Messing with Texas

Politico

07-08-2025

DISTRICT DRAMA — Before wrapping up their trip to Boston for the National Conference of State Legislatures summit, Texas Democrats delivered a final warning to lawmakers from more than two dozen states who had gathered on the State House steps: you could be next.
'I want you to understand something: It's not just Texas,' Texas state Sen. Borris Miles said during the rally alongside Democratic legislators from across the country. 'After Texas, it will be your state. After your state, it will be this entire country.'
In some states, the specter of a Texas-style redistricting fight is already looming. Missouri Democratic state Rep. Ashley Aune said that Republican legislators in her state may be called back into session this fall to redraw the map to alter the makeup of the electorate in one of the two Democratic-held congressional seats there.
But not so much in Massachusetts. Redistricting is highly unlikely here, since Democrats currently hold every congressional seat (plus every statewide office and supermajorities in both legislative chambers).
The makeup of the Massachusetts delegation wasn't lost on Republicans. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton took a shot at Gov. Maura Healey in a post on X yesterday, after Healey held a press conference Tuesday with the Texas Democratic delegation that was in town.
'Current map of Massachusetts congressional districts. They currently have 0 Republicans in Congress,' Paxton wrote. 'Nice grandstanding.'
'You mean our map passed with bipartisan support and signed by a Republican Governor?' Healey shot back.
Some Republicans have also argued that it was ironic Texas Democrats were speaking from Massachusetts, where more than 36 percent of voters backed GOP President Donald Trump but no Republicans currently represent them in Congress. (A Boston Globe analysis, however, shows that building a solidly Republican district in Massachusetts would be pretty tricky.)
It's a light version of criticism that Democrats are facing in blue states where there are still GOP members of Congress, like New York and California. Moments after calling the push by Texas Republicans for mid-decade redistricting 'craven' and a 'power grab,' Healey sounded open to the idea that her Democratic colleagues should follow a similar path.
'Isn't it a sad state of affairs that that's where we're at?' she said earlier this week, when asked about her Democratic counterparts' redistricting efforts. 'Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton have left us no choice. That's the reality.'
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: [e-mail].
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks at Project Leadership's State Leadership Summit at 9 a.m. in Cambridge and signs the updated Shield Law at noon at the State House.
Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Seth Moulton, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll and local officials tour the Salem Maritime National Historical Park at 10:45 a.m. in Salem. Markey hosts a press conference on energy costs at 1:30 p.m. in Boston. Sen. Elizabeth Warren campaigns with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at 10:30 a.m. at City Hall Plaza.
DATELINE BEACON HILL
— Mass. auditor says Legislature is an 'authoritarian regime' by Hannah Loss, GBH News: 'State Auditor Diana DiZoglio says state lawmakers are acting undemocratically by not complying with a ballot question that gave her office authority to audit the Legislature. On GBH's Boston Public Radio on Wednesday, DiZoglio went so far as to compare state lawmakers to the Trump administration.'
— Prisoner-run survey suggests state-paid attorneys provided inadequate defense by Paul Singer, GBH News: 'Massachusetts is raising the pay for private defense attorneys, in an effort to cajole them into resuming work for clients who can't afford representation. But a survey of some of those former clients shows many believe they weren't properly represented in court.'
BALLOT BATTLES
ASKING QUESTIONS — If every question filed with the attorney general's office by yesterday's deadline makes the ballot in 2026, voters will have their work cut out for them. (Realistically, many petitions won't).
According to Attorney General Andrea Campbell's office, 19 groups filed 47 petitions — 42 of them proposed laws that would come before voters on the 2026 ballot, and five of them proposed constitutional amendments, which wouldn't get a vote until 2028. See them here. GBH News, The Eagle-Tribune and The Boston Globe have more on the petitions.
RELATED — Ballot laws continue to vex legislators by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: 'Ballot questions provide voters with a clear way to exert power over the work their state lawmakers do or don't do, but some legislators on Wednesday suggested the tool is a double-edged sword that sometimes creates headaches down the line. A pair of lawmakers grappled with the way that measures approved at the ballot box affected their own approach to the job, saying that in some cases legislative action is required to revise what Oregon Sen. Bruce Starr described as 'very problematic' language put forth by citizens.'
FROM THE OPPOSITION — Real estate groups vow to fight rent control ballot measure by Andrew Brinker, The Boston Globe: 'The cycle repeats every other year in Massachusetts: A few legislators file a bill to legalize rent control — which voters here outlawed in 1994 — citing soaring rents and struggling families. Advocates rally in front of the State House, telling stories of tenants forced from their homes by double-digit rent increases and citing polls that show strong statewide support for the policy. And then the legislative session comes to an end, and the bill quietly languishes in committee.'
FROM THE HUB
