The Horse Race

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Episode 203: Diana DiZoglio on State Auditor race; MassGOP makes moves Mar 03, 2022

Show notes

3/3/2022--This week on The Horse Race, Jennifer, Steve, and Lisa discuss the growing field of candidates in two major statewide races: attorney general and lieutenant governor. Republican Jay McMahon, who’s run for political office in Massachusetts before, stepped into the race for state attorney general. Anthony Amore, the 2018 secretary of state candidate is now running for state auditor. And former state rep Kate Campanele joined as Chris Doughty’s running mate, making her the first Republican to enter the race for lieutenant governor. Later, state Senator Diana DiZoglio drops by The Horse Race to talk aout her bid for state auditor. She explains her goal of bringing more transparency and accountability to how taxpayer money is spent, shares the details of her social justice plan, and, as Republican Anthony Amore makes his entrance into the race, discusses whether there is a partisan angle to the office.

The Horse Race Blooper Reel: 2022 Edition Feb 24, 2022

Show notes

2/24/2022--This week, the hosts are off for February school vacation. Please enjoy the 2022 edition of Horse Race outtakes, and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week.

Episode 202: State House Roundup: Back to Beacon Hill Feb 17, 2022

Show notes

2/17/2022--Today on The Horse Race, we look ahead to next week’s reopening of the State House. After more than 700 days of closure due to COVID, doors open on Tuesday, and legislators will return to their offices. In this week’s installment of State House Roundup, friends of the pod Katie Lannan and Chris Lisinski of State House News Service break down the ramifications of the in-person return and highlight the major policies being tackled on Beacon Hill now— namely, voting reform, a bill to create a pathway for undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses, and a drug pricing transparency bill. This week also saw the exit of Harvard professor Danielle Allen from the governor’s race. Allen cites the caucus and nominating process as major barriers to nontraditional candidates’ access to the ballot. Her departure leaves two remaining candidates in the Democratic primary — Attorney General Maura Healey and state Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz. Full transcript: https://www.massincpolling.com/the-topline/episode-202-state-house-roundup-back-to-beacon-hill

Episode 201: Chris Dempsey on State Auditor Run Feb 10, 2022

Show notes

2/10/2022-- This week on The Horse Race, Lisa and Jenn discuss this week’s announcement out of the Governor’s office that the mask mandate for schools will end Feb. 28 and the reactions from the candidates running for Governor which, unsurprisingly, follow party lines. In the first of a series of segments interviewing State Auditor candidates, Jenn, Steve, and Lisa speak with Chris Dempsey, who speaks about his plans to audit the State Police and create an Auditor's commission on environmental justice.

Episode 200: Voting reforms & Everybody's running Feb 03, 2022

Show notes

2/3/2022--- This week on the horse race, Jenn, Steve, and Lisa discuss their brushes with the 24- hour record-breaking blizzard that hit the northeast this past weekend. Shifting to the many races of 2022, Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell announced her campaign for Attorney General. Lisa spoke with Campbell about how policing reform fits in to the Attorney General’s office. Meanwhile, in the race for Massachusetts governor, GOP candidate Geoff Diehl made waves as he hired Corey Lewandowski as a campaign senior advisor. Trump’s old super PAC & South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem cut ties with Lewandowski last fall after allegations that he made unwanted sexual advances toward a Trump donor at an event. Steve shares the results of a new statewide poll stacking up Democratic primary candidates. Many voters are undecided but as of now, Maura Healey has the biggest swath of likely Democratic primary voter support of all the announced candidates. The survey asked people their support of issues such as rent control and early college. Today's guest is Tanisha Sullivan, NAACP Boston Branch President, visits The Horse Race to share why she is running for Secretary of the Commonwealth, and what she'll do to expand voting rights and increase transparency in the state government.

Episode 199: Mayor Michelle Wu on what's ahead for Boston Jan 27, 2022

Show notes

1/27/2022--This week brings a handful of new campaign announcements. Among them, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin who confirmed he is seeking his eighth term in office, State Treasurer Deb Goldberg who is running for re-election, labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan who announced her bid for Attorney General, and Chris Doughty, a moderate Republican businessman from Wrentham and new entrant into the race for governor of Massachusetts. Jenn, Steve, and Lisa discuss Governor Baker's final State of the Commonwealth address that included plans for a slew of tax breaks. The special guest on today's show is Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. After just over two months in office, she answers questions regarding her major policies thus far, and her plans for the future.

