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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS.
TOP SPOTS OPEN ON BEACON HILL — With the midterm election in the rearview mirror, some of the most prominent posts in Massachusetts politics are open heading into the next legislative session. Key budget positions on both Ways and Means committees are open, the Boston Globe points out. And the head of the state GOP won't seek reelection this year, according to a State House News report.
It's still a guessing game as to who will steer the powerful Ways and Means committee when the Legislature starts anew in January. State Senate President Karen Spilka served as chair of the budget-writing committee before the resignation of former Senate President Stanley Rosenberg earlier this year. On the House side, Ways and Means chair Rep. Jeff Sanchez got knocked out in a primary by Representative-elect Nika Elugardo this summer, only a year after he was appointed to committee chair. That means House Speaker Robert DeLeo needs to pick a budget chief for the second time in two years.
As far as the state GOP is concerned , three Republicans have stepped forward to replace Mass GOP Chair Kirsten Hughes. State Rep. Geoff Diehl, state Rep. Peter Durant and party treasurer Brent Andersen say they're considering a run for the top spot, according to the News Service. The Mass GOP got crushed, or as my dad would say, took an old-fashioned shellacking down the ballot on Nov. 6. Aside from Gov. Charlie Baker's soaring victory — his race got called at 8:01 p.m. on election night — Massachusetts voters were far less willing to check the box for down-ballot Republicans, and the party lost seats in the legislature.
KERRY 2020? — Is John Kerry running for president? The former senator and secretary of state said he's thinking about it earlier this week. And during an appearance at Tufts University on Wednesday night promoting his memoir, Kerry repeated what he's been saying for months — he's not ruling it out.
If you trace the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee's steps over the last several months, he is doing things that seem a little presidential. Consider the recent release of his memoir, "Every Day is Extra," his speaking engagements at colleges and universities, and knocking the president on Twitter. Kerry's next stop? A talk at the Kennedy Institute on Dec. 6.
At Tufts on Wednesday night, Kerry said the country is in trouble, and took shots at President Donald Trump for sacrificing America's standing in the world. "I think we can very quickly restore America's place to be honest with you," Kerry said, touting his work on the Paris Agreement, which Trump exited last year. Kerry also called for getting big money out of politics, putting an end to gerrymandering, finding a solution to economic inequality and making it easier to vote.
There's no shortage of potential Democratic candidates from Massachusetts who could wade into the 2020 race. Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be at American University in Washington, D.C. tonight to outline a foreign policy plan. Rep. Seth Moulton has raised his national profile in recent weeks, although to much criticism, Rep. Joe Kennedy III is a rising star in the party, and former Gov. Deval Patrick and his decision to run (or not) has been at the center of several feature stories in the last month or two.
If Kerry does run, he's got experience — as a veteran, an activist, a lawmaker, a Democratic nominee and head of the State Department. But he's also an older, white establishment figure in the party, which could work against him if the same electorate turns out in 2020 that did in the most recent election.
So who should Democrats put forward in 2020? "I'll give you a very short answer," Kerry said at Tufts. "We need somebody who can win."
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker is at the Republican Governors Association conference in Arizona. Sen. Elizabeth Warren talks foreign policy in D.C. MassVOTE executive director Cheryl Clyburn Crawford , former Mass GOP chair Jennifer Nassour, consultant Mark Horan and Ayanna Pressley campaign communications adviser Alex Goldstein talk about the midterms with WBUR reporter Anthony Brooks. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends the Boston Common Tree Lighting ceremony.
Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne talks religion in politics with WGBH's Margery Eagan. The UMass Medical School holds a State House Health Fair. University of Massachusetts Board of TrusteesAudit and Administration and Finance committees meet. The New England Association of Drug Court Professionals conference continues.
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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- "On Beacon Hill, it's a guessing game for powerful budget posts," by Matt Stout, Boston Globe: "Help Wanted: Two seasoned legislators, well-versed in handling thorny policy and funding debates. Long hours required. Must have the trust of chamber leaders. Women encouraged to apply. The leaders of the Massachusetts House and Senate budget committees are among Beacon Hill's most powerful figures, and in a rare confluence of events, both jobs are wide open as the new legislative session, which begins in January, draws near."
- "AS PARTY CHAIR, REP. DURANT SAYS HE'D BUILD "GREAT CANDIDATES" FOR GOP," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service: "After leading the Massachusetts Republican Party for six years, Kirsten Hughes is stepping away as chairwoman and party insiders are looking at least at a trio of possible contenders for the post. Hughes, a Quincy city councilor who took over as party chairwoman in 2013, emailed members of the Republican State Committee on Nov. 16 to let them know that she would not be seeking a fourth term in January ."
