It’s been a generation or two since the GOP in Massachusetts – the so-called Saltonstall, Sargent, and Lodge Republicans who would now be termed RINOs on the national stage – […]
Elections
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Lantigua plots a comeback
Big-name Democrats abandoned William Lantigua last fall, as the then-mayor of Lawrence battled for his political life. Now, as Lantigua lays the groundwork for a possible political comeback, he has […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Forry’s redistricting debt
The election last year of Linda Dorcena Forry, a Haitian-American state representative from Dorchester, to the state Senate seat representing South Boston has been hailed as the clearest sign yet […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Are state campaign finance laws irrelevant?
Over the past 40 years, legislative changes have placed stringent restrictions on individual campaign contributions in Massachusetts. The maximum amount one can contribute to any candidacy in the course of […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
New Hampshire sours on Brown
Scott Brown couldn’t hold on to his Senate seat two years ago, despite being one of the most popular politicians in Massachusetts. The lesson in Brown’s 8-point loss to Elizabeth […]
Posted inPolitics, The Back Story
Super PAC bill may be too late to cover governor’s race
The Massachusetts Legislature is likely to take up a campaign finance package that would impose stricter disclosure rules on super PACs soon, but the new regulations are unlikely to take […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Playing the extremist card
There are some real differences between Republican and Democratic candidates for governor as well as for the North Shore congressional seat held by longtime incumbent John Tierney. Abortion rights, gay […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Grassroots democracy or insider politics?
The state Democratic Party’s rule requiring a candidates for governor to get 15 percent of the delegate votes at the state convention in order to appear on the primary ballot […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The quick Fox Brown-out
In business, and in general, when a contract expires, that means a person and a company are no longer tethered to each other. They can choose to continue the relationship […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Where are the most “swingers” in Massachusetts?
Read the original post on massincpolling.com Democrats have had a lock on the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation (as well as every statewide office) for some time now, with the exception of […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Voting reforms are long overdue
In an era of voting rights retrenchment – where electoral freedoms are steadily eroding nationwide – Massachusetts lawmakers on Beacon Hill are on the verge of doing the unexpected: Passing […]
Posted inPolitics
The blue-red color divide in Massachusetts
On a national political map, Massachusetts is reliably blue, a Democratic stronghold. The congressional delegation is all Democrat, the State House is overwhelmingly Democrat, and every constitutional officer is a […]
Posted inPolitics
Dark money rising
Citizens United upended electoral politics across the country. The 2010 Supreme Court decision, and the court rulings and regulatory decisions that have followed, held that corporations and unions could spend […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Apathy triumphs in Fifth Congressional race
Despite Frank Addivinola’s early evening robocalls proclaiming a path to victory through low turnout, an upset was not on the agenda in Tuesday’s Fifth Congressional District special election . Katherine […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Baker 2.0 taps Polito
Charlie Baker 2.0 has learned two important lessons from Charlie Baker 1.0. First, he had to lighten up. Second, he needed to appeal to women voters who were turned off […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Lantigua’s long goodbye
Lawrence may be done with Willie Lantigua, but Lantigua is not yet done with Lawrence. The irascible — some wonder whether indictable — Lawrence mayor is no quitter. Not when […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Doing the math in Lawrence
Daniel Rivera on Tuesday edged out incumbent William Lantigua in the race for Lawrence mayor by a margin of just 60 votes. But 66 ballots are still in play — […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Taking stock: Election ’13
Mr. Personality Politics is a world of debating points and policy papers and voter turnout machines, but it’s also a world where personal relationships matter greatly. Marty Walsh stormed into […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Flood of Super PAC dollars the new normal
Boston’s mayoral race closes today with a fire hose of outside super PAC money dousing the city. It’s an unprecedented shift for municipal politics in the city. But it’s not […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Mystery money floods Boston mayoral race
With just days to go before Boston’s mayoral election, mystery money is flooding the race, most of it going to benefit Marty Walsh. CommonWealth’s Paul McMorrow called it “dark money” […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Mayoral limits
BOSTON POLITICAL WATCHERS are breathlessly anticipating the final week of the mayoral showdown. Tomorrow is the last of three televised debates between John Connolly and Marty Walsh. The candidates will […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The (kid) gloves come off
Word over the weekend that an outside group backing Marty Walsh was sending a mailer that disparaged John Connolly as a “son of privilege” and “privileged corporate lawyer” was the […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics, State House News Service, The Download
Tsongas dives into Lawrence’s mayoral cage match
Most Massachusetts officeholders don’t want to be seen anywhere near Lawrence City Hall these days if they don’t have to be there. Members of Congress tend to stay way far […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
The keys to the Boston school bus driver dispute
In a wildcat strike that took Boston by surprise Tuesday morning, school bus drivers walked off the job, stranding thousands of students without a way to get to school. Officials […]