POLITICO Nightly: What Iowa experts are watching

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY , CALDER MCHUGH AND CHARLIE MAHTESIAN Presented by Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign event at Bella Love Event Center on Jan. 11, 2024 in Ames, Iowa. | Jamie Kelter Davis for POLITICO COUNTDOWN TO THE CAUCUSES — In three days, America will see the first test in the 2024 Republican nomination fight. The results in Monday’s Iowa caucuses are likely to illuminate the strength of former president Donald Trump’s hold on the GOP, reveal whether Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ground game is underestimated and demonstrate if former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley’s surge in the polls is occurring outside New Hampshire. With so many questions still left to be answered in Iowa, POLITICO sat down with six of the state’s top political reporters and editors to get their perspective on what’s happening on the ground. They had a lot to say. (If you’re interested in a deeper dive, you can find the entire roundtable discussion here .) Here are five takeaways from our conversation about the first event of the 2024 primary season: The evangelical vote: Iowa is home to a high percentage of conservative Christian voters — 62 percent of Iowa Republican caucus goers were white evangelical or white born again Christians, according to 2016 entrance poll data. In 2016, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won them pretty comfortably over Trump, who still faced a considerable amount of skepticism from evangelical voters. But things have changed quite a bit since then and Christian conservatives have warmed to Trump, especially because of his Supreme Court picks. Our panel noted that DeSantis is trying to peel away some of that support, particularly in conservative northwest Iowa. But perhaps the most interesting observation was the consensus on how much the evangelical vote has changed since 1988, when Pat Robertson surprised the nation with his strong second place finish — ahead of the sitting vice president at the time, George H.W. Bush. “These voters are now in a party that embraces their issues,” said O. Kay Henderson, news director of Radio Iowa . “There are no longer people in the Republican Party like there were in 1988 who supported abortion rights. So it’s a completely different party than it was in 1988.” Ed Tibbetts, a former Quad-City Times reporter and editorial page editor who publishes the Along the Mississippi Substack, said: “I don’t think evangelicals today are the same as evangelicals eight years ago or even further back. I think that makes it very difficult to compare one cycle to another because the definitions that are being used just aren’t the same anymore.” The ground game: A campaign’s field organization is essential to victory in Iowa, a state with 99 counties and a caucus system that requires voters to attend one of the more than 1,600 caucus sites. DeSantis’ super PAC Never Back Down has been on the ground since April and, according to Brianne Pfannenstiel, a reporter at the Des Moines Register , he’s had “the most extensive ground game, most consistently in the state.” DeSantis is betting big here that shifting significant resources to the state will pay off with a surprisingly strong performance. Henderson explains about his team in the state: “I went to a DeSantis event on Saturday night in Ankeny. There were a number of people getting orange hats that say “precinct captain” from the DeSantis campaign. Talking with some of the people [at a DeSantis event], they’re being given names to call in their community, to encourage them to attend. They’re talking to people online. And then they also will be a point person in each precinct, to speak for the campaign.” But he’s not the only one with a humming operation. Unlike in 2016 when his campaign in the state was fairly disorganized, the Trump machine looks well oiled in Iowa. “They’ve got boots on the ground everywhere, you’ve been bombarded by text messages, by mailers, by emails,” Iowa Starting Line reporter Ty Rushing says. “They’re not just relying on Trump’s Twitter account to get the word out there and to fire up people.” Winter weather: Nearly all of the 99 counties in Iowa are scheduled to be under a winter storm warning Monday into Tuesday, which means the weather will undoubtedly have an effect on the caucus. “The people who want to caucus for Donald Trump really want to caucus for Donald Trump. And there’s less excitement for DeSantis and for Haley, and Iowans have thick skin but this is a really serious weather situation,” said Pfannenstiel. “The temperatures are going to be in dangerous territory for people to spend a lot of time outside.” Kathie Obradovich, editor in chief of Iowa Capital Dispatch agreed the weather will have an impact, but disagreed on who it would hurt the most. She said Trump has the most to lose in this scenario. Campaign surrogates: It’s not just the candidates who are traipsing around Iowa in the run-up to the caucuses. They are accompanied by a host of surrogates who are campaigning with them in an effort to generate energy and excitement, amplify the campaign message and provide validation. Trump has brought in a host of surrogates — Pfannenstiel refers to them as “the Trump cinematic universe” — among them Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and two of Trump’s sons, Don Jr. and Eric, have also appeared in the state on their father’s behalf. “Anytime Roger Stone or Kari Lake or Mike Lindell is at a Trump event,” said Rushing, “there’s a photo line for them, right there on the floor.” Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Thomas Massie of Kentucky are among those who have campaigned for DeSantis; New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu appeared in Des Moines last week for Haley. The Iowa roundtable wasn’t convinced any of the surrogates made a huge difference, though Siouxland Public Media ’s Bret Hayworth noted that one of them made a splash in northwest Iowa when she campaigned there — Noem, who represents a neighboring state and shares a media market. Trump’s hold on Iowa: For all the talk of campaign infrastructure, weather and surrogates, every reliable poll of late has shown that this will not be a particularly competitive contest. The only real question is the size of his winning margin — which will be closely scrutinized. That’s very different from the last competitive Republican primary cycle, when Trump underperformed his poll numbers and lost Iowa by four points to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. In the aftermath of that defeat, Trump cried foul, saying on Twitter, “Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he illegally stole it.” Trump is not taking the state for granted this year. He’s been in Iowa more than he indicated he would in the fall, making multiple appearances at big rallies. Henderson suggests that’s a sign of a change in direction internally, and that “you’ve heard him say on the campaign trail that he wants a thunderous victory here, that he wants a blowout victory here.” The experts had a hard time envisioning any scenario other than a Trump victory. When we asked the room whether anyone thought Trump might not win in Iowa, we were met with dead silence. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s authors at mmccarthy@politico.com , cmchugh@politico.com and cmahtesian@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @Reporter_Mia , @calder_mchugh and @PoliticoCharlie . A message from The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network: Congress: Support the highest possible increases for cancer research funding at the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute to make time. Literally. More than 1.9 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2023 alone. But by investing in the research of today, you’re helping prevent, detect, and treat many of the cancers of tomorrow, creating countless moments for patients and their loved ones in the process. Fight Cancer. Make Time.   WHAT'D I MISS? — White House readies more student debt relief as Biden loan plan enrollment nears 7M: President Joe Biden is adding a new tool to his arsenal for canceling student debt in the coming months as his 2024 reelection campaign ramps up. The White House announced today that the administration will implement earlier than planned a provision of Biden’s new loan repayment program that forgives debt for borrowers who initially borrowed less than $12,000 and have made payments for 10 years. — Johnson says bipartisan spending plan ‘remains’: Speaker Mike Johnson defied his right flank this morning, suggesting that he would maintain a bipartisan spending deal that they despise. Delivering a written statement to reporters, Johnson nodded to conservative anger about the agreement that he negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. But he added that “our top line agreement remains.” Conservatives have criticized the speaker both publicly and privately over the deal this week, calling on him to negotiate a new agreement with steeper funding cuts. That fury from his right flank grew this morning, with Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) raising the idea of booting Johnson from the speakership. — Federal prosecutors to pursue death penalty against Buffalo supermarket shooter: Federal prosecutors announced today that they intend to pursue the death penalty against the perpetrator of a 2022 mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket. In a court filing, prosecutors argued that the actions of Payton Gendron, the white supremacist who intentionally killed 10 Black people at a supermarket in Buffalo’s predominantly Black East Side neighborhood, rose to the level warranting the death penalty under federal law. Prosecutors pointed not only to the high level of planning involved with the attack, but also the nature of the attack itself, as grounds for capital punishment.   