— Boston City Council moves ahead on ordinances for rat-resistant trash bins, Office of Pest Control by Jade Lozada, The Boston Globe: 'Boston inched closer to getting its own version of a 'rat czar.' The City Council progressed in its war on Boston's burgeoning rat population Wednesday by moving forward an ordinance to create an official office to tackle its rodent problem. During the meeting, where councilors also pushed forward two other ordinances aimed at combating the growing rat issue, including one to roll out rat-resistant trash bins in certain neighborhoods, councilors voiced their support for taking stronger measures against pests.'
— Boston city councilor aligned with Mayor Wu blocks Ed Flynn's Mass and Cass emergency declaration push by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Boston City Councilor Sharon Durkan, an ally and former employee of the mayor, blocked a resolution offered by Wu administration critic Ed Flynn that sought to issue an emergency declaration for the open-air drug market at Mass and Cass. Later on in the day, after Wednesday's Council meeting and Durkan's objection, Mayor Michelle Wu's office issued a statement saying that the city was opposed to an emergency declaration for Mass and Cass and its surrounding neighborhoods.'
— East Boston man legally in U.S. arrested by ICE and held for nearly 2 days by Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: 'An East Boston man with legal status to be in the U.S. was arrested on his way to work and held for nearly two days in a Burlington ICE facility in May, his lawyers allege. José Pineda's attorneys have filed a complaint letter with the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement recounting his ordeal. The letter is a required precursor to filing a lawsuit.'
— National right-wing group accuses Massachusetts police agency of bias in its training material by Phillip Martin, GBH News: 'Moms for Liberty, a national organization that has led efforts to ban anti-racist and LGBTQ-themed library books and school curriculum, is generating national headlines by accusing the Massachusetts Municipal Police Training Committee of bias because it designates Moms for LIberty as an antigovernment organization.'
THE RACE FOR CITY HALL
FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — UNITE HERE Local 26 has endorsed Alexandra Valdez, who leads Boston's Cultural Affairs Department, in Boston's at-large city council race.
— IBEW, the Greater Boston Labor Council, the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, Boston's Ward 15 Democratic City Committee, SEIU 1199, the Massachusetts Nurses Association and UNITE HERE Local 26 have endorsed Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune for reelection in Boston's at-large city council race.
— The Greater Boston Labor Council has endorsed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for reelection, according to her campaign.
'She earned this endorsement by putting workers at the center of her policies and collaborating with the Labor Movement to advance our shared values and vision for Boston,' GBLC President Darlene Lombos said in a statement shared by Wu's team.
— First-time Worcester candidate has raised nearly 50% more than any competitors by Adam Bass, MassLive: 'There are a total of 14 candidates who are campaigning this year to be a Worcester City Councilor-at-Large. Of those candidates, Satya Mitra, a first-time candidate, has raised the most money, amassing $81,653.99 as of Aug. 6, according to the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Mitra, 73, is the founder of The Guru Tax and Financial Services.'
FROM THE 413
— Springfield city councilor files lawsuit against former colleagues, alleging 'calculated attack' by Stephanie Barry, The Springfield Republican: 'Attorneys for Springfield City Councilor Maria Perez announced the filing of a $1 million lawsuit against her former colleagues at New North Citizens' Council over her firing on July 21. Perez spent more than 40 years at the agency headquartered on Main Street. The reason officials there offered before ushering her immediately out of the building: Using her computer for 'political reasons,' without giving any further information.'
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— Republic has paid $500K for Peabody police details during strike by Caroline Enos, The Salem News: 'Republic Services Inc. has paid more than $500,000 for police details from the Peabody Police Department since Teamsters Local 25 went on strike last month, police Chief Tom Griffin said. As many as 16 Peabody police officers at a time have worked the details at Republic's properties along Route 1 in the city, where the hauler operates offices and a large transfer station that has seen picket lines outside them daily.'
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
TRANSITIONS — Juan Pablo Jaramillo, the deputy legislative director for the Service Employees International Union Local 509, will be leaving Local 509 to step into a new role at its umbrella organization at the SEIU International Union. Jaramillo is a member of the Revere City Council and previously worked as legislative director for former state Sen. Joseph Boncore.
— MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver was appointed to Northeastern University's Industrial Advisory Board. He also serves on the Civil Engineering Advisory Board at WPI.
— Luisa Sanchez is now press secretary and digital manager for Massachusetts Rep. Lori Trahan. She most recently was digital director for Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.).
— Jessica Rosenworcel is joining MIT's Media Lab as its new executive director. She was previously chair of the Federal Communications Commission.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Scott Stossel, Megan Costello, Aissa Renee Canchola, CC Leslie and Lyndsey Wajert. Happy belated to actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr., who celebrated with Massachusetts lawmkers Wednesday. Pic!