POLITICO Massachusetts Playbook: It’s DEBATE time – JKIII's campaign travel picks up – Remembering MARGARET HECKLER
It’s DEBATE time – JKIII's campaign travel picks up – Remembering MARGARET HECKLER
08/07/2018 07:05 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @laurendezenski) with Brent D. Griffiths (bgriffiths@politico.com; @BrentGriffiths)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
'TIS THE SEASON FOR A DEBATE - Debate season is upon us in #mapoli world as Rep. Mike Capuano and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley meet today in their second of three agreed-upon debates either aired on TV or the radio.
During Capuano and Pressley's first televised debate this past weekend, the two jabbed at each other over their records and who has been more effective in delivering for their constituencies. But they ultimately saved their harshest repartee for President Donald Trump. Today's debate, hosted by the Boston Globe, WBUR, and McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Boston is set to be an all-encompassing forum on a wide range of issues and co-hosted by WBUR's Meghna Chakrabarti and the Globe's Adrian Walker.
Recent polling shows Capuano has maintained his 13-point lead over Pressley throughout the race. With under a month left to go until Election Day, it's on Pressley to leverage things like a strong debate performance to break through to voters in the congressional district covering much of Boston, plus parts of Cambridge, Somerville, and Randolph.
The MA-07 congressional race isn't the only competitive primary being hashed out in a debate for voters ahead of the Sept. 4 primary day. The three Republicans vying to take on Sen. Elizabeth Warren this fall, state Rep. Geoff Diehl, Beth Lindstrom, and John Kingston, all participate in a debate on Boston Herald radio at noon. While all three remain relatively unknown compared to Warren, Diehl led the pack of challengers in late June, though at least half hadn't heard of any of the three primary candidates.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch:ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Rep. Joe Kennedy III hits the road in Florida today fundraising for Rep. Charlie Crist (D-Fla.), candidate Chris Hunter (FL-12) and Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.). He will also headline a #ProtectOurCare rally in St. Petersburg with Crist, according to his campaign. Look for JKIII to also travel to Maine this week, and an overall pickup in campaign visits to the midwest and southwest this fall - Mayor Marty Walsh and others offer remarks at a topping off ceremony for One Dalton, a Back Bay skyscraper with a Four Seasons Hotel and private residences - Rep. Mike Capuano and Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley debate at 3 p.m. at UMass Boston.
ON THE STUMP -
- "Corporate America hikes contributions to key Democrats," by Theodoric Meyer, POLITICO: "Corporate PACs are increasing their contributions to several Democrats who are in line to lead powerful committees if their party retakes the House in November, another sign of the burgeoning expectations for Democrats' showing in the midterms. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), who's in line to become chairman of the House Rules Committee if Democrats control the chamber next year, raised about $139,000 from corporate PACs for his campaign and his leadership PAC, Mac PAC, in the first six months of this year — 38 percent more than he brought in during the first half of 2016. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), who's set to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee,has raised 43 percent more."
- THE CONGRESSIONAL RACE TO WATCH: "Peter Tedeschi named 'Contender' by the NRCC, designation tags Tedeschi as a top Republican challenger to watch nationwide," from the Tedeschi campaign: " Peter Tedeschi, candidate to represent the 9th Congressional District of Massachusetts, has been added to the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)'s Young Guns 'Contenders' phase - the second tier of the Young Guns program. The move comes on the heels of Tedeschi outraising incumbent Democrat, Representative Bill Keating, in Q2 of 2018."
- "State GOP poll ignores Baker's primary challenger," by Christian M. Wade, The Salem News: "Gov. Charlie Baker is largely ignoring his GOP primary challenger, Scott Lively, as he seeks a second term for governor. The state Republican Party is also shrugging off the outsider's bid by the firebrand, anti-gay pastor who is waging a long-shot campaign to oust Baker. Its most recent sign of indifference toward Lively is a Facebook poll that nearly ignores him altogether."
