POLITICO Nightly: They surveyed 10,000 rural voters. Here’s what they learned.

 

BY PEDER SCHAEFER People enter the town hall just after sunrise to cast their ballots in the rural township of San Francisco, Minn. in 2008. The town hall, which is a converted one room school house, serves as the polling location for the township. | Cory Ryan/Getty Images SMELLING A FAKE — To win in rural areas in 2024 and beyond, Democrats need candidates who are, well, authentically rural. That’s one of the key insights from a new survey of over 10,000 rural voters — the largest-ever study of its kind — and hundreds of years of election data on rural voting patterns featured in the book, “The Rural Voter: The Politics of Place and the Disuniting of America.” The sharp swing of rural voters toward the Republican Party since the 1980s cannot be explained by simply looking at demographic indicators like race, age and education, say Colby College professors Nicholas Jacobs and Daniel Shea, who published the book in November . Instead, they use their data to argue that a new identity has formed around the “shared fate” of rural communities, that place-based anxiety and grievance play a central role in rural politics and that engaging with rural identity and authenticity are key if Democrats want to compete in those areas again. Nightly called Jacobs and Shea to get more insight into their research, to understand exactly why some voters have sprinted away from Democrats and what the party must do to win them back. This interview has been edited. The two of you dug into hundreds of years of rural voting history and over 10,000 survey responses for this book. What’s the history of the rural vote? And when did the current urban-rural divide appear? Shea: It’s fair to say that a rural-urban divide has existed from the beginning of our experiment. But for nearly 200 years, that urban-rural divide was very regional, state-based and temporary. One thing our data shows is that this extensive national divide is unprecedented in our history. Jacobs: 1980s is this inflection point where the behaviors of rural voters begin to nationalize. That means whether you live in a rural community in Maine, Alabama or the Midwest, you’re starting to behave similarly and react to similar forces. It’s a complex historical narrative. It’s top down and bottom up. There’s real social transformation in rural agricultural and manufacturing communities, but there’s also political narrative construction by Republicans. After crunching the survey data, you identify place-based grievance and anxiety as the strongest indicators of being a rural voter. What is place-based anxiety or grievance, and why is it so important? Jacobs: Demographic indicators do not do that good of a job [of identifying rural voters] compared to values. … When you ask questions about the community: Is your community better off? Will your kids have to leave your community in order to live a productive life? Are politicians listening to the needs of your community? That is a distinguishing feature of ruralness. Rural people are thinking about their rural communities in a different way. Suburbanites and urbanites are not thinking about that. In the book you talk about a few case studies of Democratic lawmakers who over-performed in rural areas, such as Reps. Jared Golden in Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez in Washington state and Tim Ryan in Ohio. Why were those candidates successful in beating some of the trends you lay out elsewhere in the book? Jacobs: If rural identity is an identity that has significant values in the mind of rural people, then what you are talking about here is identity politics. And we know that in identity politics, that candidates, especially the background and the persona of the candidate, is especially important in that type of environment. It’s hard, if not impossible, to fake your identity and it’s really easy to screw that up. … So, this comes down to candidate selection. This comes down to identifying good Democrats in that local community that can speak to that community’s history and particularized sense of place. Donald Trump won large majorities among rural voters in 2016 and 2020. What explains a Manhattan billionaire’s strong appeal in rural America? Jacobs: You have to get beyond Trump’s persona. You have to look beyond this idea that Trump is a typical Manhattanite. I think that’s where people try to carve out this disconnection: How could this billionaire living in his Manhattan skyscraper identify with these people? But the truth of the matter is he never pretended to be a rural person. He didn’t go around making a whole to-do about being born in Scranton like Joe Biden or chumming up with coal miners like Hillary Clinton. It made him not authentically rural, but authentic as a non-typical politician. And when he would speak about rural issues, like taking pride in mining