TRAHAN triumphs in MA-03 – NEAL, McGOVERN poised to torment TRUMP – BAKER, RIVERA holding presser on gas explosion recovery
09/18/2018 07:05 AM EDT
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Get ready for a washout of a day thanks to remnants of Hurricane Florence.
TRAHAN TRIUMPHANT IN THE TSONGAS ARENA - At long last, the crowded, chaotic, 10-way Democratic congressional primary in the Merrimack Valley is over.
After the final ballots from each of the district's 37 municipalities had been recounted, the victor remained the same: Lori Trahan, whose lead widened to 145 votes over Dan Koh after the recount (a net of 20-some more votes for Trahan). "I look forward to the work ahead, and becoming not just the Democratic candidate but the person — the woman — who will follow in Congresswoman Niki Tsongas' remarkable footsteps," Trahan said at a press conference announcing her victory.
Koh, for his part, was conciliatory, calling Trahan to concede at 6 p.m. He also thanked supporters in an email sent out last night: "Out of 89,000 votes, it looks like we fell short by about 0.1%. There's no use in getting upset about the close margin — we can't afford to. It's time for us to unite behind Lori Trahan to be sure this seat stays Democratic."
Now, Democrats across the state are rallying to support their candidate in MA-03. Trahan, Tsongas (who did not endorse in the primary), Koh, Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford, and others will rally in support of their newly minted nominee in Lowell today. Trahan, after all, still has another election to win (this time, against a Republican) and is now running with a two-week delay to her full-throttle general election campaign.
That Republican, Rick Green, congratulated both Trahan and Koh in a statement following Trahan's official victory: "Congratulations to Dan Koh on a hard fought race, and to Lori Trahan on a hard fought victory. ... As we finally turn to November, I look forward to discussing the issues that matter most to the residents of this district."
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A PROGRAMMING NOTE - I'm leaving the company — and Boston — to join the CNN Politics team co-writing "The Point" newsletter (so I'll still be in your inbox, just in the evenings rather than in the morning). I promise I'll hold off on my sappy goodbye until my last day writing the Playbook: Friday Sept. 21.
TODAY - Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito join Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera, city officials, Columbia Gas CEO Steve Bryant, and Beth Francis of the Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) to host a press conference at the Lawrence Senior Center for a disaster relief update related to the gas explosions in Merrimack Valley - Rep. Niki Tsongas; Lori Trahan, Democratic nominee for Congress in the 3rd Congressional District; Dan Koh; Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Gus Bickford rally in support of Trahan at the UMass-Lowell Inn and Conference Center - Rep. Jim McGovern and Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. will host a roundtable discussion on opiate addiction in the veteran community.
DATELINE DC -
- "Meet the Democrats poised to torment Trump," by POLITICO's John Bresnahan and Nolan D. McCaskill: "The Rules Committee is how the speaker controls the floor. And if Democrats win the House, (Rep. Jim) McGovern will be the person wielding the Rules gavel on Pelosi's behalf. ... (Rep. Richie) Neal has spent 25 years on the Ways and Means Committee out of his three decades in Congress, and the brass ring is finally in sight. What Neal will be able to do there is a big question if Republicans still control the Senate and White House."
ON THE STUMP -
- "Congressional debates up in the air," by Geoff Spillane, Cape Cod Times: "There could be a debate over how many debates there should be in the 9th Congressional District race between U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Mass., and Republican challenger Peter Tedeschi."
- "Money Talks. Will the G.O.P. Listen?" by Bari Weiss, New York Times: "So far this cycle he's ponied up $4.9 million. He has given to 150 or so candidates, including Joe Kennedy, Conor Lamb, Beto O'Rourke and Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as dozens of lower-profile candidates. Liberal super PACs aimed at helping the Democrats take back the Senate and the House received $1 million and $2 million, respectively. It's quite a list for someone who says, 'I'm not a Democrat.' ... For Mr. Klarman, the logic is plain: 'We need to turn the House and Senate as a check on Donald Trump and his runaway presidency .'"
EXCERPTS:
“One of the reasons I’m willing to come out of my shell and talk to you is because I think democracy is at stake. And maybe I’ll be able to convince some other people of that. And get them to support Democrats in 2018.”
No longer. Among the many things Donald Trump has upended, one has been Mr. Klarman’s political giving. The denunciation of the president and his party in papers like this one has done nothing to change their behavior. He hopes money will.
The investor has been alarmed by Republican attempts at voter suppression, and by a president who demonizes immigrants and suggests that Muslims, Hispanics and blacks are second-class citizens. He told me he feels “betrayed” by “spineless” Republicans who have, with rare exceptions, been “profiles in cowardice.” Anyone still counting on them to stand up to the president is delusional. A Democratic majority, Mr. Klarman said, is the only option to “act as a check and balance.”
- "Senate candidate seeks injunction against UMass over debate snub," by Chris Lisinski, Lowell Sun: "Shiva Ayyadurai, an entrepreneur who launched a challenge for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren's seat as a Republican before switching his party affiliation to independent, is seeking a preliminary injunction against the University of Massachusetts hoping to stop scheduled debates from which he says he is being blocked."
