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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. TGIF.
BAKER SWINGS BACK — The leader of his party, President Donald Trump, spent the day railing against immigration. It just came out the parent company of Columbia Gas is under federal investigation for the Merrimack Valley gas explosions that killed one person, injured dozens and have left many more without heat and hot water.
In another election, these national and local fiascos might land a Republican incumbent in hot water. But not this one. Gov. Charlie Baker appears to be untouchable, and leads Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez by 43 percentage points, according a WBUR poll out Thursday. Only 2 percent of voters say they are undecided about who to vote for.
With five days until the election, Gonzalez would have needed to do more than just move the needle at Thursday night's debate. He came out swinging against Baker — but the governor really swung back.
In what seemed to be a response to Gonzalez's repeated attempts to tie him to the more Trump-like Republicans on the ticket, the governor touted his working relationship with the state's most prominent Democrats. Baker mentioned a compromise with Sen. Elizabeth Warren here, work on a lawsuit with Attorney General Maura Healey there.
"But you want to replace her with Jay McMahon," Gonzalez countered referring to the GOP's pro-Trump nominee for attorney general and repeating his point that Baker "can't have it both ways," a jab that's been a hallmark of all three debates.
But Gonzalez can't have it both ways either, Baker said later on when Gonzalez cheered his billion-dollar-a-year plan to tax endowments on some of the state's wealthiest colleges.
"You've spent that billion dollars five times since this debate started. You spent it three times on transportation, he just spent it again on early childhood ed, he'll spend it later on K-12 education," Baker said. "It's dishonest to stand here in front of the voters say you're gonna be bold and then talk about initiatives that cost billions of dollars that you don't have the dollars to pay for."
One point of agreement between the candidates? Harsh views on Trump. Asked to describe Trump in three words, Gonzalez went with "hateful, racist un-American." Baker opted for "outrageous, disgraceful and a divider" to describe his party's chief.
When they head to the polls Tuesday, voters can't have it both ways either. They'll choose between a Democrat who thinks the state should dream bigger and reach higher, and a Republican who says bipartisanship is the key to steering a steady ship. And if it's any indication, 48 percent of Democrats say they're going with Baker.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Boston Mayor Marty Walsh speaks at the Economic Mobility Pathways anti-poverty conference. Attorney General Maura Healey, Rep. Katherine Clark and Democrat for governor Jay Gonzalez hold a 'Knock the Vote' kickoff rally in Arlington. Early voting ends today. GOP Senate candidate Geoff Diehl holds a rally in Sagamore.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "Two-Thirds Of State Legislators Are Unopposed In The General Election," by Steve Brown, WBUR: "When it comes to the 2018 election for the 200 seats in the Massachusetts Legislature, we already know the results of nearly two-thirds of the races before the first votes were cast. That's because 104 candidates for the House of Representatives and 25 candidates for the state Senate are running unopposed in the general election. Most of them are incumbents looking for re-election, however some will be freshmen legislators come January, since they came out on top in their primary race back in September."
- "CCC ON LOOKOUT FOR POT PRODUCTS THAT MIGHT APPEAL TO CHILDREN," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service: "Massachusetts regulators want to keep a close eye on the types of marijuana products that will be for sale to adults once marijuana retailers open and whether those products might appeal to children, a concern prompted Thursday by an applicant seeking to make marijuana cake pops. The Cannabis Control Commission agreed Thursday to begin compiling a database of the marijuana edibles or marijuana-infused products approved for sale in Massachusetts so that regulators, consumers, parents and law enforcement can get a better sense of what type of products are out there."
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| ON THE STUMP |
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- "'Who are we protecting?' Parents of transgender kids say they'd be vulnerable if law is repealed," by Stephanie Ebbert, Boston Globe: "With an ice cream truck, bounce houses, and more than 200 neighbors gathered on their tidy Needham street, Michael and Liza d'Hemecourt's block party might have looked like any other over-the-top family fun fest. But their September event was a fund-raiser for transgender rights, generating nearly $20,000 for the campaign to preserve the state's 2016 antidiscrimination law with a 'Yes on 3' vote on Tuesday's ballot."