- "CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE REPS SAY HOLD OFF ON BAKER'S HOUSING BILL," by Katie Lannan, State House News Service: "With municipal officials and other backers still hoping Gov. Charlie Baker's housing production bill will pass by the end of the year, a state representative from Cambridge has asked House leaders to keep it from advancing."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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- "Boston native killed in combat operations in Afghanistan," by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe: "A highly decorated soldier who grew up in Boston was killed Tuesday in a blast in Afghanistan, according to officials. Boston native Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Michael Emond, 39, was killed along with Army Capt. Andrew Ross, 29, and Air Force Staff Sgt. Dylan J. Elchin, 25, after their vehicle was struck 'by an improvised explosive device in Andar,' which is located in the Ghazni Province."
- "Incoming top prosecutor Rachael Rollins firm but flexible on 'no-prosecute' offenses," by Taylor Pettaway, Boston Herald: "Newly elected Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins created controversy during her campaign when she announced a list of crimes she wouldn't prosecute in office, and now she's ready to follow through on that plan but is flexible on how to execute it. Rollins told the Herald she is standing firm with her 15-item 'no prosecute' list she announced during the election."
- "Grid, locked-out workers appear far apart," by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: "NATIONAL GRID AND THE UNIONS representing 1,250 locked-out steelworkers head back to the bargaining table on Thursday, but it doesn't appear as if the two sides are close to an agreement. The utility released a statement on Wednesday saying the counteroffer made by the unions last week 'only seeks to maintain the status quo' and does not address 'the core issues of health insurance and new-hire retirement plans.'"
- "There are signs that the Boston area's heated housing market is cooling," by Tim Logan, Boston Globe: "Greater Boston is still a tough — and expensive — place to buy a house, but the years of prices galloping relentlessly upward may be nearing an end. Data released Wednesday indicate that home prices in the region showed signs of leveling off in October, after a long run-up, with the volume of sales slowing even as the number of properties on the market increased."
- "Big changes in store for Boston school buildings," by James Vaznis, Boston Globe: "West Roxbury, East Boston, and the southern part of the city near the Dorchester-Mattapan line would be among the first neighborhoods to get new school buildings under a 10-year citywide construction plan, Boston school officials announced Wednesday night. East Boston and Dorchester-Mattapan would get new elementary schools that officials hope will help remedy a shortage of seats in those sections of the city. The East Boston proposal appears to be moving on a fast track: School officials expect to finalize the purchase of property this fiscal year."
- "'Whitey' Bulger wished for 'peaceful death,' prison letters say," by Shelley Murphy, Boston Globe: "Prison authorities claimed James "Whitey" Bulger's health had improved dramatically before they sent him to the West Virginia prison where he was murdered last month, brutally beaten by inmates just hours after he arrived. But the gangster's own words, like a voice from beyond the grave, tell a different story."
- "Advocate raps ACLU suit against Boston Police Department," by Joe Dwinell and Brooks Sutherland, Boston Herald: "The ACLU lawsuit attempting to gain access to the Boston police gang database is really aimed at ICE agents trying to deport young migrants from Central America, a top legal immigration advocate says. ... The ACLU wants access to the city's gang database, stating in the Suffolk Superior Court suit that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents use it to make a case to deport suspected gang members."
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| EYE ON 2020 |
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- "New PAC hopes to draft Beto O'Rourke for 2020 run," by Lauren Dezenski, CNN: "Some New England Democrats think Beto O'Rourke is Democrats' best chance at winning the White House in 2020, and they're making it official. Tonight, Draft Beto 2020 is going live (at least the website), the organizers told CNN Wednesday. O'Rourke is not involved with the political action committee, which is co-chaired by New England-based Democratic strategists Lauren Pardi, Will Herberich and Adam Webster."
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| THE CLARK CAUCUS |
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- "Katherine Clark elected to leadership post," by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "On the day that Nancy Pelosi moved a big step closer to a return as House speaker, Representative Katherine Clark clinched a key leadership spot in the House Democratic caucus Wednesday, a prime role that could help her climb further up the ranks in the coming years. Clark, the three-term incumbent from the Massachusetts Fifth District, north of Boston, won a contested race to be House Democrats' vice chair, 144 to 90, to become the sixth-ranking member of next year's leadership team. She bested a centrist-oriented colleague from California, Pete Aguilar, in a closed-door meeting in Washington ."
- "Congressman John Lewis backs US Rep. Katherine Clark's bid for House leadership position," by Shannon Young, Springfield Republican: "John Lewis, a Georgia congressman and civil rights leader, called on House Democrats Wednesday to support U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark's bid to join the chamber's leadership as the caucus meets behind closed doors this week. Lewis, who joined Clark in leading a 2016 sit-in protest over gun laws in the U.S. House chamber, sent a letter to colleagues Wednesday asking them to elect the Melrose Democrat as the caucus' next vice chair — the fifth-highest leadership position."