GLOBAL PLAYBOOK IS TAKING YOU TO DAVOS! Unlock the insider's guide to one of the world's most influential gatherings as POLITICO's Global Playbook takes you behind the scenes of the 2024 World Economic Forum. Author Suzanne Lynch will be on the ground in the Swiss Alps, bringing you the exclusive conversations, shifting power dynamics and groundbreaking ideas shaping the agenda in Davos. Stay in the know with POLITICO's Global Playbook, your VIP pass to the world’s most influential gatherings. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 MANCHIN TO MANCHESTER — During an eyebrow-raising visit to New Hampshire today, Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia name-checked friends who are elected officials in the Granite State and complimented the discerning nature of its voters, reports the New York Times. He paid homage to the state’s first-in-the-nation primary tradition and swiped at President Biden’s decision to undercut New Hampshire’s power in this year’s Democratic contest. And when pressed on his own ambitions, the conservative Democratic senator offered a message that would-be candidates have often deployed as they flirt with this traditionally influential early-voting state: He declined to rule anything out. AN UNSUSPENSEFUL END — When Nikki Haley walked into an arts district event space in Iowa, with a pared-down version of her stump speech, half a dozen chairs were empty, Semafor reports. When Ron DeSantis rallied with two of his best-known Iowa endorsers in the Des Moines suburbs, two dozen out-of-state college students had grabbed the best seats. And on Thursday, while a “once-in-a-decade” storm pummeled the state, Donald Trump was in New York, on trial, accusing the Biden administration of “cheating” to slow him down. After a year of campaigning, canvassing, and pricey advertising, Iowa’s caucuses are coming to an unsuspenseful end . Public polls show DeSantis and Haley deadlocked for second place as she looks toward New Hampshire, where the race is actually competitive. Snow and freezing temperatures have shrunk crowds and lowered expectations for the Monday vote, when wind chill in some areas will reach the negative 20s. WAITING GAME — The Oregon Supreme Court today declined to hear a bid to remove former President Donald Trump from the 2024 ballot based on the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban,” saying it’s waiting for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on the issue, CNN reports. The ruling comes after Colorado and Maine kicked Trump off the ballot, after judges and officials determined that his role in the January 6 insurrection renders him ineligible for office. However, those decisions have been paused to allow for appeals. The Oregon court did not rule on the merits of the challenge, specifically citing the ongoing litigation at the US Supreme Court, which will hear oral arguments in the Colorado case on February 8. PRIMARY PROBLEMS — A federal judge rejected a bid today to require Florida Democrats to hold a presidential primary in March, reports POLITICO. Florida’s Democratic primary was scuttled because President Joe Biden was the lone candidate certified to state election officials. It was a decision that rankled other Democrats, including Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) who is challenging Biden and called it “intentional disenfranchisement.”   A message from The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network:     AROUND THE WORLD An Iranian protester holds a Yemeni flag during a demonstration in solidarity with the Palestinian people and Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in front of the British embassy in Tehran today. | Atta Kenare/AFP via Getty Images CHAOS COMING — Western warplanes and guided missiles roared through the skies over Yemen in the early hours today in a dramatic response to the worsening crisis engulfing the region , where the U.S. and its allies are facing a direct confrontation with Iranian-backed militants, reports POLITICO. The strikes against Houthi fighters are a response to weeks of fighting in the Red Sea, where the group has attempted to attack or hijack dozens of civilian cargo ships and tankers in what it calls retribution for Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Washington launched the massive aerial bombardment of the group’s military stores and drone launch sites in partnership with British forces, and with the support of a growing coalition that includes Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Bahrain. Tensions between Tehran and the West have boiled over in the weeks since its ally, Hamas, launched its October 7 attack on Israel, while Hezbollah, the military group that controls much of southern Lebanon, has stepped up rocket launches across the border. Along with Hamas and Hezbollah, the Houthis form part of the Iranian-led ‘Axis of Resistance’ opposed to both the U.S. and Israel. Now, the prospect of a full-blown conflict in one of the most politically fragile and strategically important parts of the world is spooking security analysts and energy markets alike. Houthi leaders responded to the strikes, which saw American and British forces hit more than 60 targets in 16 locations, with characteristic bravado. They warned the U.S. and U.K. will “have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences” for what they called a “blatant aggression.” However, following the overnight operation, Camille Lons, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said there may now be “a period of calm because it may take Iran some time to replenish the Houthis stocks” before they are able to resume high-intensity attacks on Red Sea shipping. But, she cautioned, their motivation to continue to target shipping will likely be unaltered.   