- "'We're Massholes, Not Assholes': A New Question 3 Ad Stars a Foul-Mouthed Bostonian," by Spencer Buell, Boston Magazine:"A new ad in support of Question 3 stars a foul-mouthed 'Masshole' with a lot to say about protecting transgender rights. And not everyone is pleased. At the start of the video, which popped up on YouTube Thursday, a surly Bostonian in a red hoodie seated at a bar takes a gulp of beer, slams his pint down, and begins a speech about the city's ethos of freedom."
- "HOW HOWIE CARR PROMOTES, FUNDRAISES FOR, AND MAKES BANK OFF THE DIEHL CAMPAIGN," by Chris Faraone, DigBoston: "As Federal Election Commission (FEC) data shows, Diehl for US Senate has spent in excess of seventy-five grand on "Radio Spots" with the Howie Carr Network. That's more than 80 percent of its terrestrial radio buys (most of the rest went to the station that broadcasts Carr's show in Mass, WRKO, and its parent company), and for a candidate who has a mere $319,388.28 on hand heading into the election. Think about that—they spent all that money to reach conservative radio listeners. People who already have their cars decked out with Diehl stickers."
- "Charlie Baker, Karyn Polito spread $88M across state ahead of election," by Mary Markos, Boston Herald: "The Baker administration has doled out more than $88 million in grants in cities and towns statewide in the past two weeks — in an all-out pre-election blitz that one financial watchdog called blatant "vote-buying." Since Oct. 16, Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash have traveled to various parts of the state handing out 26 grants ranging from $100,000 to $4.9 million, generating positive local media coverage for infrastructure projects in the runup to Tuesday's election."
- "Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Jay Gonzalez spar over party loyalty, policy in final debate," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and his Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez sparred Thursday night on issues ranging from transportation to party loyalty in a contentious final debate before Tuesday's election. One sharp exchange came when Gonzalez challenged Baker to defend his support for other Republican candidates on the ticket - Attorney General candidate Jay McMahon and U.S. Senate candidate Geoff Diehl."
- "DeLEO SAYS HE'S 'WORKED GREAT' WITH BAKER, BUT BACKS GONZALEZ," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service:"On a day when three more Democratic House members endorsed Republican Gov Charlie Baker for re-election, House Speaker Robert DeLeo seemed uncomfortable with questions about who he would be voting for, before pledging his allegiance to his party. DeLeo laughed, almost nervously, when asked Wednesday ahead of the third and final debate of the gubernatorial campaign who he would be voting for and why. Then he composed himself, and answered consistent with what he has said since the primary in September. 'I've endorsed Jay Gonzalez as the Democratic nominee,' DeLeo said."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "Google employees walk out of Cambridge office as part of companywide protest," by Morgan Hughes, Boston Globe:"Hundreds of workers streamed out of Google's Kendall Square office on Thursday morning, joining colleagues around the globe, to protest what they described as the Internet giant's lenient treatment of men accused of sexual misconduct. In Cambridge, where Google employs about 1,400, the workers walked out from the company's building along Main Street just after 11 a.m. The backlash comes amid a cultural reckoning over misconduct by men in positions of power, and the technology business has been particularly visible because of a years-long trend of underrepresentation of women in important roles."
- "Here's what a British dorm builder is planning for Boston," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "British student housing developer Scape has big plans for Boston, and this week the company made its first move. Scape has filed notice with the city to build a 205,500-square-foot, 15-story building on Boylston Street in the Fenway, replacing a row of low-slung storefronts along a stretch of the road that has otherwise been transformed by new development over the last decade. The building would fit about 500 units aimed largely at graduate students, a population Scape says is 'often overlooked' and has 'particularly acute' housing needs in Boston."
- "Authorities eye second suspect in Whitey Bulger murder," by Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: "Paul J. DeCologero, a member of a notorious North Shore organized crime group that robbed rival drug dealers and dismembered a teenage girl they feared might give them up, has emerged as a second suspect in the murder of Boston mobster James 'Whitey' Bulger. Federal authorities suspect that DeCologero and another Massachusetts organized crime figure, Fotios 'Freddy' Geas, savagely beat Bulger to death in his cell with a padlock stuffed in a sock Tuesday morning, within 11 hours of Bulger's arrival at the US Penitentiary Hazelton in West Virginia, according to two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the matter."
