Happening Today
Democratic unity breakfast, Baker hits the trail, and more
— Massachusetts Gaming Commission meets to assemble agendas for future commission meetings, Gaming Commission, 12th floor, 101 Federal St., Boston, 10 a.m.
— The Massachusetts Democratic Party will hold its post-primary unity breakfast, Party Coordinated Campaign Headquarters, 150 Mount Vernon St., Dorchester, 11 a.m.
— The Health Policy Commission’s Advisory Council meets to discuss the HPC’s recent DataPoints report regarding the rise in urgent care centers and retail clinics, 50 Milk St., 8th floor, Boston, 12 p.m.
— Governor’s Council meets for its weekly assembly, Council Chamber, Room 360, 12 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins Secretary of Education James Peyser, Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos Santiago, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Jeff Riley, Board of Higher Education Chairman Chris Gabrieli and others in a visit to early college classes at Chelsea High School, Chelsea High School, 299 Everett Avenue, Chelsea, 1:30 p.m.
— The board of the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust meets, including Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, Room 227, 1:30 p.m.
— Gov. Charlie Baker joins Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Boston philanthropist Jack Connors to tour the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program and to ‘make an important announcement regarding the campaign,’ 780 Albany Street, Boston, 3 p.m.
— Steve Koczela of the MassInc Polling Group and Lauren Dezenski of Politico join WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti and other guests to recap what happened in the state primary elections, Floor 15, One Beacon Street, Boston, 6 p.m.
For more calendar listings, check out State House News Service’s Daily Advances (pay wall – free trial subscriptions available) and MassterList’s Beacon Hill Town Square below.
Today’s Stories
Change arrives: Pressley stuns Capuano, easily defeats long-time Seventh incumbent
This one is getting a lot of national press (such as at the NYT and the Washington Post): Ayanna Pressley, the 44-year-old Boston city councilor, didn’t just defeat long-time incumbent Michael Capuano in the Democratic Seventh Congressional District primary yesterrday. She handily beat Capuano, 59 percent to 41 percent, confirming that voters really did want change. CommonWealth’s Jack Sullivan and Michael Jonas have the details on Pressley’s highly impressive win. The Boston Herald — which blazed its front page with the headline “Change Didn’t Wait!” — also has more.
In an editorial, the Boston Globe rightly describes the outcome as a “political earthquake” in Boston, with Pressley poised to become the first African-American female to be elected to Congress from Massachusetts. The Globe’s Adrian Walker has more on the historic night that changed Boston’s political landscape. The Globe’s Joan Vennochi writes that Mayor Marty Walsh was on the wrong side of history for backing Capuano.
More change: Rollins comes out on top in crowded Suffolk DA race
This was another big win for minorities last night, in yet another example of the changing political landscape in Boston. From Brooks Sutherland at the Herald: “Rachael Rollins is one step closer to becoming Suffolk County’s next district attorney — and possibly the first female DA of color — after winning last night’s Democratic primary. Rollins, the chief legal counsel of the MBTA and MassDOT, topped four other Democrats in the primary and will now face Independent Mike Maloney on Nov. 6. Maloney ran unopposed yesterday.” Michael Jonas at CommonWealth magazine has more on the impressive win by Rollins. He also has more about the big DA race in Berkshire County (see below).
DeLeo’s bad night: Elugardo upsets Sanchez, Santiago knocks off Rushing
Yet more change. Bruce Mohl at CommonWealth magazine reports how two of House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s leadership team took it on the chin last night. Nika Elugardo, who calls herself a member of the ‘super left,’ upset state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, and Jonathan Santiago, an emergency room doctor, knocked off state Rep. Byron Rushing, the assistant majority leader. Not a good night for DeLeo.
Third Congressional: Trahan declares victory but race still too close to call
In the crowded Third District race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, Lori Trahan early this morning declared victory in the Democratic primary election, but Dan Koh was refusing to concede, reports the Lowell Sun and the Boston Globe. The most updated numbers at the Globe and at WCVB show Koh actually clinging to a narrow lead.
First Congressional: Neal demolishes Amatul-Wadad
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal has fended off a challenge from Democratic attorney Tahirah Amatul-Wadad in the state’s First Congressional District, extending an already 30-year run in Congress for Neal and setting him up to become chair the powerful Ways and Means Committee should the Democrats retake the House in November. Dusty Christensen has more at the Daily Hampshire Gazette.
U.S. Senate: It’s Diehl versus Warren
State Rep. Geoff Diehl, a die-hard Trump supporter, easily won the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, earning the right to take on the popular incumbent Elizabeth Warren in November, reports the Associated Press at WCVB. John Kingston came in a distant second with 27 percent of the vote and Beth Lindstrom managed to get only 18 percent of the vote. We thought she would have gotten more, considering she was the lone woman in the three-way race. So much for conventional wisdom.
