? Scoops? Email me: lkashinsky@politico.com .   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Did you know the key to good health is right under your nose? Delta Dental of Massachusetts is helping communities across the state improve their oral health and understand that a healthy smile is a powerful thing. Your mouth is the window to better overall health and happiness – open wide and let your dentist help protect you from health conditions like depression and cardiovascular disease. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Baker pardons Amiraults in controversial daycare sex abuse case,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday pardoned Gerald Amirault and Cheryl Amirault Lefave, who were convicted of sexually abusing children in a day care center in the 1980s, in a famous case that has been widely criticized for its lack of evidence and for allegations that child witnesses were improperly pressured into making accusations.” — “UMass President Marty Meehan says millionaire tax a sign voters want more money for public education,” by Jon Keller, WBZ: “The former congressman said he's worried because ‘transportation, local aid, K-12 education — all of those things have been more of a priority in this Commonwealth over the last two or three decades than public higher education.’" FROM THE HUB — “Wu announces $60 million affordable housing program, previews push for rent stabilization,” by Zoe Mathews, GBH News: “Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announced Friday the city will direct $60 million of American Rescue Plan Act dollars to affordable housing in the city, by making 150 city-owned lots available for developers and by funding financial assistance programs. Wu told Boston Public Radio more than 300 homes for income-restricted buyers would be able to be built on those lots." — “New special education report raises questions about bias against Boston’s Black and Latino boys,” by James Vaznis, Boston Globe. — “The story behind Boston’s ‘bleak’ City Hall Plaza and its new facelift, ” by Danny McDonald, Katie Mogg and Jeremiah Manion, Boston Globe. TRANSITION TIME — MEET AND GREET: Attorney General-elect Andrea Campbell will make her first official visit to her soon-to-be office to meet with bureau chiefs and staff. She’ll also sit down with Attorney General Maura Healey , the governor-elect, to discuss the transition one-on-one, a Campbell spokesperson said. The tour and meeting are closed to press. — “With political and policy differences, relationship between Wu and Healey may be more complicated than it seems,” by Emma Platoff and Matt Stout, Boston Globe: “Indeed, from the outside, it looks like the perfect partnership: Come January, the two most powerful political leaders in the state will be liberal, barrier-breaking Harvard women, attorneys who grew up outside Massachusetts but built their public service careers here. Both [Michelle] Wu and [Maura] Healey are vocal advocates for abortion rights, environmental justice, and affordable housing. … They’ve remained cordial publicly, but come January, policy differences could emerge more prominently: ” — “Healey announces transition committee chairs,” by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Magazine: “Gov.-elect Maura Healey, whose campaign often addressed issues more with broad brushstrokes than detailed policy prescriptions, announced six transition policy committees on Friday that will be tasked with ‘translating the campaign’s vision into plans.’ The committees will be led by 15 co-chairs, including several well-known names from the worlds of education, business, and environmental policy. Healey announced that Danielle Cerny will serve as transition director and coordinate the work of the committees." Other big names include: — Gina McCarthy, a former White House climate adviser and past EPA administrator, and Lizzi Weyant, deputy executive director for public affairs and advocacy at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, who are co-chairing the “climate readiness, resiliency and adaptation" committee. — Monica Tibbits-Nutt, executive director of the 128 Business Council and a former MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board member, and Tom Glynn, a former MBTA general manager and Massport CEO, who are leading the “how we get around” committee. — Michael Curry, president and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, and Aisha Miller, a former Cabinet member under Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and vice president of Related Beal, a development firm, who co-chair the “safe and healthy communities for all ages” committee. — “Worcester Superintendent Rachel Monárrez appointed to Maura Healey’s transition team,” by Kiernan Dunlop, MassLive.   POLITICO APP USERS: UPGRADE YOUR APP BY DECEMBER 19! We recently upgraded the POLITICO app with a fresh look and improved features for easier access to POLITICO's scoops and groundbreaking reporting. Starting December 19, users will no longer have access to the previous version of the app. Update your app today to stay on top of essential political news, insights, and analysis from the best journalists in the business. UPDATE iOS APP – UPDATE ANDROID APP .     MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — “Florida paid company $1.5 million to fly migrants to Martha’s Vineyard,” by Samantha J. Gross and Mike Damiano, Boston Globe: “A Midwest charter flight company quoted a price of $153,000 to fly roughly 50 migrants from San Antonio to Martha’s Vineyard as part of the now-infamous migrant relocation carried out by the state of Florida in September. And yet, Florida has paid more than $1.56 million to an in-state aviation company overseeing the job, raising the question of what happened to the remaining money. … The documents made it apparent that Florida had also paid Vertol for flights that have not yet happened.” — “Baker seeks more funds amid influx of refugees,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “Gov. Charlie Baker is seeking more state money for temporary housing to help deal with a surge of migrants arriving in the state. On Friday, Baker filed a $139 million supplemental budget proposal that specifically calls for expanding the state’s emergency shelter system to help deal with a recent uptick in migrant arrivals and an already strained housing market.” DAY IN COURT — “Great Barrington man is lead plaintiff in suit against the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for installing COVID spyware on smartphones without owner consent or knowledge,” by Heather Bellow, Berkshire Eagle: “A town resident is a lead plaintiff in a class-action lawsuit against the state Department of Public Health that alleges the agency worked with Google to secretly auto-install COVID-19 contact tracing applications on the smartphones of more than a million people without their permission or knowledge. … The suit, brought on behalf of all affected Android users, says that when the DPH made its contact tracing software application available in April 2021, few Massachusetts residents installed it, so the agency automatically and secretly installed the app on phones and tablets.” — “Mass. police surveillance case could go to Supreme Court,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “The ACLU is asking the US Supreme Court to consider a Massachusetts case that could set limits on the police’s ability to conduct long-term camera surveillance without obtaining a search warrant."   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts:     FROM THE DELEGATION — “U.S. Rep. Richard Neal seeks common goals as GOP takes slim House majority, ” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal is moving on from the ‘best job in Congress’ as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee under a new, but thin, Republican majority. … He said he will resist Republican efforts to extend the 2017 tax cuts because they benefited only the wealthy. But he’s very interested in reinstating the expanded child tax credits and would be willing to back tax credits for research and development.” — More: “Congressman Richard Neal discusses new Democratic leadership in the House,” by Kate Wilkinson and Nick DeGray, WWLP — “Sen. Elizabeth Warren calls on FDA to bolster access to abortion pills,” by Alison Kuznitz, MassLive: “Fighting for expanded reproductive care access, Sen. Elizabeth Warren urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration commissioner on Friday to eliminate barriers surrounding medication abortion prescriptions.” FROM THE 413 — “FEMA grants $5 million to National Guard for COVID work at Holyoke Soldiers Home, elsewhere: $1M to Baystate,” by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican: “FEMA will grant the Massachusetts National Guard more than $5 million for the cost of providing medical staff and setting up temporary hospitals to handle COVID patients between March and September 2020. That includes, according to a Federal Emergency Management Agency news release Friday, the Guard’s response to the Holyoke Soldiers Home where a COVID outbreak in early 2020 cost 84 elderly veterans their lives.”   GO INSIDE THE MILKEN INSTITUTE FUTURE OF HEALTH SUMMIT: POLITICO is featuring a special edition of our “Future Pulse” newsletter at the 2022 Milken Institute Future of Health Summit from Dec. 6 to 8. The newsletter takes readers inside one of the most influential gatherings of health industry leaders and innovators solving the biggest global health issues to ensure a healthier, more resilient future for all. SUBSCRIBE TODAY TO RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE .     