09/20/2017 07:03 AM EDT
By Lauren Dezenski (ldezenski@politico.com; @LaurenDezenski) and Rebecca Morin (rmorin@politico.com; @RebeccaMorin_)
GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Hurricane Jose is on the way and MEMA has activated its emergency operations center until the hurricane passes the state, State House News Service reports. A chance of showers, patchy fog, and 30 mph wind gusts are expected in Boston today.
YOUR PRIMARY RECAP - The field is now set in the special election to succeed state Sen. James Timilty.
Paul Feeney, the former Massachusetts state director for the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, defeated Edward Phillips by nearly 15 points to capture the Democratic nomination. Feeney was backed by the Sanders-aligned Our Revolution, the AFL-CIO, and other environmental and social justice groups and raised $31,000 as of Sept. 10 - double that of any other primary candidate in either party, according to most recent campaign finance data.
On the Republican side, Jacob Ventura of Attleboro bested three other candidates in the field: Michael Berry, Tim Brousaides, and Tim Hempton. Ventura, a licensed attorney and member of the Wampanoag Aquinnah Tribe, has secured a Gun Owners Action League endorsement - and also moved to the district (Attleboro specifically) in June, according to the Attleboro Sun Chronicle . MassGOP chair Kirsten Hughes called Ventura a "strong ally in advancing Governor Baker's common sense agenda," in a statement last night.
And a few hours after the polls closed, Former WBZ reporter and independent candidate Joe Shortsleeve challenged Feeney and Ventura to at least three debates - citing only one month until the special general election on Oct. 17.
IN RELATED NEWS: COMING THIS FRIDAY - The Horse Race, a new #mapoli campaigns podcast from MassINC Polling Group President Steve Koczela and yours truly. Tune in as Steve and I keep you on the inside track with every twist, turn, scoop, and poll you need in Massachusetts' races to watch. Subscribe to us on SoundCloud ahead of the first episode, out first thing Friday.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: ldezenski@politico.com.
TODAY - Mayor Marty Walsh delivers remarks to the Boston Chamber of Commerce's government affairs forum first thing this morning - Sen. Elizabeth Warren visits MGH Chelsea Healthcare Center for a tour and discussion on the Affordable Care Act - MA native and Obama administration alum Roger Fisk will take the stage at the World Chambers Conference in Sydney, Australia.
** A message from PhRMA: Ever wonder who decides what you pay for your medicines? It's not who you might think.Biopharmaceutical companies set the list prices for their medicines, but it's your insurer that decides how much you pay out of pocket. More than one-third of the list price is rebated back to middlemen, but these savings aren't always shared with patients. http://onphr.ma/2uiAQVk **
DATELINE BEACON HILL -
- "Minimum wage battle underway, with ballot fight possible," by Andy Metzger, State House News Service: "The Raise Up Massachusetts coalition, which pressured lawmakers to increase the wage floor in 2014, is threatening to go to the ballot next year with a $15 minimum wage if lawmakers do not pass a bill to its liking."
- "Investigation of opioid marketing, distribution expanded," by Michael P. Norton, State House News Service: "Naming five manufacturers and three distributors, Attorney General Maura Healey said Tuesday that prosecutors in the states are expanding their investigation into opioid sales and marketing to determine whether profits were put above the importance of describing the potential dangers and risks associated with prescription painkillers."
- "Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules on whether field sobriety tests can be used in marijuana drugged driving cases," by Gintautas Dumcius, Masslive.com: "Due to the physical and mental effects of marijuana varying from person to person, a police officer cannot offer an opinion on whether an individual was 'high' in court cases involving a driver accused of operating under the influence of marijuana, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court said in a ruling issued Tuesday."
- "Lawmakers revisit plan to tax short-term rentals," by Christian M. Wade, Eagle-Tribune: "Lawmakers are revisiting a stalled plan to tax and regulate short-term rental units, with a legislative panel recommending a 5 percent levy on overnight stays of 31 days or less. The proposal, given a green light last week by the Legislature's Joint Revenue Committee, would require people renting out rooms in their primary home to register with the state and pay a 5 percent excise tax. Cities and towns would be allowed to charge additional excise taxes of up to 6 percent."
