POLITICS
CommonWealth Beacon takes the pulse of Massachusetts politics by examining the policies, personalities, and pressing issues shaping moves in local governance, on Beacon Hill, and among the state’s congressional delegation in Washington.
State says resident data is safe with state AI tool. Advocates have concerns.
Given recent AI hacking incidents, CommonWealth Beacon checked back in with state officials to see how they’re protecting resident data flowing through an AI assistant. Here’s what you need to know.
Mass. upgraded from least competitive elections in the country to second-worst
For the first time since Barack Obama was president, Massachusetts did not land in dead last in Ballotpedia’s biennial assessment of state legislative competition across the country.
Senators decry ‘disastrous,’ ‘flabbergasting’ Census changes
The change, if implemented, would “dramatically and inaccurately favor southern states where many northern residents, sometimes called snowbirds, spend some or all of the months of December through March, despite spending a majority of their time voting in and paying taxes to northern states like Massachusetts,” Jessie Partride Guerrero, director of data services at the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, testified.
Eversource CEO tells industry conference he expects Healey to turn down the ‘volume’ on utility criticism post-election
Nolan’s comments that Healey will tone down her rhetoric after the election stand in stark contrast to Healey’s pitch to voters that Massachusetts will take on utility profits and go to bat for ratepayers.
Trump is the elephant in the room during first Healey-Minogue debate
Voters in the deep-blue state are sometimes open to a gesture toward bipartisanship through a Republican governor that could, at least in theory, square off against a Democratic supermajority in the Legislature. But Minogue’s odds look long.
Healey touts Wu endorsement to start October push
The governor and mayor, both Democrats and each the first woman elected to the chief executive positions in the state and city, are not known to have a close political connection.
Healey asks Trump administration to speed up review of planned gas expansion in latest sign of shifting energy politics
As Healey hunts for ways to bring down soaring costs and campaigns for reelection in a race defined by the affordability crisis gripping the state, the governor sees an opportunity to appeal to the Trump administration to bring more gas into the state.
Republican voters split with party on gun law; Dems want more access to public records from Democrat-dominated offices
“It’s a very difficult sell to make to anybody that the Legislature and governor shouldn’t be subject to the public records law,” said Jonathan Cohn, policy director of Progressive Massachusetts. “Straightforward good government questions will always resonate with voters.”
AG report details decades of abuse at Fall River, Springfield, Worcester dioceses
The attorney general called for the Legislature to strengthen remedies for survivors of childhood sexual abuse and revealed that she is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse.
Mass. voters hold Trump, utilities most responsible for high energy costs, new poll finds
Healey’s ability to evade the bulk of the blame with voters for high energy costs is notable as she seeks reelection this fall, given how energy issues have proven stubborn, dogging much of her first term.
New poll finds strong voter support for auditing the Legislature holding steady
For all of the sound and fury legislative leaders have raised, voter support for the audit law has not budged in two years.
Healey cruising in reelection bid with Trump high on voters’ mind, survey shows
A new MassINC Polling Group survey finds that Bay Staters are still concerned about Gov. Maura Healey’s response to affordability concerns, even as she appears poised to win reelection with relative ease.
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