THE LOCAL ANGLE — “'Officer shuffle': Some ousted cops find jobs at new departments in Mass.,” by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR: “WBUR found more than a dozen current Massachusetts police officers who were previously fired or resigned from another department after a misconduct investigation. That includes a police officer in Erving who was fired from the Massachusetts State Police after he was caught repeatedly driving drunk, a Rehoboth officer who left the Seekonk force after he was accused of domestic violence and a Berlin police officer who lost his job in nearby Shrewsbury after allegedly posting vulgar messages on Facebook under someone else’s name." — "‘This was about right versus wrong’: Ex-state board head speaks after jury finds former governor wrongly fired her," by Andrea Estes, Boston Globe: "A day after then-governor Deval Patrick fired her in 2014 as the head of the state’s Sex Offender Registry Board, Saundra Edwards was afraid to leave her house. ... She learned that Patrick terminated her for allegedly pressuring a hearing officer to classify Patrick’s brother-in-law, Bernard Sigh, as a sex offender. ... Edwards filed a whistleblower lawsuit, alleging she was wrongly fired and retaliated against, and has fought for eight years to clear her name." — “Eversource seeks 43 percent rate hike for eastern Mass. electric customers,” by Laura Crimaldi and Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: “In proposals filed with the state Department of Utilities, Eversource said Friday that it would increase the basic service rate for customers whose electricity is procured by Eversource on their behalf by 43 percent in the eastern part of the state and 42 percent in the western part of the state.” — “Hoping to deliver at a Massachusetts birth center? Good luck,” by Shira Schoenberg, CommonWealth Magazine: “With the scheduled closure of North Shore Birth Center on December 1, Massachusetts will have only one operating birth center, Seven Sisters Midwifery & Community Birth Center in Northampton. … The North Shore Birth Center is only the latest in a spate of closures of birth centers, midwifery practices, and maternity wards in the state.” THE NATIONAL TAKE — Published on the eve of today’s sports betting license application deadline: “Cigars, Booze, Money: How a Lobbying Blitz Made Sports Betting Ubiquitous,” by Eric Lipton and Kenneth P. Vogel, New York Times: “If you had to pick a moment when the campaign to convince states to legalize sports betting started taking shape, you might choose the day in 2014 when a lobbyist named Jeremy Kudon heard a radio ad about how people could win a ‘boatload of money’ through fantasy sports. … Mr. Kudon and his clients assembled an all-star team of lawyers and former government officials, including Martha Coakley, who had been the attorney general of Massachusetts. In testimony to and conversations with state officials, Ms. Coakley and other lobbyists cited arguments made by the industry-bankrolled studies and legal memos.” — “Voters who backed GOP governors helped keep the Senate blue,” by Lisa Kashinsky and Jessica Piper, POLITICO: “Democrats have ticket-splitters to thank for maintaining their hold on the Senate. New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan trampled her Republican rival, even as the state’s Republican governor, Chris Sununu, did the same to his opponent. In Nevada, voters helped Democrats seal the Senate majority by reelecting Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto even as they tossed out the sitting Democratic governor. And in Georgia, Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock’s razor-thin race is heading into a December runoff after GOP Gov. Brian Kemp coasted to reelection. ... [Yet] a POLITICO analysis of the results shows that ticket-splitting in those races declined to the lowest point of any midterm since at least 1990.”   A message from Delta Dental of Massachusetts: Delta Dental of Massachusetts connects with communities statewide to highlight the importance of oral health. Your oral health is a key predictor of overall health — with direct links to diabetes, heart disease, mental health, and other medical conditions. So, start the new year right, remind your loved ones – and yourself – to show your mouth some love. Get back to the dentist and remember to practice at-home preventive oral health habits like brushing and flossing regularly. Because the key to good health is right under your nose. Discover the connection between oral and overall health at ExpressYourHealthMA.org.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH SPOTTED — at an Armenian Assembly of America event on Capitol Hill honoring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional Armenian Caucus: Rep. Jim McGovern, Rachel Kaprielian, a former state representative, registrar of motor vehicles and secretary of labor and workforce development; Anthony and Nancy Barsamian, John River, Greg Bilezikian, Sam and Lucine Kapreilian, Mary Jo Bazarian Murray and Farm Aid’s Carolyn Mugar. The Cambridge-based Noubar and Anna Afeyan Foundation provided some funding. TRANSITIONS — Sunil Kumar will be the first president of color of Tufts University . Kumar is provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Johns Hopkins University. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Rep. David Muradian, Matt Martinelli, Michael Lipson and Timothy Cronin. 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

POLITICO, LLC 1000 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA, 22209, USA