- "Charlie Baker, Marty Walsh were anti-pot, but take donations from marijuana companies," by Hillary Chabot, Boston Herald: "The willingness of top elected officials — Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo — to quietly accept political donations while publicly decrying legalized pot has shocked longtime cannabis opponents."
- "GOP Leans on Former Party Leaders Where Trump Isn't Popular," by Zach C. Cohen and Ally Mutnick, National Journal: "Former Republican heavyweights have made a foray into the midterms' final weeks with the House majority up for grabs. Two prominent examples: Former President George W. Bush is raising money this month in two of his home state's battleground race, and Mitt Romney, Utah's likely next senator, has used his popularity to boost a vulnerable incumbent in a Salt Lake City-area district where Trump's victory margin was nearly 30 points below Romney's 2012 win."
FRONT PAGE PLAY — Herald: "HIGH REWARD" — Globe: "Kavanaugh accuser set to testify Monday," "A TRIBUTE FIT FOR KINGS," "Trahan's win made official in recount," "An uneasy return to Smith College," "'Hamilton,' from harmony to dissonance."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "Pressure inside Columbia Gas pipes was 12 times higher than normal," by Matt Rocheleau, Boston Globe: "The pressure inside pipes carrying natural gas through three Merrimack Valley communities was recorded to be at least 12 times higher than it should have been Thursday when dozens of gas-fueled explosions and fires erupted, U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren said Monday, citing briefings from federal regulators."
- "Restrictive state prison visitation policies spur outrage, lawsuits," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "Lucinda Fisher's son is in maximum security prison. ... Under new regulations that went into effect in March, her son is only allowed to put five people on his list of approved visitors. He can update the list every six months. ... The Department of Correction's new visiting procedures were launched earlier this year, spurring outrage among prisoners, family members and their advocates - and prompting four separate lawsuits, which are pending."
- "The Mysterious Swan Song of Mafia Killer 'Cadillac Frank,'" by Susan Zalkind, VICE: "The Whitey Bulger pal and former head of the mob in New England just got life in prison. But he went out with a bang, hyping FBI corruption."
- "Finalists in MLK memorial design competition unveiled," by Michael Levenson, Boston Globe: "In a storied history spanning four centuries, Boston Common has played host to grazing cows, a military encampment, victory gardens, and a bandstand modeled after a Greek temple. ... Soon, the iconic park could feature one of its most dramatic additions: a large, visually striking memorial to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King."
- "Cannabis campus on nearly 1 million square feet coming to Bristol County's Freetown," by Mike Plaisance, Springfield Republican: "The plan is for the 987,000-square-foot campus to cover 52 acres and have numerous tenants employing 300 to 400 people, Keogh said."
- "Pedro Martinez, Dwight Evans help celebrate Worcester Red Sox's upcoming move to Central Mass." by Aviva Lutrell, Masslive.com: "The City Common Oval was packed with local leaders, media and community members during the "Grand & Glorious Civic Celebration," which welcomed the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate team to Central Massachusetts."
- "After 'right-sizing' closes Lynn dairy plant, schools complain of supply problems," by Allison Hagan, Boston Globe: "Garelick Farms is struggling to keep up with orders more than three months after Dallas-based parent Dean Foods closed Garelick's dairy plant in Lynn, putting 300 employees out of work. ... Since then, some Massachusetts schools and businesses have reported discrepancies and delays with milk orders placed with Garelick, which is based in Franklin and produces milk products such as DairyPure and TruMoo."
- "Rev. Michael Curry, royal wedding star, to speak at Pittsfield service," by Clarence Fanto, Berkshire Eagle: "The Most Rev. Michael Curry mesmerized millions of TV viewers worldwide in May as he preached during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in England."
MAZEL! - to City of Boston's Chief Communications Officer Laura Oggeri and husband Peter Oggeri on the birth of their son, Owen George Oggeri.
MEDIA MATTERS - Matt Viser is headed to the The Washington Post, joining the politics staff as a national politics reporter. He has been at the Boston Globe for 16 years.
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY - to Abt Associates' Kathryn Niforos, who celebrated on Monday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to former Rep. John Tierney; Kathryn Burton, director of operations at New Boston Ventures; and Liberty Square Group's Blue Lab Manager Jen Migliore.
WEEKEND WEDDING -- Stephen Hart, research programs manager at Earthwatch Institute in Boston, married Kelly Davin, an interior architecture MA candidate at Suffolk University and co-founder of interior design firm LIVDIN, in a wedding in Shelburne Farms, Vt. The couple met at UVM. Instapics
THE HOME TEAMS DID NOT PLAY LAST NIGHT.
ICYMI - On this episode of The Horse Race, we wrap up our recap of the primary election and make a big announcement. ... We welcomed News Editor at the Dorchester Reporter, Jenn Smith and Michael Jonas of Commonwealth Magazine to cover the DA race. We then catch up with our friends of the Codcast, Jennifer Nassour and Jesse Mermell to hear all about their new, highly opinionated, cross-partisan podcast, Disagreeing Agreeably. Subscribe and listen on iTunes and Sound Cloud
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