POLITICO AT CES® 2024 : We are going ALL On at CES 2024 with a special edition of the POLITICO Digital Future Daily newsletter. The CES-focused newsletter will take you inside the most powerful tech event in the world, featuring revolutionary products that cut across verticals, and insights from industry leaders that are shaping the future of innovation. The newsletter runs from Jan. 9-12 and will focus on the public policy-related aspects of the gathering. Sign up today to receive exclusive coverage of the show .     NIGHTLY NUMBER $6.6 million The amount that Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown raised in the last three months . Brown now has $14.6 million on hand to fend off an expected tough Republican challenge in a state where he’s now the only statewide elected Democrat. RADAR SWEEP GO FISH — For the first time, researchers have created a global map of human activities in the ocean — only to prove we know less than we thought about our ocean’s surface. The team used AI and satellite imagery to track human activity on the high seas. What they found were untracked “dark vessels” fishing across the worlds’ oceans. Researchers found that roughly 75% of industrial fishing vessels are not being publicly tracked and are not being considered in reports on ocean use. In this deep dive for Smithsonian Magazine, Christian Thorsberg looks at the dark world of fishing and what this study reveals about underreported ocean activity. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 1978: A souvenir shop stands closed on the Atlantic City Boardwalk where some old shops who can't meet sharp new rent increases are giving way to new businesses willing to take a high-priced gamble on the city's future in gambling. After New Jersey voters approved casino gambling in Atlantic City in 1976, Resorts Atlantic City became the first casino to open in the city two years later. | Jerry Mosey/AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here . A message from The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network: Cancer takes away many things, but the most devastating is time. And while policies and federal research investment have helped avert 3.8 million cancer deaths since 1991, the fight against the country’s second most common cause of death is far from over. With over 609,000 deaths and 1.9 million diagnoses last year, there is still work to do in the fight against cancer. And that is where you come in. When Congress prioritizes ending cancer as we know it, you literally make time for patients, loved ones, caregivers, and everybody else affected by 200 diseases known as cancer. By investing in the research of today, you’re helping prevent, detect, and treat many of the cancers of tomorrow, creating countless moments for cancer patients and their loved ones in the process. Fight Cancer. Make Time.     Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Mia McCarthy @Reporter_Mia   FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: Dems in disarray over shelter aid

 

BY KELLY GARRITY AND LISA KASHINSKY Presented by DEAL OR NO DEAL — A quarter of a billion dollars in sorely needed emergency shelter money remains tied up in the Legislature after top Democrats were unable to strike an 11th-hour deal before ending their formal sessions for the year. Lawmakers punted the shelter aid — and the larger $2.8 billion spending bill it’s attached to — to a six-member conference committee just before 1 a.m. after holding their respective sessions open for more than a dozen hours as Democratic deputies traded proposals. After talks collapsed , top House and Senate Democrats hinted in separate appearances that their chambers are still stuck on how Gov. Maura Healey should spend the $250 million she first requested over two months ago. House Speaker Ron Mariano (left) and House Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz speak to reporters after talks fell apart early Thursday morning on a $2.8 billion spending bill that includes $250 million for the state's strained shelter program. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO The House is pushing rigid parameters that include mandating the administration open an overflow site within 30 days for families that are being waitlisted for emergency shelter. The Senate is looking to give the governor and her team more leeway. Case in point: “This whole thing is trying to get the administration to identify where these people are going to go now that there’s a cap,” House Speaker Ron Mariano told reporters. Minutes later, Michael Rodrigues , the Senate’s Ways and Means chair and chief negotiator, told reporters that he still supports giving the governor flexibility. That the House is the chamber trying to force Healey’s hand is unsurprising. House Democrats have repeatedly pressed the administration for more information about how the shelter system is being run and at what cost. And they’ve vented their frustrations with the state and federal response to the migrant and shelter crisis far more vocally than their Senate counterparts. Still, with each day that lawmakers remain at an impasse they inject more uncertainty into an increasingly dire situation. Newly arriving families are effectively being told to come back later. Overnight shelters for the waitlisted that are being funded through a $5 million grant program administered by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay have yet to open. And the weather is growing colder. If lawmakers don’t act quickly, “we’re going to see some very desperate situations,” said Andrea Park of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. Democratic leaders in both chambers insist they want to settle the spending bill before January, when formal sessions resume and when the shelter system is projected to exhaust its budget. But trying to ram any deal through informal sessions, where one lawmaker’s objection can derail a bill, is risky. And that creates a situation where Republicans — who voted against the overall spending plan in both chambers over concerns about the state’s response to the partially migrant-driven shelter crisis — could hold outsize sway over what happens next. Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael Rodrigues (left) and Senate President Karen Spilka speak to reporters outside their chamber. | Lisa Kashinsky/POLITICO Rodrigues said he was “confident, at least in the Senate” that a compromise agreement could pass. But as the clock ticked down with no supp in sight, frustration was palpable on the Republican side — not just over the emergency shelter aid, but also over raises for thousands of state employees that have been held up for weeks or in some cases months . “We've got collective bargaining agreements that were negotiated in good faith for many, many state employees,” Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr told reporters shortly before lawmakers called it quits. “They deserve better than to have their compensation hanging in the balance.” GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS . Lawmakers did get some things done yesterday. The House passed long-term care industry reforms. And senators voted through an updated version of their prescription-drug pricing bill. The Boston Herald’s Chris Van Buskirk has more on both . TODAY — Healey , Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu have no public events. Tips? Scoops? Email us: kgarrity@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com . A message from Conservation Law Foundation: Conservation Law Foundation is separating fact from fiction when it comes to the role of bioenergy in cutting climate-damaging pollution and transforming our economy to one built on clean energy. The economic, environmental, and public health of our communities and businesses demand that we invest in energy efficiency and clean energy sources – while moving with caution and care on bioenergy resources. Get the full story.   MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FITN FINALIZED — New Hampshire’s 2024 presidential primary will be on Jan. 23, as expected. The date firms up Republicans’ nominating calendar and defies national Democrats’ preferred voting order. President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee wanted South Carolina — a more diverse state that propelled Biden to the nomination in 2020 — to hold the first primary next year, with New Hampshire voting second on a shared date with Nevada. But New Hampshire law says the state must hold its primary a week before any other similar contests, and Republicans who control state government refused to bend to Democrats’ demands. Biden skipped putting his name on the primary ballot in New Hampshire in anticipation that the state would hold a rogue nominating contest. His allies are now running a write-in campaign on his behalf as longshot candidates like Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) and Marianne Williamson , who did file for the ballot, campaign in the state. New Hampshire Democrats could also now lose half their convention delegates. More from Lisa in Concord . DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Healey unveils $62 million funding boost for public college students,” by Dustin Luca, Salem News: “Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, joined by education leaders across the state, packed the recital hall at Salem State University's Bertolon School of Business Wednesday morning to announce a $62 million investment to boost access to public higher education for low- and middle-income students.” — “2 reports urge better access to maternal care and other medical