Fyi: The Herald’s Howie Carr is urging Diehl to go all conservative, all Massachusetts against the progressive Warren, who is heavily favored to win in November and who has her eye on a possible 2020 presidential bid. Expect outside money to flow into this race, especially from conservative groups trying to ding and dent Warren’s image as much as possible in anticipation of 2020.
Governor’s race: It’s Baker versus Gonzalez
The AP’s Bob Salsberg at CBS Boston has the details on the easy wins by Republican incumbent Charlie Baker over conservative challenger Scott Lively in the GOP gubernatorial primary and Jay Gonzalez over Bob Massie in the Democratic primary for governor.
The Herald’s Joe Battenfeld writes that Baker won with “only” two-thirds of the vote over the far-right Lively, an outcome, combined with Geoff Diehl’s big win in the GOP primary race for U.S. Senate, that Battenfeld says shows Trump supports in Massachusetts are alive and kicking. Actually, we thought Lively’s performance wasn’t all that surprising.
Btw: We almost forgot! Quentin Palfrey easily crushed Jimmy Tingle in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.
Not even close: Galvin routs Zakim in Dem secretary of state race
It was the official rock-’em-sock-‘em primary race of 2018. But in the end, incumbent William Galvin crushed upstart Josh Zakim, nabbing an astounding 68 percent of the vote last night in the Democratic primary for secretary of state. Alexi Cohan at the Herald and Milton Valencia at the Globe have the details.
The Rosenberg seat: Write-in candidate Comerford leads pack
No name on ballot? No problem, it appears. Though counting continued into Wednesday morning, write-in candidate Jo Comerford has apparently won the Democratic primary in the Hampshire-Franklin-Worcester Senate district long represented by former Senate President Stan Rosenberg. Comerford, a MoveOn.org organizer, bested a field of four Democrats, including Chelsea Kline, whose name was the only one officially on the ballot. Diane Lederman of MassLive reports.
Berkshire County DA: Harrington defeats long-time prosecutor Caccaviello
Reformer attorney Andrea Harrington unseated interim Berkshire County District Attorney Paul Caccaviello in a closely watched Democratic primary race, Amanda Drane reports at the Berkshire Eagle. There is no Republican on the ballot in November, but Caccaviello would not rule out mounting a write-in campaign.
Ryan fends off Patalano to retain Middlesex County DA post
It was a spirited race between two Democrats, but the incumbent held on in the end. From Anne Brennan at the MetroWest Daily News: “Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan won a second term Tuesday, defeating fellow Democrat Donna Patalano. No Republican is running for the office so Ryan, 63, will be the only candidate on the ballot in November.”
Comeback kid: Barry Finegold wins Democratic nod to replace Sen. L’Italien
Barry Finegold, the former state representative and senator who has also run for state treasurer and Congress, is one step closer to returning to Beacon Hill, after he defeated Dracut’s Mike Armano in the Democratic primary to replace state Sen. Barbara L’Italien, who gave up her seat to unsuccessfully run in the Third U.S. House primary, reports Robert Mills at the Lowell Sun. Finegold will now face off against Republican Joe Espinola, a Dracut resident and retired Lowell police officer in the general election.
‘Progressives split vote, so longest serving state rep gets to serve even longer’
From the irreplaceable Adam Gaffin at Universal Hub: “Angelo Scaccia, who has served in the state House of Representatives since 1973 – except for two years – won re-election tonight in the 14th Suffolk district, which covers Hyde Park and parts of Roslindale and West Roxbury. Latest results from the Boston elections department show Scaccia with only about 39.5 percent. But with Gretchen Van Ness and Segun Idowu splitting the progressive vote in the district, that was more than enough to retain his seat.”
Other legislative races: It’s Robinson, Devers, Kennedy, Hunt, Hendricks
It was a mixed bag for legislative incumbents (and former incumbents) last night:
— In Framingham, Maria Robinson cleared the field of all write-in candidates looking to fill the Housee seat left vacant by the death of Chris Walsh in May, reports MetroWest Daily News.
— In the New Bedford area’s 11th Bristol district, newcomer Chris Hendricks took down 30-year incumbent Robert Koczera in the Democratic primary, reports South Coast Today.
— Up in Lawrence, Marcos Devers reclaimed the 16th Essex District House seat he previously held, narrowly defeating William Lantigua, who was also trying to win the seat back, reports the Eagle Tribune.
— Former Lowell Mayor Edward Kennedy won the 1st Middlesex District primary and will face Republican John MacDonald for the right to fill the state Senate seat previously held by now Lowell City Manager Eileen Donoghue, reports the Lowell Sun.
— On Cape Cod, Rep. Randy Hunt fended off a challenge from Ronald Beaty Jr. in one of the few contested Republican primaries for state rep, reports the Cape Cod Times.
— Rep. Rady Mom fended off three Democratic challengers in a wild race up north, reports the Lowell Sun.
AG race: It’s Healey versus McMahon
SHNS’s Michael Norton at the Cape Cod Times reports that Bourne lawyer James Jay McMahon III came out on top in the Republican primary for attorney general, setting up a fall battle between McMahon and Democratic incumbent Maura Healey.
