Auchincloss challenges the status quo
'The Democratic Party needs new leaders and big ideas,' Auchincloss told Playbook in a recent interview. 'We need a box of fresh crayons.'
Enter Majority Democrats, a coalition of federal, state and local Democrats, most of whom have won in competitive purple or red seats. The group, which The New York Times first reported on late last week, includes members of Congress, as well as mayors, governors and state legislators.
The roughly 30 members tend to lean toward the center — members include Democratic Reps. Angie Craig (Minn), Pat Ryan (N.Y.), Joe Neguse (Colo.), Jared Golden (Maine) and Maggie Goodlander (N.H.). But Auchincloss insists membership isn't based on ideology.
'I use that term 'box of fresh crayons' deliberately — like a lot of different stripes of political belief, but a shared belief that we need much more vigorous debate about ideas, and we need much more appetite to challenge the status quo because the status quo is putting this party on a trajectory to a permanent minority in this country,' Auchincloss said.
No other Massachusetts electeds are in on the effort yet, but Auchincloss pointed to Cambridge City Councilor Burhan Azeem, whose work to change the city's zoning parameters to make it easier to build more multifamily housing Auchincloss recently referenced in an op-ed, as an example of someone he'd want to see 'in that box of crayons.'
In addition to pushing a policy platform (conversations about what will be in that are still ongoing), Majority Democrats plan to start hosting rallies and other in-person events this summer. It'll also have an associated PAC and super PAC to provide support for Democratic candidates. What Auchincloss wants to see is a 'hard cider and log cabin campaign,' he said — in other words, authentic and organic exchanges with voters.
'The core problem that Democrats have right now is that we're viewed as condescending,' he said. 'Until we overcome that core challenge, until voters believe that we're not condescending to them, but rather enlisting them into a cause bigger than themselves, we're never going to be able to reach the average voter effectively.'
GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. There are plenty of takes on what Democrats need to do to move forward, and Rep. Seth Moulton will offer his own at a New England Council breakfast this morning. According to his office, Moulton will talk about how Democrats can win back an electorate that's lost faith in elected officials by reminding them that the government's job is to protect them and give them a chance to succeed.
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and first lady Joanna Lydgate attend a Female Sports Rebellion reception at 7 p.m. in Boston. Sen. Ed Markey endorses Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at a press conference at 11 a.m. in Jamaica Plain. Rep. Stephen Lynch visits the picket line to support the striking Republic Teamsters at 10 a.m. in Roxbury. Rep. Seth Moulton speaks at the New England Council's 'Capitol Hill Report' breakfast at 10 a.m. in Boston.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
DATELINE BEACON HILL
CABINET CHANGE-UP — Health and Human Services Secretary Kate Walsh is stepping down from leading the massive secretariat, the governor's office announced Friday. Undersecretary Kiame Mahaniah will replace Walsh, starting on a permanent basis today. More from the Boston Globe.
EYES ON 2026
NOT A NO — There's nothing like a call to end the status quo to fuel the speculation about a possible Senate bid. Rep. Jake Auchincloss reiterated that he's running for reelection to Congress when asked about a potential challenge to Sen. Ed Markey during an interview on WCVB's 'On the Record' Sunday. FWIW, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III deployed the same dodge back in 2019.
FROM THE HUB
— Boston City Councilors, Secretary of State urge company to resolve trash strike by Matthew Medsgar, Boston Herald: 'The Secretary of State and several members of the Boston City Council are calling on waste management giant Republic Services to go back to the negotiating table and end a nearly two-week sanitation worker strike affecting more than a dozen Bay State communities. According to Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the ongoing dispute between the company and more than 450 striking members of Teamsters Local 25 should have been resolved already. Galvin blamed the delay on the trash company.'
— BPS not planning to lay off staff impacted by federal funding freeze, superintendent says by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: 'With federal grant funding in limbo, BPS officials say they are not currently planning to cut staff whose programs rely on those grants. 'Right now, the funding is indicating from the federal government a delay,' Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a meeting with the Boston School Committee. 'I want to emphasize a couple things. One is that we do not believe that there'll be an impact to any BPS employees for the coming school year, 2025-26, or for any of the current BPS summer programming.' The BPS news comes days after the Trump administration announced it would withhold $6 billion in congressionally approved education funding nationwide until further review.'
— Boston Convention Center renamed to honor former Mayor Tom Menino by Mike Toole and Paul Burton, CBS Boston.
MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS
— Testimony of key witness in 2024 murder of mother and child in limbo after ICE arrest by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: 'The testimony of a key witness in the double murder of 11-year-old Zella Nuñez and her mother, Chasity, is in limbo following her arrest on a decade-old deportation order by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The mother of Dejan Belnavis, one of two men accused of gunning the Nuñezes down inside a parked SUV in daylight in March 2024, was recently taken into custody by ICE on a 2011 deportation warrant, court records show.'
PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES
IN THE ZONE — Today's the deadline for several cities and towns to come into compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, and while most have approved new zoning plans, 14 municipalities have yet to do so, per MassLive's Tréa Lavery.
