| | |  | BY LISA KASHINSKY | PROGRAMMING NOTE: Massachusetts Playbook is taking a previously scheduled end-of-summer hiatus next week. I’ll be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, Sept. 7. But I’ll still be tweeting. Follow me for updates on the Boston mayor’s race and more here. A STUDY IN CONTRASTS — The deteriorating situation in Afghanistan is proving to be a defining moment for Massachusetts’ two millennial, military veteran congressmen. How they handle it could shape their political futures. Rep. Seth Moulton’s clandestine trip to Afghanistan earlier this week has prompted intense backlash — and speculation that it could make him vulnerable to a primary challenge in 2022. Moulton won his 6th Congressional District seat by knocking out incumbent Democratic Rep. John Tierney in 2014. He’s managed to fend off primary and general election challengers since then, even after his failed attempts to challenge House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and run for president. One of Moulton’s primary challengers last year, Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, is currently exploring whether to run in the November special election to replace outgoing GOP state Rep. Brad Hill. Moulton defended his actions on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” last night, telling host Chris Cuomo, “It was worth it. And if I could get on a plane and figure out how to save a few more families, then I’m sorry, Chris, I’m going to do that.” He was more explicit in an interview with New York Magazine, saying that “even if you completely agree with the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw, the way they have handled this has been a total f***ing disaster.” It’s unclear what political repercussions Moulton will face, if any, for his trip. Some military veterans seem to agree with his actions and assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. In any case, attention has largely pivoted to the explosions outside Kabul airport that killed 13 U.S. troops and dozens of Afghans, and President Joe Biden’s response. While Moulton’s been one of Biden’s biggest Democratic critics over Afghanistan, Auchincloss has been one of the president’s staunchest defenders, calling the airport attack an “atrocity” and “further proof that the Biden administration must complete evacuations, quickly, and sustain a robust counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan, indefinitely.” Auchincloss, who won the open-seat race to replace Rep. Joe Kennedy III last year, has been working to fend off a primary challenge ever since. He’s shored up his bank account, expanded his media appearances and allied himself with the same House leadership that Moulton continues to buck. Now he’s got Pelosi coming to town as the “special guest” at the Sept. 9 kickoff event for his new leadership political action committee, MA 4 Dems PAC, as WPRI’s Ted Nesi first reported. Pelosi’s support has backfired in Massachusetts before, for both Tierney and Kennedy, and is unlikely to play well with the progressives girding to unseat Auchincloss. But the money, political clout and name recognition Auchincloss is amassing will likely make him tougher to beat in 2022.
GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The first public poll of the Boston mayor’s race in two months landed last night. Here are a few takeaways:
— It's a tight race for the top two spots in the Sept. 14 preliminary, but City Councilor Michelle Wu took the lead in the Emerson College/7 News survey with 24%, followed by City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George with 18%, Acting Mayor Kim Janey with 16%, City Councilor Andrea Campbell with 14% and former city economic development chief John Barros at 2%. The margin of error was +/- 3.9%. Wu has regularly topped public and internal polls over the past few months, and seems in a good position for a top-two finish, but nothing's guaranteed. — Barros doesn’t seem to be gaining traction . He’s the only candidate who didn’t gain support between Emerson's April and August polls, and remains mired in the single digits. — The percentage of undecided voters dropped to 25% in this survey, down from 36% in Emerson’s April poll. The quarter of the 600 likely voters surveyed who remain undecided is a similar to the percentage of undecideds in an internal poll from Essaibi George’s campaign reported by POLITICO earlier this week, meaning there are a lot of folks who haven’t made up their mind and the race could see further shakeups yet. I’d like to hear which two mayoral candidates you think will advance from the preliminary election? Send your predictions to lkashinsky@politico.com. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito tours Grand Street Commons in Worcester at 9 a.m. Janey hosts a Neighborhood Coffee Hour at 10:30 a.m. at Almont Park. Campbell attends St. Anthony’s Feast at 7 p.m. THIS WEEKEND — Gov. Charlie Baker discusses his policy switch on school mask mandates, the chances of returning to remote learning and his message to the unvaccinated on WBZ’s “Keller At Large,” 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Campbell is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday, and Essaibi George appears at 11:30 a.m. in a pre-taped double-header. Campbell hosts a GOTV rally in Codman Square Park at 11 a.m. | |