- "Bill Would Commit Massachusetts To 100 Percent Renewable Energy," by Craig Lemoult, WGBH: "Massachusetts would get 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035 under a plan heard by lawmakers Tuesday. The bills would also require the state to renewably power all of its heating and transportation by 2050. The bills (S. 1849, H. 3395) aim to move the state beyond its current clean energy commitment, which has focused primarily on electricity generation."
TRUMPACHUSETTS -
- "Massachusetts fights latest GOP healthcare overhaul," by Astead W. Herndon, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts officials warned Tuesday that the latest Republican health care bill to emerge in the US Senate would inflict serious damage to the state's medical system, adding their voices to another tense congressional skirmish over the future of the Obama-era health law."
- "Baker And 9 Other Governors Ask Senators To Reject Graham-Cassidy Health Bill," by Benjamin Swasey, WBUR: "In a letter dated Tuesday, Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and nine other governors ask Senate leaders 'not to consider' the proposal. Instead, the governors renew their 'support for bipartisan efforts to make health care more available and more affordable.' A day before, on Monday, Baker's office said in a statement that the Republican-led Senate legislation 'would be damaging to the people of Massachusetts and cost the state billions of dollars in lost federal revenue.'"
- "At Northampton town hall, Congressmen Jim McGovern and Mark Pocan discuss war, immigration, and prospects for 'resistance' to Trump agenda," by Lucas Ropek, Masslive.com: "U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern D-Massachusetts and U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan D-Wisconsin, spoke at the First Churches of Northampton Tuesday night, discussing with community members an array of issues facing the American public, including war, immigration, and controversies involving the Trump White House."
THE WARREN REPORT -
- "The billionaire behind Breitbart takes aim at Elizabeth Warren," by Tina Nguyen, Vanity Fair: "As Donald Trump proved in the 2016 election, pummeling your Democratic opponent is most effective when done early and often. Of course, it doesn't hurt when that candidate is the frontrunner from the very beginning, or when she has a decades-long record in public office to draw on, as Hillary Clinton did. So it comes as little surprise that Republicans are pre-emptively targeting progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren, among other potential 2020 candidates, in order to dirty her reputation long before the actual presidential election season begins in earnest."
- "Our Way-Too-Early 2020 Democratic Primary Draft," by FiveThirtyEight: "In this week's politics chat, we check in on the Democratic presidential field for 2020. The transcript below has been lightly edited."
MOULTON MATTERS
- "Democratic congressman: We need new leadership to 'start winning again,'" by Jennifer Hansler, CNN: "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's recent legislative deals with President Donald Trump are not enough to change Rep. Seth Moulton's mind about the need for new party leadership. For the Massachusetts congressman, it's necessary for Democrats to 'start winning again.'"
ON THE STUMP -
- "Walsh declines to debate before Sept. 26 preliminary election," by Meghan E. Irons, Boston Globe: "Mayor Martin J. Walsh has repeatedly said he would debate his challengers before next Tuesday's preliminary vote, contending that it was the democratic thing to do to have all four candidates on the same stage. But with seven days to go before voters cast their first ballots in the mayor's race, Walsh apparently won't be in a debate involving all four candidates after all."
- "Setti Warren Supports Single-Payer, Criticizes Gov. Baker's Handling Of Healthcare," by Tori Bedford, WGBH: "Newton Mayor and candidate for governor Setti Warren has thrown his support behind two pieces of single-payer health care legislation, while criticizing current Gov. Charlie Baker's approach to curbing MassHealth costs. 'What we've got to do, as opposed to the solutions that are coming out of Washington - particularly from the Congress right now, and this president, and the governor - as opposed to making it more expensive for people to afford health care, let's actually make sure it's accessible and inexpensive, and reduce costs through administrative costs and drug costs,' Warren said in an interview with Boston Public Radio Tuesday."
- "AG Maura Healey leading effort to elect more female attorneys general across US," by Shira Schoenberg, Masslive.com: "Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is co-chairing an effort to elect more Democratic women as attorneys general. Healey and Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum are leading the effort, organized by the Democratic Attorneys General Association, to set a goal of electing women to 50 percent of the democratically elected attorney general seats by the end of 2022."
