The Horse Race

Latest Episodes:

Episode 362: Are Mass. Dems Really Jumping Ship? Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race Jenn and Steve talk discuss how automatic voter registration is making Democrats’ woes look worse than they are. And, of course, all the new Mass. flag submissions. "The Democratic Party Faces a Voter Registration Crisis" by Shane Goldmacher With Jonah Smith www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/us/politics/democratic-party-voter-registration-crisis.html "Massachusetts political parties are fading away" by Steve Koczela www.commonwealthbeacon.org/by-the-numbers/massachusetts-political-parties-are-withering-away/

Episode 361: Getting Around the Springfield Region Aug 21, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race, Steve sits down with Rich Parr VP of the MassINC Polling Group to talk about a new poll they conducted for MassDOT. This highly detailed report, entitled "People and Transportation Project Report," shows how transportation can burden low income residents of Massachusetts. https://www.mass.gov/the-people-and-transportation-project

Episode 360: Could 40+ Questions on Your Ballot Help Legislative Productivity? (ft. Mike Deehan) Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Last week was the deadline to file ballot questions for November 2026 and over 40 ballot questions made it through. These are questions that ultimately could become law covering a wide range of topics from MBTA zoning to rent control, from marijuana "re-illegalization" to voter ID requirements. This week on The Horse Race, Steve is joined by Mike Deehan, reporter for Axios, to discuss how these ballot questions will effect Mass residents. and why filing ballot questions is becoming an increasingly used tactic of political activists and special interests to force issues in Mass., the lowest ranked state for legislative productivity.

Episode 359: Debating Democrat Doomerism Aug 07, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race Jenn asks Rich Parr, VP of the MassINC Polling Group, a very simple question: 'are the dems doomed?' With a surprising glint of optimism, Parr breaks down the latest polling on this question to give us a sense of how the democratic party is likely to fair in the upcoming elections.

Episode 358: A Potential Big Beautiful Budgetary Disaster Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race, Steve sits down with Rich Parr, VP of The MassINC Polling Group to discuss new polling on the mayoral election. Then Steve is joined by Katie Lannan of GBH News to tell the story of how uncertain federal dollars could spell disaster for the recently passed state budget. And most importantly of all, the heated election for the Feline-Mayor of the Somerville bike path. Guests: Rich Parr, Vice President of The MassINC Polling Group Katie Lennan, Reporter for GBH News Hosts: Steve Koczela, President of The MassINC Polling Group

Episode 357: A Nicotine Free Generation Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by CommonWealth Beacon reporter Bhaamati Borkhetaria to talk about the fight to regulate nicotine use in the Commonwealth. In recent years, various Massachusetts municipalities have implemented so-called "generational nicotine bans." On Monday, Borkhetaria attended a hearing where law makers discussed whether these regulations should be statewide or would that just be nannying a population which loves its "legal vices." "An Act to create a nicotine free generation:" https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD2372 Borkhetaria's article in CommonWealth Beacon: https://commonwealthbeacon.org/government/state-government/mass-lawmakers-weigh-a-statewide-age-based-nicotine-ban/ Articles on Mass. State Sedimentary Structure: https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2022-09-29/massachusetts-official-sedimentary-structure-geologist-wants-state-to-recognize-armored-mud-balls https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/07/14/official-massachusetts-state-symbols-bill-newsletter

Episode 356: The Ghost of Budgets Passed Jul 10, 2025

Show notes

After years of delayed budgets, the Massachusetts state budget came ever so close to passing on time this year. This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by Chris Lisinski of Statehouse News Service to look at how we got here, and why this year was different.

Episode 355: Trump Attacks Iran. What do Polls Show? What do Massachusetts Politicians Think? Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve discuss the flurry of news from the Middle East this weekend. Then they discuss various polls which reveal how Americans are feeling about Trump's unannounced bombing of Iran. And finally, on a lighter note, some very dedicated young citizens are pushing our state to protect a certain Salamander.

Episode 354: An Ol' Fashioned Governor Giddy-up Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jenn Smith are joined by CommonWealth reporter Gin Dumcius. The race for Governor is beginning and candidates such as Maura Healey and Mike Keneally and are on the trail. Then Gin breaks down Monday's meeting between politicians from Canada and Northeastern States. And finally... Dunkin' Donuts Lip Gloss... why.

Episode 353: LA to MA, Saddle Up! Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

What could the situation in LA mean for Massachusetts? This week on The Horse Race, Jenn Smith is joined by Steve Koczela to discuss recent New England polling which reveals growing political pessimism... and its not only directed at Republicans.

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