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| – “Massachusetts coronavirus cases spike 1,793 — the highest daily count in more than 4 months,” by Rick Sobey: “The daily jump of 1,793 cases was the first time the state reported more than 1,750 single-day cases since April 16 when 1,962 infections were recorded. The seven-day average of cases is now 991.” – "Town-by-town COVID-19 data in Massachusetts," by Ryan Huddle and Peter Bailey-Wells. | | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
| – “Baker proposes $240 million workforce retraining program using COVID funds,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “The state is flush with cash thanks to federal pandemic relief programs, and the Baker administration hopes to funnel a $240 million chunk of it toward a three-year workforce development plan.” – “State legislators push for Roderick Ireland Courthouse to be razed, replaced after building evacuated,” by Jeanette DeForge, MassLive.com: “State Rep. Bud L. Williams, D-Springfield, worked in the Roderick Ireland Courthouse as a probation officer for 32 years and sees just one way solution to the rapidly spreading mold that forced the building’s closure earlier this week. ‘The only thing is a new courthouse. Nothing else matters,’ said the Springfield Democrat on Thursday.” | | VAX-ACHUSETTS |
| – “Mass. Student Athletes Will Have to Wear Masks Indoors This Fall, MIAA Says,” by Asher Klein, NBC10 Boston: “Massachusetts student athletes and their coaches will be required to wear masks for indoor activities this fall, the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced Thursday.” – "‘Peer pressure has been around forever’: Worcester is turning to social ‘influencers’ to boost vaccine rates in city’s youth," by Michael Bonner, MassLive.com: "At the beginning of August, the city announced prize incentives for residents ages 12 to 24 who are fully vaccinated against COVID. ... Beyond material objects, Worcester is turning to youth influencers and peer-to-peer communication to bolster its vaccine numbers for those under 20." – “VaxMillions final winners: Cynthia Thirath of Leominster wins $1M and Gretchen Selva of Conway nabs $300K scholarship in COVID vaccine lottery,” by Benjamin Kail, MassLive.com. | | FROM THE HUB |
| – “Boston’s new indoor mask mandate takes effect Friday. Here’s where it does — and doesn’t — apply,” by Nik DeCosta-Klipa, Boston.com: “Whether it’s a gym, museum, restaurant, or nightclub, Boston residents will be required to wear a mask in indoor public places beginning this Friday at 8 a.m.” – “Day before indoor mask mandate starts, Janey says COVID-19 cases have stabilized in Boston,” by Danny McDonald, Boston Globe. – “Kim Janey calls for withdrawal of downtown Boston harbor plan,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Acting Mayor Kim Janey is calling for the withdrawal of the Downtown Boston Municipal Harbor Plan, a move that throws the future of the proposed Harbor Garage skyscraper into question. … She said she had called for the state to terminate the plan, as it’s ultimately up to the Baker administration what happens next. The state hadn’t acted as of Thursday afternoon, and Baker’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.” – More from Boston Business Journal’s Catherine Carlock: “Environmental and waterfront advocates, the New England Aquarium and residents of the Harbor Towers condominiums cheered the decision, while members of Boston’s real estate development community were left reeling.” – “Janey quietly shopping plan to change Boston voting precincts,” by Emma Platoff, Boston Globe: “The city’s plan — which is subject to change and would not go into effect before this fall’s mayoral election — would add more than a dozen precincts in some of Boston’s fastest-growing neighborhoods, according to a draft of the proposal obtained by the Globe and five people with knowledge of it.” – “Kim Janey beefs up Boston public-records department amid criticism,” by Sean Philip Cotter, Boston Herald: “Acting Mayor Kim Janey says she’s beefing up the city’s public-records department — a move that comes after a lawsuit from the attorney general and criticism from councilors over the city’s frequent flouting of the laws around records requests.” | | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL |
| – “Kim Janey’s journey from community organizer to acting mayor — and now Boston mayoral candidate,” by Dasia Moore, Boston Globe: “When then-councilor Kim Janey first heard the news that would change her life — and make Boston history — she was at a Walgreens. … Months later, Janey may not remember what she bought at the pharmacy that day, but she does recall clearly what she felt. It wasn’t panic, though she hadn’t expected the Walsh news. And it wasn’t fear, though she only had three years’ experience holding political office. It wasn’t even the wariness that would soon accompany her newfound levels of fame and responsibility. ‘It was this unbelievable calm,’ Janey says in an August interview at City Hall. She felt ready for whatever came next.” – “Mayoral candidate Michelle Wu says she’s not in ‘the typical mold of a Boston politician’,” by Celeste Katz Marston, NBC News: “As much as being the daughter of Asian immigrants has shaped [City Councilor Michelle] Wu’s story, so has being in politics as a mom of young children — one who’s ‘presided over meetings with mashed-up banana on my jacket, because that’s what the toddler had for breakfast that morning’ — and it figures prominently in how she talks about herself and her campaign.” – “Nearly 70 percent of likely voters still ‘up for grabs,’ Campbell super PAC’s memo says,” by Gintautas Dumcius, Dorchester Reporter: “A super PAC supporting Andrea Campbell’s mayoral campaign believes 68 percent of likely voters remain ‘up for grabs’ ahead of the Sept. 14 preliminary, according to an internal memo written by a 2013 candidate for mayor. The super PAC has another TV ad in the works, said the memo, which was obtained by the Reporter." – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Boston City Council President Pro Tempore Matt O’Malley has endorsed Alex Gray for city councilor at-large, per his campaign. “Throughout his career, Alex has demonstrated an eagerness to listen to people and take action on their behalf-- a quality that makes him a great public servant. I know that he has the empathy and understanding to represent the city well,” O’Malley said in a statement. Gray has also been endorsed by IUOE Local 4 and Boston Plasterers' & Cement Masons Local 534. | | THE LOCAL ELECTIONS ROUNDUP |
| – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Somerville residents belonging to Sunrise Boston, Sunrise Somerville Youth, and Sunrise Tufts, which are all part of the national Sunrise Movement, have endorsed City Councilor Will Mbah for mayor of Somerville, and Charlotte Kelly, Willie Burnley Jr., Eve Seitchik, and incumbent Kristen Strezo for councilor at-large. – FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Barbara Lee has endorsed Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s reelection bid, per Fuller’s campaign. “I’m proud to endorse Ruthanne Fuller, who made history as the first woman ever elected Mayor of Newton. Ruthanne’s accomplishments as mayor demonstrate her strong commitment to the city and its residents,” Lee, founder of the Barbara Lee Political Office, said in a statement. | | ON THE STUMP |
| – State Sen. Julian Cyr (D-Truro) held a “special meet & greet” with state Sen. Adam Hinds (D-Pittsfield) Thursday evening at a Provincetown home, per an invite obtained by POLITICO. Hinds told Playbook in June he was “seriously looking” at his options for statewide office and was “considering lieutenant governor.” | | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES |
| – “MBTA to Commuters: Come Back, But Wear a Mask,” by Craig LeMoult, GBH News: “After more than a year and a half of low pandemic ridership, the MBTA is expanding some service and taking other steps to welcome commuters back. But they want to make sure those riders wear a mask." – “Wooing back riders: A tale of 2 transit agencies,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Magazine: “The MBTA and the Washington, DC, transit systems are trying to woo back riders as the summer comes to an end, but they are taking slightly different approaches.” | | FROM THE DELEGATION |
| – “Massachusetts Rep. Bill Keating negotiates travel out of Afghanistan for journalist's family,” by WCVB: “A NewsCenter 5 interview with Rep. Bill Keating was paused this week as the Massachusetts lawmaker picked up the phone to negotiate passage out of Afghanistan for a pro-democracy journalist's family.” – “‘It Is Time To Leave’: Mass. Lawmakers Say Evacuations Must Continue After Kabul Attack,” by CBS Boston staff. – “Despite lack of funding, officials say Bourne, Sagamore bridges will be replaced,” by Jessica Hill, Cape Cod Times: “Lack of a specific funding source has been a major impediment to proposals to replace the aging Bourne and Sagamore bridges, but officials continue to express confidence the project will happen. U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said that a press conference Wednesday at the Sagamore Recreation Area was to celebrate federal funding that is anticipated to pay for the Cape Cod Canal bridge replacements.” | | DATELINE D.C. |