coal, it was more empathy than anything. … A politician or a leader like Trump doesn’t necessarily have to pretend to be rural to play into rural identity politics. Just like progressives on the left don’t have to be a certain demographic to speak the language of identity politics. What would be your advice to Democrats who want to start winning again in rural America? Shea: The question is, can Joe Biden make inroads in rural America? He’s got a concerted effort and programs to reach out to rural America, but will it work? Our argument has been that economic programs of this sort are more likely to work if they are particularized, if they’re about that specific industry. … The voters have to believe that Joe Biden, the federal government and the Congress really understands what is happening here. Just sweeping your hand and saying, ‘we’re bringing you broadband,’ is not going to cut it. What are some of the implications of your research for the 2024 presidential election? Shea: I hope Democrats appreciate the size of the rural voting bloc. This is a group of voters that is more important for the Republican Party than either Black voters or young voters are for the Democratic coalition. This is a big important group, and if the Democrats can’t chip away and make some inroads, it is not good on a national level and it’s going to be very bad at the state-level. … One of the reasons it may be hard for Democrats to go into rural areas is that they’ve come to believe these are bastions of crazy Trumpers. … But what we show in this book is that there are genuine concerns that pre-date Donald Trump by decades. Take the anxiety that all Americans feel about the future, double it, and extend it back extra decades. That’s the story of rural America. Welcome to POLITICO Nightly. Reach out with news, tips and ideas at nightly@politico.com . Or contact tonight’s author at pschaefer@politico.com or on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @p_s_schaefer .   SUBSCRIBE TO GLOBAL PLAYBOOK: Don’t miss out on POLITICO’s Global Playbook, the newsletter taking you inside pivotal discussions at the most influential gatherings in the world, including WEF in Davos, Milken Global in Beverly Hills, to UNGA in NYC and many more. Suzanne Lynch delivers the world's elite and influential moments directly to you. Stay in the global loop. SUBSCRIBE NOW .     WHAT'D I MISS? — Biden meets with Navalny’s widow and daughter: President Joe Biden met today with the widow and daughter of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny , who died in prison last week. In San Francisco as part of a three-day fundraising swing through California, Biden expressed his “heartfelt condolences” to Yulia and Dasha Navalny, according to a White House readout of the meeting. Yulia, in a video message, blamed Putin for killing her husband and vowed to take up his cause, that of a free Russia. — Two more clinics in Alabama pausing IVF treatments after court ruling: Two more clinics in Alabama will pause in vitro fertilization treatment after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled this week that frozen embryos are children under state law. Alabama Fertility Specialists in Birmingham announced its decision today on Facebook. The clinic said it’s contacting patients whose care was abruptly paused to find options and potential solutions. It also notified the public that it’s working to contact legislators to explain the “negative impact of this ruling on the women of Alabama.” — Oklahoma governor calls nonbinary student’s death a ‘tragedy’: Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt called the recent death of a 16-year-old nonbinary student a tragedy and condemned bullying as officials continue to investigate the situation. Nex Benedict, a sophomore at Owasso High School in the suburbs of Tulsa, died earlier this month one day after a fight in a school restroom that may have begun due to bullying over gender identity, The Associated Press reported. “There’s no bullying allowed in Oklahoma. We’re gonna prosecute that,” Stitt said at POLITICO’s Governors Summit today. “I think they’re still investigating how it happened, but it’s an absolute tragedy.” This is the tragic cost of promoting IGNORANCE & HATE! excerpt: During the summit, Stitt also expressed support for a push in Oklahoma to establish the country’s first religious school that would be fully funded by the public. Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general has filed a lawsuit with the state Supreme Court to stop the school board from establishing the charter school, with oral arguments to begin April 2. NIGHTLY ROAD TO 2024 HE’S IN — Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis today did not rule out a 2028 presidential bid when pressed about his future plans during POLITICO’s Governors Summit. “This is a job a little different than a senator in Congress, where you kind of have a little more time to think about things. You’re really running things day to day in your states,” Polis said when asked if he has considered a 2028 presidential run. “There’s very little time, nor should people in those kinds of positions, to be thinking about three, four years out.” BATTLEGROUND DYSFUNCTION — State Republican parties in roughly half of the most important battleground states are awash in various degrees of dysfunction, debt and disarray , reports The New York Times. In Arizona, the chairman of the state’s Republican Party recently resigned after a leaked tape surfaced in which he appeared to offer a bribe to persuade a candidate to stay out of a Senate race. In Georgia, the state party’s treasury has shrunk by more than 75 percent as it has spent more than $1.3 million on legal fees since 2023, largely to defend fake electors facing criminal charges, including the former party chairman. And in Nevada, the party chairman is himself under indictment for his role as a fake elector in the 2020 election. With former President Donald J. Trump tightening his grip on the Republican presidential nomination, the widespread problems have caused deepening concern among top Republican officials. There is no one explanation for the disparate party struggles in the swing states that matter most for the presidency. But across the map, state parties have become combat zones for the broader struggles inside the G.O.P. between the party’s old guard and its ascendant Trump wing, with rifts that can prove divisive and costly. BIDEN TARGETS TRUMP ON IVF — The Alabama Supreme Court ruling jeopardizing access to in vitro fertilization has provided President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign with what it sees as a freighter-size political opening to pin much of the blame squarely on Donald Trump, reports POLITICO. Ahead of a speech Trump is scheduled to give this evening to conservative Christian broadcasters in Nashville, Tennessee, the Biden campaign has gone aggressively on the offensive, accusing the former president of being responsible for current reproductive rights restrictions across the South and elsewhere. “Tonight Donald Trump will come face to face with the horrific reality he created: speaking in a state that has banned abortion entirely with no exceptions for rape or incest,” Kevin Munoz, spokesperson for Biden’s campaign, said in a statement. AROUND THE WORLD National Security Council spokesman John Kirby takes a question from a reporter at a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. | Andrew Harnik/AP SANCTIONS COMING — The White House is promising to unveil new sanctions on Iran in the coming days in retaliation for its arms sales that have bolstered Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and threatening a “swift” and “severe” response if Tehran moves forward with selling ballistic missiles to Moscow, reports The Associated Press. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said today that the U.S. will be “imposing additional sanctions on Iran in the coming days” for its efforts to supply Russia with drones and other technology for the war against Ukraine. And he issued a new warning to Iran that providing ballistic missiles to Russia for use against Kyiv would be met with even more sanctions and actions at the United Nations. The U.S. has been warning for months of Russia’s efforts to acquire ballistic missiles from Iran in return for providing Tehran with enhanced military cooperation. “We have not seen any confirmation that missiles have actually moved from Iran to Russia,” Kirby said, but said that at the same time, “we have no reason to believe that they will not follow through.” He said that if Iran moves forward, “I can assure you that the response from the international community will be swift and it will be severe.” He said the U.S. would take the matter to the UN Security Council, where Russia has a veto.   YOUR GUIDE TO EMPIRE STATE POLITICS : From the newsroom that doesn’t sleep, POLITICO's New York Playbook is the ultimate guide for power players navigating the intricate landscape of Empire State politics. Stay ahead of the curve with the latest and most important stories from Albany, New York City and around the state, with in-depth, original reporting to stay ahead of policy trends and political developments. Subscribe now to keep up with the daily hustle and bustle of NY politics.      