State to spend millions on election security – after the November election
This makes total sense: Spending $7.9 million on election security right after the November general election. Eli Sherman at Wicked Local has the details.
Can an administration have a ‘nervous breakdown’?
For all you political junkies out there, the talk of the political world this morning is not, believe it or not, about the Massachusetts primary election results. Instead, it’s about Bob Woodward’s forthcoming new book on the Trump administration, titled “Fear,” in which Woodward describes “an administrative coup d’etat” and a “nervous breakdown” of the executive branch under Trump, as the Washington Post reports.
Divided they fall: Pro-pot groups fight amongst themselves
The BBJ’s Jessica Bartlett reports that a major spat has broken out over the focus of one of the first cannabis industry job fairs, prompting one pot advocacy group to pull out of the summer event amid complaints the event wasn’t adequately geared to minorities and other marginalized communities.
SJC zaps electricity generators’ challenge to climate-change rules
From Adam Gaffin at Universal Hub: “The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that Massachusetts has a right to make in-state electricity generators cut their carbon emissions dramatically over the next 30 years. It’s the second time in two years that the state’s highest court has recognized the science of climate change. … In its decision two years ago, the court ordered the Baker administration to come up with tougher regulations to cut the state’s greenhouse-gas emissions, which it did last year.”
Healey says $10 million in penalties levied against employers
We missed this one from the other day. Attorney General Maura Healey’s office says it has levied $10 million worth of fines and restitution against employers who stole wages or otherwise exploited workers over the last year, Mary Markos of the Herald reports. Healey says her office issued some 600 citations to companies accused of wage theft or other illegal activity, across a host of industries.
Engineer says Long Island bridge will just come tumbling down again
A structural engineered hired by the city of Quincy says the 70-year-old structural piers from the Long Island Bridge are not strong enough to support a new structure being built on top, Mary Whitfil reports in the Patriot Ledger. The report will be taken up by Quincy’s Conservation Commission, which is reviewing the city of Boston’s proposal to rebuild the bridge. Quincy officials said the study bolsters their argument that Boston is trying to use construction shortcuts in the process.
WPI asks court to toss out suit against massive donation
Worcester Polytechnic Institute wants a judge to throw out a lawsuit brought by a major donor’s ex-wife, arguing she lacks standing to sue the university, Scott O’Connell reports at the Telegram. Robert Foisie pledged a record $40 million to the school in 2014 and this fall the school opened a new residence hall and innovation studio building bearing his name.
Five hundred days down the drain
A new study by EducatedDriver.org says the average Bostonian spends 500 days over a lifetime stuck in traffic, one of the higher rates in the nation. The BBJ’s Max Stendahl (pay wall) has more on the study. We can already hear it now: We need congestion pricing! With no mention of congestion pricing for everyone. Just some people.
Corporate Citizenship Awards 2018
We look forward to seeing you on September 6th for the Boston Business Journal’s 13th annual event to recognize Massachusetts’ most philanthropic companies!
A Night of Music to Benefit Katie McBrine for State Senate
Come out for a Night of Music to benefit the campaign to elect Katie McBrine to the State Senate. Kingsley Flood and Eddie Japan will perform at the River Club in Scituate on September 7, 2018, beginning at 7:30PM. Tickets available now!
Committee to Elect Katie McBrine
2018 State of the Region Address – North Shore Chamber
Join us September 12th at our Annual State of the Region Breakfast. The State of the Region Breakfast connects chamber members and business professionals with information about important regional issues, while providing direct access to elected officials.
North Shore Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
Harvard Alum Stuart Eizenstat will discuss “President Carter: The White House Years”
The definitive history of the Carter Administration from the man who participated in its surprising number of accomplishments―drawing on his extensive and never-before-seen notes.Stuart Eizenstat was at Jimmy Carter’s side from his political rise in Georgia through four years in the White House, where he served as Chief Domestic Policy Adviser.
The Coop Event Series…Authors, Coop Kids & More!
Development Unicorns: Neighborhood Game Changers
The most transformative multi-phase developments in recent Boston history started with a vision, taking decades to design, entitle, plan and execute. Join NAIOP to hear from the original visionaries behind three of these game-changing projects (Assembly Row, The Fenway and Seaport Square) to hear how they started and what has changed along the way.
Today’s Headlines
Metro
Lynn’s Capano wins Democratic primary for 11th Essex state representative – Lynn Item
Engineer: Long Island bridge concrete won’t hold up – Patriot Ledger
Massachusetts
ABC Disposal to begin rejecting bad recycling in New Bedford – Standard-Times
Tensions within pro-pot community grow as industry takes root – Boston Business Journal
Progressive set new tone in historically blue Massachusetts – WGBH
Nation
Partisan fury bursts into the open as Kavanaugh hearings begin – Washington Post
Facebook, Twitter heavies set to appear at Senate hearing. Google may be MIA – NPR
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