Episode 198: Test Stressing Jan 20, 2022

Show notes

1/20/2022--This week on The Horse Race, two big campaign announcements hit the news. First, it's the one we've been waiting on for months. Attorney General Maura Healey is running for Governor. She enters the race after much anticipation and speculation with a rate of name recognition and funding that dwarfs that of her competitors. Tanisha Sullivan, President of the Boston NAACP, announced her candidacy for Secretary of the Commonwealth. Bill Galvin, who has been in the position for almost three decades, has not yet announced whether he’ll run again. Vaccine mandates for indoor businesses went into effect throughout Boston this past weekend. Jenn and Lisa talk about the Twitter conversations circulating among people who’ve experienced gaps in enforcement — some businesses don’t check for vaccine proof, others do. Also recently implemented is the state’s vaccine passport system which Massachusetts residents can use to access digital proof of their vaccination status. Issues remain with that program as well, like incomplete information for veterans and residents who received jabs out of state. Our guest this week is State House reporter for MassLive, Alison Kuznitz. She explains the state’s decision to move away from their current test-and-stay program that allows asymptomatic students to stay in school so long as they test negative for five straight days. The plan is to replace it with a program wherein students receive at-home rapid tests on a biweekly basis.

Episode 197: The Longest Intermission Jan 13, 2022

Show notes

1/13/22--Today on The Horse Race, Jenn and Lisa discuss the biggest headlines of the week so far -- the continued issues around in-person schooling during a surge in COVID-19 cases, the newest entrant in the race for Lieutenant Governor (Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll), and the Boston's self-imposed deadline to clear tents from the Mass & Cass area wherein 140-plus people currently reside. Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council Michael Bobbitt provides a glimpse into the arts and culture communities throughout Massachusetts--how are they navigating the ever-changing landscape that COVID-19 creates? As arts venues go from gearing up for reopening to welcoming back patrons to shutting down performances due to omicron infections, Bobbitt explains how arts consumption is changing, and people's expectations for art is evolving. Finally, new data out today from The MassINC Polling Group finds Massachusetts voters are amenable to shifting the cost of public transportation away from riders and toward high-income taxpayers. Friend of the pod and MPG Research Director Rich Parr explains the majority support for what's known as the "millionaire's tax" bodes well for its performance on the November ballot. The poll also asked about registered voters perceptions on transportation's climate preparedness, low-income fare discounts, fare-free modes of transportation, and what kind of condition they find the state's transportation system. This episode of The Horse Race is sponsored by Benchmark Strategies. Benchmark is setting a new standard as Boston's fastest-growing public affairs consulting firm. To know more, connect with Benchmark on Twitter @BenchmarkBoston.” Full transcript here: https://www.massincpolling.com/the-topline/episode-197-the-long-intermission

Episode 196: New year, same COVID Jan 06, 2022

Show notes

1/6/2022-- After ringing in the first Horse Race episode 2022, Steve, Jenn, and Lisa discuss poll results just out from The MassINC Polling Group. The statewide poll on Massachusetts residents found just around a quarter of them feel as though the situation around the COVID-19 pandemic in Massachusetts is better than it was this time last year. The poll also found that unvaccinated people feel the safest doing activities like going to a movie and dining indoors, while people who are the most protected (the vaccinated) feel the least safe doing the same activities. Steve also shares the favorables of each candidate in the race for Massachusetts Governor, showing Attorney General Maura Healey with the highest rate of name recognition, although Healey has yet to officially announce whether she's running. Later, CommonWealth reporter Shira Schoenberg shares the details of her recent article detailing Massachusetts schools' struggles with staffing amidst a devastating COVID surge as schools came back in session this week. Remote schooling is not an option, as the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education ordered last year, so schools are left to either scramble to fill in the staffing gaps or close school down and make up the days in the spring. Full transcript here: https://www.massincpolling.com/the-topline/episode-196-new-year-same-covid This episode of The Horse Race was brought to you by Benchmark Strategies. Benchmark is setting a new standard as Boston's fastest-growing public affairs consulting firm. To know more, connect with Benchmark on Twitter @benchmarkBoston.

Episode 195: The crises at Mass. and Cass Dec 23, 2021

Show notes

12/23/21--On the last episode of 2021, Steve and Lisa discuss their holiday plans that have largely been rearranged thanks to the brutal arrival of the Omicron variant. It's a reality confronting people across Massachusetts, and as folks plan to safely convene with friends and family, the lack of available COVID testing is making that near impossible. With case numbers rising across the country and here in Massachusetts, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu this week announced an indoor mask mandate. Meanwhile, Governor Charlie Baker unveiled a mask advisory, a move that, through the eyes of several public health advocates and political figures in the state, falls short. Joining Lisa to talk about the escalating public health crisis at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard (or Mass. and Cass.) are two reporters who have been following the situation for a while now. Tori Bedford is a reporter for GBH News, Sean Cotter for the Boston Herald. They explain the genesis of the tent city and open air drug market, which all began after the shutdown of the Long Island Bridge in 2014. Now, as the substance abuse, homelessness, and violence increase, and as the months get colder, the demand for adequate housing and resources becomes more dire. In the span of a little over a year, three Boston mayors have tried to adequately rectify the situation-- former Mayor Marty Walsh, acting Mayor Kim Janey, and current Mayor Michelle Wu. Tori and Sean break down each leader's approach and impact, and look ahead to Mayor Wu's plan not just for the immediate future, but for the long-term health and safety of the people who live there.

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