services in Mass.,” by Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, WBUR: “Massachusetts health officials are pledging to invest in new programs and rewrite regulations to expand access to maternal health care." PETER DURANT ENDORSED DESANTIS! MASS GOP statement: And the MassGOP’s ability to help Durant may be limited by its still-dire financial straits — even though a win in this race is exactly what the party needs to start turning its fortunes around. “If we didn’t have the debt, certainly we would be able to do more in this race,” Carnevale said. “But we certainly are confident in our chances.” PETER DURANT IS A CLOWN FOR ENDORSING DESANTIS, THE BOOK BANNER, RE-WRITES HISTORY, DON'T SAY GAY DIM WIT! That's before defining the ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION in FLORIDA or the numerous other issues...homeowners insurance? radioactive roads? DEAD MANATEES? POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: DESANTISLAND — One of GOP state Rep. Peter Durant ’s first big actions as state senator-elect: endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, per the Florida governor's campaign. THIS IS THE CLOWN THAT PETER DURANT ENDORSED: NOTE: GREAT BARRINGTON DECLARATION is a DIRTY ENERGY KOCH funded think tank - it's a SCAM! Ron DeSantis' New Surgeon General Appeared in 'Demon Sperm' Doctor's COVID Conspiracy Video excerpt: One of the video's main speakers, Dr. Stella Immanuel, is a physician who operates a medical clinic in a Texas strip mall next to her church, Firepower Ministries. In the video, she called hydroxychloroquine a "cure" and said, "You don't need a mask" to prevent the virus' spread. Immanuel has claimed that ovarian cysts and endometriosis are caused by "demonic seed." Demons insert sperm into sleeping individuals when they have sex in their dreams, Immanuel claimed in articles on her church's website. Ladapo has also promoted the anti-parasite medication ivermectin as a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised against using ivermectin as a COVID-19 treatment. In October 2020, Ladapo signed the Great Barrington Declaration, a statement that called for developing societal herd immunity to COVID-19 through natural infection. https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desantis-new-surgeon-general... — “Rep. Peter Durant to be sworn-in as state senator on Nov. 29, officials confirm,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald. NOT SIGNED, SEALED, NOR DELIVERED — Yesterday we touched on the lackluster results of the yearslong effort to change the state seal and motto. Now one of the members of the panel tasked with coming up with the changes — and that's now recommending that a new panel under the secretary of state take this up instead — is calling it a “colossal failure,” the Boston Globe’s Matt Stout writes . DUKAKIS DEEP-DIVE — CommonWealth Beacon’s Michael Jonas sat down with former Gov. Mike Dukakis , who recently turned 90, for a wide-ranging conversation that spanned his decades in public service to his views on today’s politics and public transit. One notable exchange: The Bay State’s public transit system “ought to be one of the best in the country,” Dukakis said. Asked what went wrong, he replied: “You’ll have to ask Charlie Baker .”   GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here.     PARTY POLITICS LET IT BE RESOLVED — Top Democrats on Beacon Hill don’t support Auditor Diana DiZoglio ’s quest to audit the Legislature. But party activists do. Democratic State Committee members voted unanimously at their meeting last night to approve a slate of resolutions calling to support audits of the Legislature, a State House staff union, single-payer health care and hybrid party conventions. The resolutions are mostly non-binding. But the vote still sends a message to Democratic leaders on Beacon Hill who’ve blocked DiZoglio’s audit and staffers’ unionization efforts that they’re out of step with party activists on both issues. And it builds off the activist support DiZoglio saw for her probe at September’s state party convention. WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET NEW THIS MORNING — While gun legislation won’t start moving on Beacon Hill again until January, Attorney General Andrea Campbell is launching her new Gun Violence Prevention Unit today. Christine Doktor , who previously served as managing attorney for Everytown for Gun Safety’s legal arm, will head up the unit. Ryan Mingo will serve as deputy director, after working as assistant district attorney and chief of the Major Felony Bureau at the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office. Doktor and Mingo will lead a unit focused on enforcing the state’s existing gun laws, advocating for stronger regulations and defending them from potential legal challenges. They'll also work on community-based violence prevention. Meanwhile, Campbell is on the second day of hosting a Democratic Attorneys General Association policy conference in Boston. Yesterday, the group of attorneys general met with labor leaders from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades DC 35 to discuss wage theft and worker exploitation. And Campbell just awarded $780,000 to 13 organizations across the state to provide legal services to immigrants.   