- "Campaign Notebook: Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund endorses Sabadosa, Kline," by The Daily Hampshire Gazette: "In its latest round of endorsements, the Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts has endorsed two women running for the Legislature in Hampshire County. In the 1st Hampshire District in the Massachusetts House, the advocacy fund has endorsed Northampton women's rights advocate and translator Lindsay Sabadosa. In the Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester District in the Massachusetts state Senate, the advocacy fund has endorsed educator and women's rights advocate Chelsea Kline. "
- "GOP US Senate candidate Beth Lindstrom presses Elizabeth Warren to apologize for calling criminal justice system 'racist,'" by Shannon Young, MassLive.com: "Beth Lindstrom, a Republican looking to unseat U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren this fall, called on the Democratic incumbent Monday to apologize for suggesting that the American criminal justice system is 'racist.' Arguing that the senator's comment is polarizing and 'the type of rhetoric that divides us as Americans,' she called on Warren to apologize to criminal justice officers and employees for her remarks."
- "Progressive Massachusetts Endorses Ayanna Pressley for Congress," from Progressive Massachusetts : "Progressive Massachusetts, a statewide grassroots organization aimed at organizing voters around progressive issues, today endorsed Ayanna Pressley for Congress. Founded in 2013, Progressive Massachusetts has twenty chapters across Massachusetts, including five chapters in the 7th Congressional District. 'Given the reactionary policies coming out of the current administration in Washington, we need activist leadership in Congress to fight back and to chart the path forward for a progressive alternative vision. It is no longer enough for legislators to be a reliable vote or a co-sponsor; we need them to be champions and organizers, ready to fight on the front lines. Ayanna Pressley has been such a leader on the Boston City Council, and we know she will be as well in Congress, pushing a bold agenda of equity and social justice,' said Jonathan Cohn, co-chair of the Election and Endorsement Committee of Progressive Massachusetts."
- State Senator Brendan Crighton endorses Josh Zakim for Secretary of State," from the Zakim campaign: "State Senator Brendan Crighton announced that he is endorsing Josh Zakim in his campaign for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State. 'I am endorsing Josh today for Secretary of State because of his focus on protecting and advancing our right to vote,' Crighton said. 'Voting is fundamentally a local issue and Josh will ensure cities and towns have the resources they need to protect the physical and electronic security of our voting system and to implement long overdue voting reforms.'"
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Baker's creative friction," by Ed Lyons, CommonWealth Magazine: "When asked what value he brings to our state politics as a Republican governor, Charlie Baker sometimes says there is 'creative friction' between him and Beacon Hill Democrats that produces better government for everyone. But how does it work? And is it still working?"
THE TSONGAS ARENA -
- "Koh leads money race heading into primary," by Lisa Kashinski, Eagle-Tribune: "Campaign finance reports for the second quarter of the year - which were released in mid-July and are the last disclosures before the primary - show Koh again topping the list of total campaign contributions, with $3,007,315 raised throughout the campaign. Two other candidates have crossed the $1 million mark: former U.S. ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford and Lori Trahan of Westford."
- Roofers Union Local 33 endorses Dan Koh for Congress, Koh leads the field in union endorsements," from the Koh Campaign: "Roofers Union Local 33 endorsed Dan Koh in the Third District congressional race. Local 33 represents close to 600 workers throughout New England and is the twenty-fourth union endorsement that Koh has received, more than any other candidate.
- More Fitchburg elected officials endorse Rufus Gifford for Congress, from the Gifford campaign: Michael Kushmerek, President of the Fitchburg City Council, and Thomas Donnelly, Fitchburg City Councilor, have endorsed Rufus Gifford for Congress. Kushmerek said, "Fitchburg needs and deserves a candidate who will be unrelenting in his fight to restore faith in the American political system and to make people's lives better each day." Donnelly said, "He has already served at the top levels of federal government and has the experience and perspective a Congressman needs to be successful. Yet he's also a local guy who cares about all the bread-and-butter issues."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "Progressive activists to Democratic leaders: talk about race or step aside," by Alex Thompson, VICE News: "Some Democrats are better prepared for this than others. In a pair of keynote addresses Friday by possible 2020 presidential candidates Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California, Warren stuck to her well-honed message of colorblind economic populism while Harris repeatedly leaned into race."