- "Westford's Trahan eyes 3rd District U.S. rep seat," by Chris Lisinski, Lowell Sun: "Lori Trahan, a consulting firm CEO who served as Marty Meehan's chief of staff when he was a congressman, appears to be positioning herself for a shot at replacing in Congress the woman who replaced Meehan, Rep. Niki Tsongas. The Westford resident is the fifth person to express serious interest in succeeding Tsongas when the longtime congresswoman steps away at the end of her term after a decade of service."
- "The dog-eat-dog world of politics takes a bite out of Heroux," by Jim Hand, Sun Chronicle: "State Rep. Paul Heroux is paying a bloody price for his dogged door-to-door campaigning. A dog bit Heroux, D-Attleboro, in the foot Monday as he was door knocking in advance of Tuesday's preliminary election for mayor."
WOOD WAR - Herald: "MERCY, MARIA!" - Globe: "Mass. warns of GOP health bill's effects," "Plan for King memorial gets a boost," "DISASTERS TAKE A HEAVY TOLL," "A bellicose Trump issues threat at UN," "BU study links youth football, brain issues later," "RECASTING HISTORY."
THE LOCAL ANGLE -
- "'Puff bus' eyes route to Massachusetts," by Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald: "A Colorado company is eyeing Massachusetts to operate 'mobile cannabis lounges' where customers hitch a ride on a party bus and smoke or vape weed to their hearts' content as the bus tours local dispensaries, hotels and bars. The 'puff bus' is already in operation in Denver but the owners of the company, called 'Loopr,' say they are looking to expand to other states, including California, Nevada and Massachusetts, in 2018."
- "Walsh: Boston will keep Amazon bid secret until submission," by Jordan Graham, Boston Herald: "Boston will keep its bid for Amazon's massive headquarters secret until it has been submitted and the deadline has passed, Mayor Martin J. Walsh said. 'I'm not going to tell everyone what we're putting in a bid when we're competing against cities and towns up and down the East Coast. That wouldn't be a smart thing to do,' Walsh told the Herald in a recent interview."
- "Massachusetts town debates keeping legal pot businesses out," by Bob Salsberg, Associated Press: "Many of the Massachusetts voters who opened the door to legal marijuana are closing the door to pot shops that want to operate in their communities, raising questions about how strong a foothold the cannabis industry can achieve in the state. More than 100 municipalities already have imposed bans, moratoriums or zoning restrictions on commercial marijuana businesses, with a closely watched referendum scheduled for Tuesday in Milford, a central Massachusetts town of about 28,000 residents."
- "Mayor backs new plan to build MLK memorial in Boston," by Jon Chesto, Boston Globe: "Mayor Martin J. Walsh plans to throw his support behind a campaign by a well-known Boston tech entrepreneur to commission a monument to Martin Luther King Jr. that would be placed on Boston Common or another prominent location. The Walsh administration plans to help with a public contest among artists who would design a statue or memorial honoring King, who earned his doctorate in the city in the 1950s."
FOR YOUR DANCE CARD - NEWS NERD TRIVIA NIGHT: WGBH State House Reporter Mike Deehan hosts yet another team trivia night at the station's studio space at the Boston Public Library. Billed as "brain-exasperating trivia based on the news and current events," the evening will feature team-based trivial competition and opportunities for the smartest dorks in the room to really show off in special MVP rounds. Prizes include bright orange tote bags, gift cards to the library's Newsfeed Cafe and works of fiction authored by former state chief magistrates. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. RSVPs are encouraged (and can be done here).
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - to Boston City Councilor Matt O'Malley.
DID THE HOME TEAMS WIN? Yes! - The Red Sox beat the Orioles 1-0.
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** A message from PhRMA: Are middlemen really holding down the cost of medicines? Ever wonder who decides what you pay for your medicines? It's not who you might think. Biopharmaceutical companies set the list prices for their medicines, but it's your insurer that ultimately determines how much you pay out of pocket. More than one-third of the list price of a medicine is rebated back to middlemen, like insurers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These rebates and discounts create savings of more than $100 billion, but these savings aren't always shared directly with patients. Patients share the costs. They should share the savings. http://onphr.ma/2uiAQVk **
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