A message from Conservation Law Foundation:     FROM THE HUB — “Boston City Council weighing voting rights for immigrants with ‘legal status’,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council is considering a measure that would grant immigrants with ‘legal status’ but without full citizenship the right to vote in local elections. Councilor Kendra Lara, a proponent, put forward a hearing order Wednesday on the matter, which drew support from several of her colleagues, but was met with legal concerns from Councilor-at-Large Michael Flaherty.” — “Boston police must now track and report on seized firearms,” by WBUR. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “Tibbits-Nutt Outlines Thinking On Transportation Fixes,” by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): “Monica Tibbits-Nutt laid out her vision Wednesday for a unified transportation system that helps address some of Massachusetts' biggest problems, previewed a ‘hard, hard discussion’ about more state money for the MBTA, and shared the frustrations of her own commute into Boston."   GET A BACKSTAGE PASS TO COP28 WITH GLOBAL PLAYBOOK : Get insider access to the conference that sets the tone of the global climate agenda with POLITICO's Global Playbook newsletter. Authored by Suzanne Lynch, Global Playbook delivers exclusive, daily insights and comprehensive coverage that will keep you informed about the most crucial climate summit of the year. Dive deep into the critical discussions and developments at COP28 from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12.. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     DATELINE D.C. — “Top House Democrats evacuated from DNC headquarters as police clash with protesters calling for Gaza ceasefire,” by Sam Fossum and Morgan Rimmer, CNN: “Law enforcement clashed with protesters calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war outside of the Washington headquarters of the Democratic National Committee Wednesday night. … According to a person familiar with the matter, the Democratic leaders — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, the No. 3 Democrat — were inside as the clash between protesters and police erupted.” — "Senate passes stopgap spending bill, sending to Biden with time to spare," by Ursula Perano and Caitlin Emma, POLITICO. WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — “Migrant families in Massachusetts sit in limbo while politicians debate shelter solutions,” by Samantha J. Gross, Boston Globe: “For three months, Nixon Blais’s family has been living in a roadside hotel, waiting for paperwork to clear so the young father can get a construction job. … The family’s life offers a window into the life of migrants in Massachusetts, often fleeing violence in their home countries, who are caught in the middle of a game of a political football between Beacon Hill and Washington, D.C., over the state’s overburdened shelter system.” — “Shelter crisis rises in Worcester as winter closes in,” by Jeff A. Chamer, Telegram & Gazette: “With the number of people experiencing homelessness continuing to increase as space at shelters in the city becomes scarcer, city leaders and advocacy groups are scrambling to get ahead of the arriving snow and freezing temperatures in the region and find people housing.“ A message from Conservation Law Foundation: Conservation Law Foundation is working to fight climate change and secure a livable and healthy future for all New Englanders. We know New England needs to end its reliance on fossil fuels, and that presents a pressing question: What role will bioenergy play in the region’s energy system as we move toward 2050? The fossil fuel industry is leaning hard on selling biofuels such as renewable natural gas as viable options to meet state mandates for cutting climate-damaging emissions. But what’s beneath the surface is more of the same climate-damaging fuels. We don’t have time or resources to waste on costly and ineffective solutions. Conservation Law Foundation is sorting fact from fiction. Bioenergy’s role in New England’s clean energy future is a limited and targeted one. Get the full story.   HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Nora Bent, executive director of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, Brad Wyatt, Stephanie Harris, Jonathan Ng, Josh Gee and Minda Conroe, managing director for J Strategies Inc. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: (THE PARENTS THINK) THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT — Hosts Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela talk through new MassINC education polling. The Boston Globe’s Catherine Carlock joins to discuss the latest in the rent-control debate. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and SoundCloud . 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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