| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | | Presented by |  | | | TRAHAN ON THE TRAIL — Rep. Lori Trahan isn’t facing any competition for her seat in Massachusetts' Third Congressional District, but the run-up to Election Day has still been a flurry of fundraising and campaigning for the Westford Democrat. As co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (the panel that controls the caucus’ messaging) Trahan has been traveling across the country to boost House candidates in competitive districts. She was in Nebraska last week with state Sen. Tony Vargas, and swung through California and Nevada this week; on Monday, it’s New Jersey to support Sue Altman, who’s been closing in on GOP Rep. Thomas Kean Jr.; then back to New England to get out the vote in Maine and New Hampshire next weekend. “We know what's at stake in this election — for workers, for women, for our children,” Trahan told Playbook. “So the last thing I want to do is wake up on Nov. 6 and wonder if there's more that I could have done to help Democrats win in this election, that's why we've been laser-focused in these final weeks before the election, campaigning and fundraising for Democrats who will be key to us retaking the majority.” Trahan’s also tapped into Boston’s deep-pocketed donor base, hosting fundraisers here with Montana congressional hopeful Monica Tranel and Reps. Susan Wild and Susie Lee. And she’s dug into her own campaign coffers — in addition to the dues that come with the leadership role she won halfway into the term, Trahan has funneled $550,000 to her colleagues and potential colleagues-to-be and helped raise $1.5 million for House Democrats’ campaign arm. Playbook caught up with Trahan from the campaign trail this week to talk about her travel, what message is resonating most in swing districts, how down-ballot races have changed since Vice President Kamala Harris took over at the top of the ticket and her future in the leadership role. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. What message is resonating most when you’re on the campaign trail? I think it comes down to reducing costs for working families. There's no question that folks are craving just the opportunity to build a better life for their family and their children. And then restoring the freedom for women to make decisions about her health care and about her body with her doctor. People overwhelmingly do not want politicians to get in the way of decisions on health care for women or IVF treatment for women. How has your role managing Democrats’ message changed since President Joe Biden stepped aside and Vice President Kamala Harris became the nominee? The messaging has certainly evolved. In the beginning of the year, especially with the backdrop of chaos and dysfunction in the Congress, there was a huge focus on what we accomplished when we were in the majority last Congress. And then clearly the economy is something that people are feeling back home. And I think that's where Vice President Harris has really focused. Certainly Project 2025 this summer was something that I think just scared everybody, and that became the contrast between who Democrats were going to work for and what Republicans were going to do. So I think the DPCC has pivoted and evolved its messaging based on the feelings that we're seeing back home. There's no question that Vice President Harris has been a shot in the arm for a lot of Democratic candidates across our country. Are you planning to run again to be DPCC co-chair? Any other roles you’re interested in? It's a privilege to be in this role. The most important leadership race right now that I'm thinking about is the one for speaker. I'm doing everything I can between now and Nov. 5 to make sure that when it comes time to select the next speaker of the House, that we're electing Hakeem Jeffries. It's been an honor to serve in House Democratic leadership for this past year, I’m certainly humble and grateful to my colleagues for the trust that they placed in me to help position us to win, but I'm focused on finishing the job that they elected me to do. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. We’re 11 days out from the election. What races are you watching? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com. TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends the Museum of Science’s STEM design challenge at 8:30 a.m. in East Boston. Rep. Richard Neal speaks at the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation’s annual tax policy conference at 8 a.m. in Boston. Sen. Ed Markey attend BECMA’s Mass. Black Expo at 5 p.m. in Boston. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at the ceremonial pinning of the Boston Fire Department’s second cadet recruit class at 11 a.m. in Dorchester. THIS WEEKEND — Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is on WBZ’s “Keller @ Large” at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Sen. Ed Markey is on WCVB’s “On the Record” at 11 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Ayanna Pressley is on NBC10 Boston’s “At Issue” at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson: We’re restoring the true meaning of healthcare—Innovating more precise, less invasive surgery and improving recovery. See how we’re connecting the best of Health&Care for every patient and provider. Learn more. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Senate goes different law-making route to pass climate bill,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “The Senate passed a major climate bill on Thursday after approving an unusual order allowing the chamber to convene in a short-term formal session to deal with that bill and any others that emerge from committees resolving differences between the House and Senate during the rest of the legislative session. The order gained bipartisan support because it allowed a short debate, a recorded vote, and swift passage of the legislation, which makes it easier to site and permit clean energy infrastructure, authorizes procurements of battery storage, and gives regulators the power to rein in spending on natural gas infrastructure.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston City Council to hold emergency meeting on Michelle Wu’s business tax hike plan,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “The Boston City Council will hold a rare emergency special meeting Friday to consider a home rule petition laying out the latest version of the mayor’s bid to raise commercial tax rates, with the clock ticking before rates are set next month. The meeting will be held virtually at 9:30 a.m., for the sole purpose of considering and likely referring the legislation to a Council committee. Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters Thursday that would allow for a hearing early next week and potentially a vote at the regular City Council meeting next Wednesday.”