NIGHTLY NUMBER 12 percent The amount that exports from Japan surged in January , a stronger than expected result that helped the country’s deficit shrink to 1.76 trillion yen ($12 billion). Strong exports have roughly halved Japan’s deficit from this time last year. RADAR SWEEP CATHOLIC CARE — Across the country, explicitly Catholic health companies have taken over secular hospitals. Four of the 10 largest hospital chains in America are now Catholic, according to federal data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. And with that takeover comes some constraints . While the hospitals are largely similar to their secular counterparts, they include a handbook of “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services” that can make it more difficult to get procedures that the Catholic church deems morally wrong, including abortions. For KFF Health News, Rachana Pradhan and Hannah Recht dove deep into Catholic health care and what it means for the country’s overall health system. PARTING IMAGE On this date in 2011: Cars are abandoned on a flooded street after a strong earthquake in suburban Christchurch, New Zealand. The powerful earthquake collapsed buildings at the height of a busy workday killing 185 people and injuring thousands in one of the country's worst natural disasters. | Mark Mitchell/AP Did someone forward this email to you?  Sign up here .   Follow us on Twitter Charlie Mahtesian @PoliticoCharlie Calder McHugh @calder_mchugh Mia McCarthy @Reporter_Mia   FOLLOW US

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POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: The name, image and likability of Charlie Baker

 

BY MIA MCCARTHY With help from Lisa Kashinsky CHARLIE ON CAPITOL HILL — Charlie Baker is bringing a new sport to the NCAA: the game of politics. The NCAA turned to the longtime bureaucrat to help navigate the numerous legal and regulatory challenges it's facing both in Washington and amid a players’ rights movement largely centered on pay and collective bargaining. Five months in, Baker’s already making progress. Before Congress broke for August recess at the end of last week, three groups of lawmakers had introduced guidelines for how college athletes make money off their name, image and likeness. Every member behind each of the three proposals — Rep. Lori Trahan included — said they had spoken with Baker since he took over as NCAA president in March. And, true to Baker’s bipartisan brand , the former Republican governor is being well received on both sides of the aisle. “If Charlie Baker would have been here two, three years ago , we wouldn't have this problem now,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) told Playbook. Out of the three recently filed NIL bills, Baker was quoted as supporting the one Manchin sponsored alongside former Alabama football coach Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.). Baker has become a fixture on Capitol Hill since ending his time on Beacon Hill. One of his latest visits involved a meeting with Nevada Democrat Dina Titus, who had sent a letter to the NCAA looking for transparency on sports betting policies. “I was real pleased with it because he came uninvited,” Titus told Playbook. Baker had already responded to Titus' inquiry , but he still "took the initiative to come and see us." Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), who cosponsored a different NIL bill with Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and has worked with the NCAA on legislation for years, said Baker also came by his office after starting his new role. “We've had a good relationship with his predecessor,” Moran said. But Baker brings a “newness” to the NCAA, Moran said. “It was just a fresh start for everybody.” NCAA President Charlie Baker speaks as the women's and men's NCAA Champion teams from the 2022-2023 season are celebrated during College Athlete Day on the South Lawn of the White House, Monday, June 12, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) | AP Trahan, a former Division 1 volleyball player and Lowell High School Athletic Hall of Fame member , is also sponsoring a bill to produce a national NIL standard instead of the current patchwork of state laws. She said Baker has “done all the right things” so far on Capitol Hill. “The NCAA has had their head in the sand for decades ,” Trahan said. “But I've seen Charlie work with Democrats and a lot of different stakeholders to get things done. And so I'm optimistic that he's going to transform the NCAA.” While they've put forward competing bills , the various lawmakers involved said they’re just hoping to set a national NIL standard. And members on both sides of the aisle feel they have an ally in Baker. “He knows a lot of the players in the political world ,” Titus said. “So certainly, that doesn't hurt.” GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The NCAA didn’t just hire Baker for his political skills . They also liked his track record turning around big organizations. Now he’s released his game plan for the NCAA . Dive deeper with Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press . TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll sign the Chapter 90 road repair funding bill at 9 a.m. at the Beaver Street Bridge in Lowell and hold another Chapter 90 event at 11 a.m. at Amesbury’s Heritage Park. Sen. Ed Markey announces federal funding to renovate Boston’s Old South Meeting House at 10:30 a.m. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is on GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at 11 a.m. THIS WEEKEND — Senate President Karen Spilka is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on NBC10 Boston’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Tips? Scoops? Talked to Charlie Baker on Capitol Hill? Let us know how it went: mmccarthy@politico.com and lkashinsky@politico.com.   A NEW PODCAST FROM POLITICO: Our new POLITICO Tech podcast is your daily download on the disruption that technology is bringing to politics and policy around the world. From AI and the metaverse to disinformation and cybersecurity, POLITICO Tech explores how today’s technology is shaping our world — and driving the policy decisions, innovations and industries that will matter tomorrow. SUBSCRIBE AND START LISTENING TODAY .     DATELINE BEACON HILL — “Pharmacists could prescribe hormonal contraceptives under FY24 budget language,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Registered pharmacists in Massachusetts could prescribe and dispense hormonal birth control patches or self-administered oral pills to any person, regardless of whether they have evidence of a previous prescription, under language included in the pending state budget.” — “Regulators asked to block storm cost recovery,” by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: “The state's utility regulators are being urged to update rules that allow companies like National Grid and Eversource to pass along the costs of storm cleanups to their customers.” — DOMINO EFFECT: With Governor's Councilor Eileen Duff running for Southern Essex register of deeds, Methuen City Councilor Eunice Zeigler says she's running for Duff's Governor's Council seat. Zeigler ran unsuccessfully for state Senate last year. BALLOT BATTLES — OPPOSITION FORMING: The Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education and the Massachusetts High Technology Council are lining up against the state's largest teachers union over a proposed ballot question that would end the use of MCAS as a high school graduation requirement and instead have districts certify students’ academic skills. “This proposal would jeopardize the futures of Massachusetts high school graduates, endanger the state’s standing as a national leader in education, and put the state’s economy at a further competitive disadvantage,” High Tech Council President Chris Anderson , a former state Board of Education chair, said in a statement. FROM THE HUB — SO WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT SLIDE: Apparently, the metal slide a cop flew down outside of Boston City Hall is now a tourist attraction for adults with daredevil inclinations or injury wishes, according to the Boston Globe’s Spencer Buell and WBZ NewsRadio’s Matt Shearer , who got “stuck” in the tube while attempting to carry out his reporting duties. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters she’d look into whether the city needs even more signs around the slide saying it’s not for adults . — “City to focus on criminals as Mass. and Cass violence increases,” by Sean Cotter, Boston Globe: “In an interview Thursday, [Wu administration Mass. and Cass coordinator Tania] Del Rio said the city will continue to offer services, including transitional housing to people who have been living without a home and on the streets, as well as those who are battling substance addiction. But she also insisted Boston must confront criminals who are making the area so unsafe.” A group of South Boston and Dorchester-area elected officials are demanding a warrant sweep of the area , per the Boston Herald’s Flint McColgan . Newly elected state Rep. John Moran , who represents the troubled corridor, also called for a warrant sweep “specifically targeting those individuals with a history of violence, sexual assault, drug distribution, and human trafficking.” — “Ed Flynn is Boston’s acting mayor while Michelle Wu takes 10-day break,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald. THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: District 8 Boston City Councilor-Elect Sharon Durkan is endorsing Henry Santana for city councilor at-large. — “New Bedford's mayoral candidate pool has shrunk. Here's who's running now,” by Matthew Ferreira, Standard Times: “Mayor Jon Mitchell and challengers Nathan Almeida and Michael Janson are the only three mayoral candidates to have returned their nomination papers, have signatures certified and accept their nominations.” PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — “T unions look to do much better under Healey,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The relationship between the MBTA and its largest union appears to be undergoing a sea change under Gov. Maura Healey. … Privatization has gone missing from the T’s vocabulary. Instead of