DAY IN COURT
— An attorney work stoppage in Massachusetts has crippled courts by Sean Cotter, The Boston Globe: 'In courtrooms last week, lawyers were forced to do some quick math with high stakes. The public defenders in Lowell District Court already had a heavy caseload but used two of their remaining slots for the most serious cases: one man accused of child rape, and another charged with gun offenses and domestic violence. If the public defenders had not done so, Judge John Coffey may have been forced to release them rather than keep them in jail — a new crisis facing judges in Suffolk and Middlesex counties amid an ongoing work stoppage by court-appointed private attorneys. It's a conundrum arising from a system that is unique to Massachusetts and a handful of other states and that is at the mercy of the state Legislature.'
— Nantucket reaches $10.5 million settlement with GE Vernova over Vineyard Wind blade failure by Jason Graziadei, Nantucket Current: 'GE Vernova will pay the town of Nantucket and island businesses $10.5 million as part of a settlement related to the offshore wind turbine blade failure in July 2024 at the Vineyard Wind farm. The town announced the settlement Friday morning with GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the Haliade-X turbine that failed, nearly one year since the 300-foot-long blade collapsed 15 miles southwest of the island, littering Nantucket beaches with debris and scattering fiberglass and foam around the region. Under the agreement, Nantucket will establish a 'Community Claims Fund' to provide compensation for economic harm caused by the blade failure. Nantucket will engage an independent third-party administrator to evaluate claims from local businesses and issue payments.'
— ATF won't return banned trigger devices to gun owners by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'Federal officials won't be returning thousands of previously seized machine gun conversion kits to gun owners in Massachusetts and 15 other states that sued to block the Trump administration from 'redistributing' the devices. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Weapons said in a recent court filing that the devices, which allow semiautomatic weapons to be converted to fully automatic, will not be returned to individuals prohibited by law from possessing firearms or back to states that have already restricted the trigger 'reset' devices.'
MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS
— Cannabis social equity training program back on after a year-long pause by Bhaamati Borkhetaria, CommonWealth Beacon: 'The Cannabis Control Commission's social equity program – which has been on pause for a year due to budget constraints – is back on track for the fall. Last year, the commission accepted 229 individuals into the cannabis industry training program for individuals most impacted by the war on drugs, but said that the agency didn't have funding from the Legislature to operate the program as promised. ... Now, with pressure from advocates to get the program restarted, CCC leadership says it is now kicking off on September 8 with the current round of applicants and will accept more applicants starting August 1.'
FROM THE 413
— Council President Salem Derby to take the helm as Easthampton mayor by Sam Ferland, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'With an election looming on Nov. 4, City Council President Salem Derby has accepted the role as interim mayor. … According to the city charter, if a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs in the last nine months of a term, the president of the City Council shall become the mayor. Derby will take office effective July 16, after Mayor Nicole LaChapelle announced she would resign from office effective July 15, after accepting a position as the commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).'
— Speakers deride current system of government, see need for mayor in Amherst by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Several residents concerned with Amherst's government, featuring an elected 13-member Town Council and an appointed town manager, are asking the Charter Review Committee to recommend revisions to the town charter that might include adding a mayor as part of enhanced checks and balances.'
— EMS is not classified as an essential service in Massachusetts. State Rep. Leigh Davis wants to change that by Talia Lissauer, The Berkshire Eagle.
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Worcester's annual Latin American Festival canceled this year by Sam Turken, GBH News: 'Worcester's annual Latin American Festival, a summer tradition for more than three decades, has been canceled this year. The August event on the Worcester Common typically attracts thousands of people for a celebration of Latin cuisine, music and dancing. In a statement, the local nonprofit CENTRO — which hosts the festival — said it decided to call off this year's gathering 'after careful consideration of factors beyond our control.''
— New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell announces austerity measures, punches back at Council by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light: 'Mayor Jon Mitchell announced a new round of austerity measures on Friday in response to recent City Council budget cuts. They will include a city-wide hiring freeze — excluding emergency departments like police and fire — and closing the Casa de Saudade library branch in the South End.'
— How a pause in federal education grants will impact Chelsea public schools by Stephanie Brown and Sharon Brody, WBUR.
— Protesters outraged as they call for justice for man who died at hands of police in Haverhill by Jonah Frangiosa, The Eagle-Tribune.
— North Attleboro's Mark Gould named new Norton town manager by Madison Dunphy, The Sun Chronicle.
— Worcester Mayor says Trump fund freeze could cost 20 school jobs by Adam Bass, MassLive.
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
IN MEMORIAM — David Gergen, a Harvard Kennedy School fixture and a longtime White House political advisor who served four presidents, died Thursday. He was 83. More from the NYT.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Rick Jakious of Rep. Seth Moulton's office, former state Attorney General Martha Coakley, former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Erin Olivieri, Zach Crowley, Laurily Epstein, Nate Bermel, Georgia Katsoulomitis, executive director at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute and David Emil Reich. Happy belated to state Rep. John Moran, who celebrated Saturday.
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