- "Democrats' 2020 presidential fight gets an early dress rehearsal," by David Siders, POLITICO: "An unwieldy field of top Democrats clamored for critical ground in the run-up to the 2020 presidential primary over the weekend, courting progressive activists as they tilt toward a full-on campaign. For a Democratic Party desperate to keep its focus on the looming midterms, the gathering laid bare how quickly attentions can turn to 2020 — and how volatile the pre-primary contest remains. On Friday, after [Sen. Elizabeth] Warren urged Democrats to embrace a 'politics of unity' and not 'fight division with division,' [Sen. Kamala] Harris used the same Netroots stage to emphasize that issues of race, gender and sexual orientation are among the issues that 'define our identity as Americans.'"
WOOD WAR — Herald: "'STILL WORK TO DO,'" "TAKING THE BAIT" — Globe: "Witness ties list of crimes to Manafort," "They Wayfair way: Decor with a dose of data," "Picture perfect, so far," "Lawmaker, diplomat, breaker of barriers," "Close encounters of the toothy kind," "FROM THE BEAT TO THE TOP BADGE."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Opioids Have Sparked An HIV Outbreak In Massachusetts," by Erin Schumaker, Huffington Post: "For many public health experts, Massachusetts' near-universal health insurance coverage makes it the gold standard for access to care. It's the last place in the country where you'd expect to find a spike in HIV cases alarming enough to pique the interest of the federal government. But despite robust local health systems, the industrial cities of Lowell (population 110,000) and Lawrence (population 80,000) ― just 9 miles apart near the New Hampshire border ― have both seen a surge in new HIV cases among people who use intravenous drugs."
- "Tariffs loom large over some North Shore businesses," by Ethan Forman, The Salem News: "Some local businesses are already feeling the squeeze from President Trump's escalating trade fight, but others say the tariffs have so far had no impact.The biggest impact may affect businesses that sell washing machines or that use sheet metal in other ways."
- "Greater Boston Rents Tick Down For Priciest Units, Tick Up For Everything Else," by Benjamin Swasey, WBUR: "Rents in Greater Boston have fallen slightly over the last year — but only for the top tier of the market. For everyone else, they've ticked up. The median rent in the most expensive third of the market was $2,986 in June, according to the real estate firm Zillow. That's down a bit — $32 — from $3,018 in June 2017."
- "Zoning board approves turning old Globe plant into a high-tech R&D center," by Staff, Dorchester Reporter: "The Zoning Board of Appeal on Tuesday approved most of what developers asked for so they can turn the old Boston Globe plant on Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester into a new office, research and manufacturing space aimed at high-tech companies. The approval, though, came only after board members struggled with how to define the future: Nordblom Co. had asked for permission for a swath of uses, some of which it might not need, because high tech and the Boston zoning code don't necessarily match up ..."
- "Margaret M. Heckler, congresswoman, HHS secretary and ambassador, dies at 87," by Matt Schudel, Washington Post: "Margaret M. Heckler, an eight-term Republican congresswoman from Massachusetts who later became an embattled secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services under President Ronald Reagan before serving as U.S. ambassador to Ireland, died Aug. 6 at a hospital in Arlington, Va. She was 87."
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former Boston's Office of Women's Advancement executive director and current Harvard Kennedy School of Government masters candidate Megan Costello and Lyndsey Wajert, J.D. candidate at BU School of Law.
THE HOME TEAM DID NOT PLAY YESTERDAY.
FRESH OUT OF THE GATE - THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE HORSE RACE: In the last minute scramble of legislation, the state appears to have made horse racing illegal, which means Lauren and Steve are off to the glue factory. But first, they speak with The Springfield Republican's Shira Schoenberg about the chaotic end of the Legislature's formal session, and what did and didn't fall through the cracks. Then former state senator Ben Downing returns to analyze the legislative process that led to the messy end of session, and we continue our tour de commonwealth with CommonWealth Magazine's Michael Jonas on the race for Middlesex District Attorney. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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