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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- "Pelosi grabs momentum with big speaker vote," by John Bresnahan, Heather Caygle and Rachael Bade, POLITICO: "Nancy Pelosi is one step closer to a historic return to the speakership, having handily won her party's nomination to lead the House in the 116th Congress. But she's not there yet. Pelosi will still have to pick up roughly 15 votes to get back to the speaker's chair, although the California Democrat, her allies and aides are increasingly confident she will get there after Wednesday's meeting of the Democratic Caucus. Pelosi even appeared to have picked up support after the meeting ended, as Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) — who has been opposed to her — signaled he might back her."
- "With Two Powerful Committee Chairs, Things Look Bright For Mass. In Democratic House," by Mike Deehan, WGBH News: "The Massachusetts House delegation is going into the 116th Congress wielding perhaps more influence than the Bay State has seen since the days of Joe Moakley and Tip O'Neill. There's been a lot of excitement about new members of the Massachusetts delegation, freshmen Lori Trahan from Westford and Ayanna Pressley from Boston, but the real local power players of the coming Congress are rising star Katherine Clark and the two veteran House members from the western parts of the state."
- "Most Massachusetts Democrats backed Nancy Pelosi as next US House speaker," by Shannon Young, Springfield Republican:"U.S. House Democrats met behind closed doors Wednesday to vote on a series of caucus leadership positions, including who they want to lead the chamber as U.S. House speaker in the new 116th Congress. Despite pushback from some caucus members ahead of the speakership election — most notably Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton — Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, reportedly secured enough secret ballot support Wednesday to be named the party's speaker nominee."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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- "Warren demands lobbying firms come clean on Saudi ties," by Marianne Levine, POLITICO: " Sen. Elizabeth Warren is calling on D.C. lobbying shops to divulge their ties to Saudi Arabia. In a letter sent Wednesday to 18 firms and provided to POLITICO, the Massachusetts Democrat asks about their current or previous work for Saudi Arabia, in light of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. She seeks details of their contracts, descriptions of whether anyone from the Trump administration was involved in the 'negotiation or performance' of the contracts, and whether they plan to continue to lobby for Saudi Arabia in the future."
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| ALL ABOARD |
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- "MBTA subway ridership is dropping . . . except on the Blue Line," by Adam Vaccaro, Boston Globe: "Ridership at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has declined in recent years, a common story at transit agencies across the country and one that T officials have told often in the last year. But lurking under Boston Harbor is a major exception linking downtown to the growing populations in East Boston and Revere."
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| BEHIND THE TOFU CURTAIN |
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- "City of Northampton opposes natural gas pipeline project in Agawam," by Mary C. Serreze, Springfield Republican: "The city of Northampton is officially on record as opposing a natural gas pipeline project that's 25 miles away, because it would enable the expansion of fossil fuel use throughout the Pioneer Valley, including in Northampton. Tennessee Gas Pipeline's '261 Upgrade Projects' would amend an existing interstate pipeline system that passes through Agawam. The amendments — including upgrades to Tennessee's compressor station at 1615 Suffield St. — would let Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, one of Tennessee's customers, sell more gas in Hampden and Hampshire counties to the north."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "REAL COURAGE," — Globe: "Clark wins key post as Pelosi advances," "Prices of homes show signs of leveling," "Your friend, Jim Bulger." |
| NO PLACE LIKE THE CITY OF HOMES |
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- "Sen. Eric Lesser joins board of new national student loan advocacy group," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican:"State Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, is joining the board of a newly launched nonprofit aimed at protecting student loan borrowers. Seth Frotman, the former top student loan official at the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, on Wednesday announced the launch of the Student Borrower Protection Center. The center will advocate for more oversight of the student loan industry and more protections for student borrowers."
- "Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno named to East-West rail panel; 1st meeting set," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican:"A Massachusetts Department of Transportation panel studying the feasibility of east-west passenger rail from Boston to Springfield's Union Station and west to Pittsfield commences its work next month in Springfield. The first meeting of the 30-person study group is Dec. 18, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 60 Congress St., said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, who also announced that he's been appointed to the group. State Sen. Adam G. Hinds, D-Pittsfield, said he too has been appointed."
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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- "7 properties eyed for expansion of Canal District footprint," by Nick Kotsopoulos, Telegram & Gazette: " City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. says the planned expansion of the downtown urban revitalization area by 21 acres in the Canal District/Kelley Square area will not lead to widespread land-takings or building demolition. Mr. Augustus told the City Council Tuesday night that the Worcester Redevelopment Authority and city are looking at seven properties that had previously been identified for the project to build a minor league baseball stadium off Kelley Square."
TRANSITIONS — Eric Moskowitz, who has spent more than a decade at the Boston Globe, is joining the New York Times's Past Tense team.
- Sarah Green Carmichael , most recently executive editor at the Harvard Business Review, is joining Barron's as ideas editor.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to House Speaker Robert DeLeo's chief of staff Seth Gitell, paralegal Katherine Forde, Dominique Manuel, and Boston Globe night owl Maddie Kilgannon.
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.
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