contract negotiations taking a year or longer, the T and the Carmen’s Union wrapped up talks in less than seven months.” DAY IN COURT — “First lawsuit over new Mass. housing law targets town of Holden,” by Andrew Brinker, Boston Globe: “A Worcester-based housing advocacy group on Thursday sued the Town of Holden for defying the state’s new multifamily housing law — MBTA Communities — a move that may tee up a court battle over Massachusetts’ most critical tool for tackling the housing crisis.” — “Inside the courtroom: Donald Trump, Jack Smith and a historic glance,” by Kyle Cheney, POLITICO: “Even before Donald Trump entered a federal courtroom and declared himself ‘not guilty’ on four felony charges related to his effort to derail the transfer of presidential power, the weight of history was evident in Washington, D.C.’s federal courthouse.” Small groups of activists protested Trump in Boston and Northampton hours after his court appearance in D.C. — “Mass. lawyer representing unindicted co-conspirator in Trump indictment,” by Mary Markos, NBC10 Boston.   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 .     BIDEN TIME — THERE’S ALWAYS A MASSACHUSETTS CONNECTION: Elizabeth Warren 's "dynamic duo" of fundraising directors from her 2012 Senate campaign are now finance co-chairs for President Joe Biden 's reelection bid. Colleen Coffey and Michael Pratt join finance chair and former U.S. Ambassador Rufus Gifford . They're also Ed Markey campaign alums. POLITICO’s Holly Otterbein first reported the hiring moves . FROM THE 413 — “Easthampton crisis pregnancy center ordinance dies at City Council meeting,” by Maddie Fabian, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “City Council President Homar Gomez, who had previously voted in favor of the ordinance, voted against overriding the mayor’s veto — a move that angered some of the ordinance’s supporters.” — “Easthampton health director flags violations during city hall repairs; staff reported symptoms a week before building closed,” by Maddie Fabian, Daily Hampshire Gazette. — “Sarno First to Hit Airwaves in Springfield Mayoral Prelim,” by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight. — "Transhealth in Mass. grows out-of-state patient base amid surge in anti-trans laws," by Liesel Nygard, MassLive. — IN MEMORIAM: “Former state Rep. Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr., a champion of public education, is remembered as 'the ultimate extrovert',” by Jane Kaufman, Berkshire Eagle. THE LOCAL ANGLE — “This New England neo-Nazi group is getting bigger and scarier, experts say. Most troubling: Military vets fill its ranks,” by Hanna Krueger, Boston Globe: “At least 10 military veterans have been linked to NSC-131, according to Globe analysis of media reports, court documents, and independent research. … The group’s firearms training is run by a former Air Force staff sergeant — who has expressed admiration for mass shooters. And a former Massachusetts National Guardsman — who maintained security clearance after leaving the force — has been spotted posting racist recruitment fliers.” — “'Ill-advised': Quincy asks US senators, congressman to help fight Long Island Bridge plan,” by Peter Blandino, Patriot Ledger: “State Rep. Bruce Ayers and Ward 6 Councilor Bill Harris have asked members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation to intervene in a project they called ‘hasty’ and ‘ill-advised.’" — “Ambassador Caroline Kennedy retraces swim to honor JFK’s heroism in World War II in the Pacific,” by Travis Andersen, Boston Globe. — “Charles River cleanup improvements 'stalled,' says annual EPA report card,” by Barbara Moran, WBUR. THE NATIONAL TAKE — THE STATE OF THE STATE GOP: Turns out Massachusetts isn’t the only cash-strapped state GOP. Michigan’s Republican party is broke. Minnesota’s was, until recently, down to $53.81 in the bank. And the Colorado GOP is facing eviction from its office because it can’t make rent. Dive deeper into the dysfunction and its consequences. HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former President Barack Obama , who is 62; Dorchester Reporter founder and Boston Irish Reporter publisher Ed Forry ; Jordan Maynard, Jennifer Clark, Alexis Vaillancourt and John McNeil, a Doughty for governor alum. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to former ambassador, MA-03 candidate and Biden-Harris 2024 finance chair Rufus Gifford, Christina Pacheco and Jim Puzzanghera of the Boston Globe’s D.C. bureau, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Maeve Duggan of MassINC; Rick Mikulis and former Amherst town councilor Evan Ross. NEW HORSE RACE ALERT: BUDGET BALLOT BATTLES — Budgets and ballot questions, oh my! Hosts Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith and Lisa Kashinsky break it all down. 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

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