This is your #mapoli version of The Outside Scoop! (with Jackie Harvey)
- You know, we actually do have a gubernatorial race next year. The Dems are going to run a candidate — even against the supposedly invincible Charlie Baker. Setti Warren is in, and has John Walsh and Kevin Franck helping him out. Bob Massie is running. Jay Gonzalez is in. Will Dan Wolf jump in? If so, under ordinary circumstances that wouldn’t be a bad Dem field.Here’s Setti’s quote (I’ll use his first name to avoid confusion with a certain other Warren):
“[Baker’s popularity] doesn’t affect me at all,” Warren said. “[From] talking to folks, I believe the issue of our time is economic inequality. I am hearing directly from residents the fact that they are working harder than they ever have and they cannot afford the basic costs of things like education, they cannot afford transportation and housing. And they are having real challenges with health care. These are real vital to giving people a foundation of economic opportunity.”
Warren talks up single-payer, free college … aaaaand the Fair Share (millionaire’s) tax in his announcement email. That last one is going to be a wedge vs. Baker.
If there’s a chance for a Democrat against Baker, it’s in addressing big issues of inequality and cost of living. As we and others have been saying, Baker gets high approval ratings for minding the bureaucratic store; but with the budget shortfall (e.g.) he’s now coming up against long-term structural problems that require political risk — and the biggest risk may well be an abundance of caution. Give former Gov. Patrick credit, by contrast — he tried to push the envelope.
- Who’s got their ear to the ground in the Bristol/Norfolk Senate special election to replace James Timilty? The primary is Sept. 19, general October 17 (weird). It’s former Bernie Sanders State campaign director Paul Feeney vs. Ted Phillips of Sharon. TV personality (and, ahem, Trump voter) Joe Shortsleeve has decided to go indie.
- There are (at least) three candidates for Ken Donnelly’s Senate Seat (4th Middlesex: Arlington, Lexington, Billerica, Woburn): Rep. Sean Garballey, Donnelly’s chief of staff Cindy Friedman (who has received the endorsement of Donnelly’s family), and former Lexington School Committee chair (and EmergeMA alumna) Mary Ann Stewart. I’m watching the various endorsements and their reasons carefully. The primary is June 27.
- Who’s would run for Garballey’s State Rep seat should he win the late Sen. Ken Donnelly’s seat? Surely Arlingtonians must be gossiping already.
- Who’s been to an Indivisible event lately? I get the emails from the Indivisible MA-5 team, which is an absolute beehive. They were making calls for Montana US Rep candidate Rob Quist on Sunday. SwingLeft? What’s the word? What are you hearing? What are we doing to export MA’s bountiful political culture and enlightenment to poor benighted places that don’t have it? 😀
Another interesting fact-so far nobody is running for Lt. Gov.
So what are you doing for the next four years?:)
I really thought we would hear SOMETHING within a couple weeks of this year’s convention since declared statewide candidates get speaking time.
I like Setti Warren. A lot.
I think the ranking of progressive grassroots priorities in order of importance is as follows:
1. Pass Fair Share Amendment
2. Elect a Progressive Governor
3. Progressive Legislative Primary Challengers
1. This just needs 50%+1 voters to pass. We know the legislature and Gov. Baker won’t raise revenue-this not only enacts a good policy over their head but it also shows them that there is in fact a pro-revenue constituency in the state. Absolutely critical this passes.
2. Controversially I think this is less important. I like what I see out of Setti so far. Boldest vision and the best team in the field. His announcement was terribly timed, drowned out entirely by Trump news and the terror attack. It’ll take a lot of effort to draw attention to him and even if he won, he would be handcuffed by the same legislature that derailed Deval and is practically public in its preference for a Baker governorship to continue. Ideally we get both-but if I was forced to choose an outcome I’d take #1 over #2.
3. We always say this has to happen and yet it never does. The Tea Party was elected in part because 20 bold conservatives successfully challenged establishment incumbents and defeated them in primaries. This was replicated in 2014 at the statehouse level. This has been a disaster for the country, but a smart strategy for the conservative movement in its takeover of the Republican party and one progressive populists need to emulate. This has to happen at the legislative level and we need to make a pipeline to do it. I’ll have more to say on that in the future as part of a real strategy I am involved with.
It’s also a way to get our bench refreshed. Ted Cruz is in the Senate since he challenged an establishment favorite-maybe Eldridge, Diaz, Downing or anyone else on our perennial statewide wishlist could actually be elected statewide someday if they challenged some incumbents today. Galvin, Goldberg, and Bump are all mediocrities at their day job who aren’t Corner Office contenders-they should be challenged by progressives who want to be. Walsh is a similar mediocrity and Tito is finally getting some traction with the cyclist issue. Hopefully he can force a runoff. I am glad Donnelly’s district has attracted a real race-primaries build parties. Coronations kill them.