| – “Supreme Court halts Biden eviction moratorium,” by Katy O’Donnell and Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: “The Supreme Court on Thursday night blocked the Biden administration’s new eviction ban, in a ruling that left millions of Americans at risk of losing their homes during the pandemic.” – Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who slept outside the U.S. Capitol to push for the eviction ban’s reinstatement, blasted the decision as “yet another devastating blow to the millions of vulnerable renters.” “In Massachusetts, the Baker administration must expedite the disbursement of these federal emergency rental assistance funds, and I urge my colleagues in the state legislature to swiftly pass the COVID-19 Housing Equity legislation to strengthen eviction protections and help keep families safely housed," she said in a statement, adding, "Congress should immediately pass legislation to extend the federal eviction moratorium for the duration of the pandemic." | | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
| – “Massachusetts cannabis company Theory Wellness to pay nearly $300K in restitution for violation of state wage and hour laws, AG’s office says,” by Melissa Hanson, MassLive.com: “Theory Wellness, a Massachusetts cannabis company, will pay nearly $300,000 in restitution after it failed to give hundreds of employees deserved premium pay on Sundays and covered holidays, authorities said Thursday.” | | FROM THE 413 |
| – “Great Barrington resident blocked from speaking against student masking at Berkshire Hills meeting,” by Heather Bellow: “Great Barrington resident Dattatreya Haynes had suggested in his email that, at the least, masking mandates should be suspended pending more studies of the risks and benefits. But officials blocked Haynes from speaking during a public comment period at the Berkshire Hills Regional School District’s School Committee’s meeting, held on Zoom, with 23 participants.” | | THE LOCAL ANGLE |
| – “Brighton restaurant owner says brother survived Kabul bombing,” by Mary Saladna, WCVB: “The owner of a Massachusetts restaurant says his brother survived the deadly suicide bombing attacks in Afghanistan on Thursday. Najeeb Rostami, owner of Ariana Restaurant in Brighton, has several family members in Afghanistan including his mother, three sisters, three brothers, nieces and nephews.” – “Cambridge asks residents for feedback on reparations, restitution proposals,” by Alexandra Chaidez, Boston Globe: “Members of the Cambridge City Council have introduced two measures in recent months. One proposes a pilot reparations program, with an as-yet-undetermined amount of revenue from local cannabis sales directed to Black residents to redress the harms of slavery. A second order proposes a restitution program for Cambridge residents harmed by ‘the war on drugs’ that would also be funded by a percentage of cannabis sales revenue.” – “Hospitals see ‘ridiculous’ shortage of psychiatric beds, long wait times during pandemic,” by Amy Sokolow, Boston Herald: “The shortage of beds and resources for psychiatric patients is accelerating threefold during the pandemic, leading to ‘ridiculous’ bottlenecks in hospitals and long admittance wait times.” – “Methuen Mayor Perry tests positive for COVID-19,” by Allison Corneau, Eagle-Tribune: “Mayor Neil Perry has tested positive for breakthrough COVID-19, his office announced Thursday. The mayor said he was notified he was a close contact of a friend who tested positive, and went to receive a rapid test out of an abundance of caution Thursday afternoon.” – “It’s official: Fourth heat wave of summer hits Mass.,” by John R. Ellement, Boston Globe. TRANSITIONS – Bryan Barash is the new head of public policy and strategy for dutchie, a software company in the marijuana space. Barash was previously general counsel to state Sen. Harriette Chandler. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – to Westford state Rep. Jim Arciero, Sierra LaBonte and Noah Futterman, media relations manager at the state auditor’s office. Happy belated to WCVB’s Sharman Sacchetti, who celebrated Thursday. HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY – to Katie Bowler and Meghan Sorenson, who celebrate Saturday; state Sen. Becca Rausch, who celebrates Tuesday; Worcester City Council at-large candidate Guillermo Creamer, who celebrates Wednesday; former Rep. Michael Harrington, who celebrates Thursday; and to former Rep. John Olver, state Sen. Jo Comerford, state Rep. Andy Vargas, the Boston Globe’s Daniel McGowan, Leo Stella, aide to state Sen. Nick Collins, Caroline Lehman and Nick Andersen, who celebrate next Friday. 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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