- "DEM-CONTROLLED HOUSE WOULD PUSH GUN LEGISLATION, MARKEY SAYS," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "As U.S. Sen. Ed Markey prepares to work with what he expects to be a Democrat-controlled Congress to push a Massachusetts model of gun legislation, policymakers within the state will also be looking for what more can be done to prevent shooting deaths and injuries here. A Malden Democrat who in March filed legislation that would financially incentivize states to require their local police chiefs to sign off on gun license applications, Markey on Thursday said he thinks his party is 'about to take over' the U.S. House of Representatives and 'come very close in the Senate.' Republicans currently hold majorities in both branches."
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| COLUMBIA GAS FALLOUT |
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- "Lawrence disaster estimated at $800 million and counting," by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "The utility responsible for the Sept. 13 explosions and fires that rocked the Merrimack Valley estimated its potential financial costs on Thursday, and the money is big: more than $800 million. Included in that amount are claims for personal injury and property losses. So are expenses related to the restoration effort, including up to $165 million to replace some 45 miles of damaged underground pipes in Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. The utility indicated it would seek a rate increase to recover that spending on gas lines."
- "NiSource discloses criminal probe of Massachusetts gas pipeline explosions," by Liz Hampton and Nate Raymond, Reuters: "Federal prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation of utility company NiSource Inc over gas explosions and fires in three Massachusetts communities that killed one person and injured at least 21 others in September, the company disclosed on Thursday. Grand jury subpoenas were served to NiSource and its subsidiary Columbia Gas of Massachusetts on Sept. 24, according to a NiSource regulatory filing. The company said it is cooperating with the investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts is conducting the probe, NiSource said in its filing."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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- "Plaintiff says suit led Harvard to alter guidelines on race," by Deirdre Fernandes, Boston Globe: "Students for Fair Admissions insisted on Thursday that its lawsuit against Harvard University and the national media attention it has drawn prompted the college's admissions officers to more explicitly instruct staff when to consider applicants' race and how to evaluate their personal traits to avoid bias. Adam Mortara, an attorney for the organization, which has accused Harvard of discriminating against Asian-American applicants, noted that Harvard first started considering these changes in late July and early August, as news media reports focused on how the Ivy League school whittles 40,000 applicants to a freshmen class of about 1,600 students."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigns in Ohio for Richard Cordray," by Jessie Balmert, Associated Press: " Democratic Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is urging college students in Ohio to vote for a Democratic gubernatorial candidate criticized by President Donald Trump. Warren headlined rallies Thursday at Ohio State University in Columbus and at Ohio University in Athens to stump for Richard Cordray. She called him effective, incorruptible and 'the nerd we need.'"
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "BAKER BUCKS," — Globe: "Baker, Gonzalez talk tough in last debate," "2nd suspect also a Mass. crime figure." |
| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "Affairs, sex at Town Hall and a $40K investigation; What's going on in Rockland?" by Jacqueline Tempera, MassLive.com: "Rockland's 'rocky patch' -- as Richard Penney, a candidate for one of two empty board seats, called it -- started at the end of April when Former Board of Selectmen Chairman Ed Kimball's wife found out her husband was having an affair with fellow married board member Deidre Hall. Since then, the drama that has unfolded in the South Shore town of about 17,000 has been nothing short of a soap opera involving multiple extramarital affairs, warring sexual assault allegations, a recall petition, two resignations and a $40,000 investigation -- all with an upcoming election hanging in the balance."
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Hannah Smith, government partnerships manager at BIRD, who celebrated yesterday.
HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND - to former Gov. Michael Dukakis, who is 85; David Case; and Ben Kirshner, who celebrate on Saturday.
- And to Kit Seelye; Michael Fontneau; Julie Siegel, banking counsel for Sen. Warren; and Lena Barry, who is 95 (h/t Bryan Barbieri); who celebrate on Sunday
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Yes! The Celtics beat the Bucks 117-113.
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