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “MBTA estimates 25% of south-side commuter rail fares not being collected,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon: “MBTA officials say fare collection efforts are being stepped up on the commuter rail system, but the loss of revenue remains a problem, with a quarter of fares not being collected on trains operating out of South Station. MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng told the MBTA board of directors on Thursday that Keolis, the T’s commuter rail operator, is prodding conductors to do a better job of verifying that passengers have paid for their rides. He said conductor scans of mTickets, the primary ticket for riding the commuter rail system, rose from 171,669 in September 2023 to 517,864 last month, an increase of more than 200 percent.” — “Ten MBTA employees on leave amid criminal investigation at Cabot Yard in South Boston, T general manager says,” by Shannon Larson, Sean Cotter and Danny McDonald, The Boston Globe: “The MBTA has placed 10 employees at its Cabot Yard maintenance facility on administrative leave while it conducts a criminal investigation into allegations they were working on private vehicles during work hours, general manager Phil Eng said Thursday.” — “Healey’s $30M earmark extends fare-free service for regional transit authorities,” by Anthony Cammalleri, Greenfield Recorder.
| | | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | | — “In race for US Senate, John Deaton is running as an anti-Trump Republican, touting Elon Musk’s support,” by Anjali Huynh, The Boston Globe: “Elon Musk, the tech billionaire supporting Trump’s presidential campaign, on Monday gave Deaton’s long-shot Republican US Senate bid a nod. On Thursday, Deaton, a personal injury attorney and cryptocurrency enthusiast, defended Musk’s support, saying that while he did not ‘lobby’ for his backing, he welcomed the endorsement.”
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Tracking cookies doesn’t violate wiretap law, SJC rules,” by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Beacon: “The Supreme Judicial Court ruled the state’s highly protective wiretap statute doesn’t necessarily apply to businesses using special software to track people browsing websites, but a single justice said the decision clearly runs contrary to what the Legislature intended when it passed the statute.”
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — “‘More must be done’ to check flow of illegal guns, Mass. congressional delegation tells ATF,” by Travis Andersen, The Boston Globe: “Members of Massachusetts’ congressional delegation, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, are urging federal law enforcement officials to ‘ramp up’ efforts to combat interstate gun trafficking in response to a recent spike in gun violence in Springfield.” RELATED — “Springfield officials react to plea for feds’ help with gun violence,” By Jeanette DeForge, The Springfield Republican.
| | | | A message from Johnson & Johnson:   | | | | | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “Migrants are moving into a Western Mass. town, and straining its schools. Now the welcome mat is fraying,” by Beth Teitell, John Hilliard, and Christopher Huffaker, The Boston Globe. — “New report says Brazilians, the biggest immigrant group in Mass., shouldn't be forgotten,” by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: “Massachusetts is home to the second largest Brazilian population in the United States, but the community remains relatively unknown, according to a new report. The community is also the state’s largest immigrant population, and has been since 2010.”
| | FROM THE 413 | | — “Sean Curran is resigning after 16 months as shared town administrator for Washington and Middlefield,” by Jane Kaufman, The Berkshire Eagle: “After 16 months on the job, the 50-mile gap between Springfield and Washington has grown too wide for Sean Curran. Curran, who has been serving as shared town administrator of Washington and Middlefield, is resigning effective Nov. 1, potentially before the snow flies and the roads ice over.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “A year after Lewiston, how have gun laws changed in Massachusetts and Maine?” by Sarah Betancourt and Marilyn Schairer, GBH News. — “Port of New Bedford cites ‘grave concern’ about new offshore wind area,” by Will Sennott, The New Bedford Light: “The city’s Port Authority published a letter to offshore wind regulators Wednesday, raising ‘grave concerns’ over a 13.4 million acre tract of ocean recently opened to wind farm developers in the Central Atlantic that could put up to $2 billion in commercial fishing revenue at risk.” — “Without a shot fired: How the long battle to build a Cape Cod machine gun range ended,” by Eve Zuckoff, GBH News: “Military officials wanted to build an eight-lane machine gun range across 5,000 acres of Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC) that would help cut down on soldier travel time to other machine gun ranges across the Northeast. Potentially negative environmental impacts would be offset, they said, and service members would be better prepared for deployment. But from the moment locals caught wind of it, the proposed range created a divide.” — “Flanagan: I'll spend $3M to demolish Silvia School, build green space as a 'donation',” by Dan Medeiros, The Herald News: “The decrepit former Frank M. Silvia School and public school administration complex on Hartwell Street could face the wrecking ball and become ‘a donation’ of open space, if the city accepts a proposal from former mayor Will Flanagan. “
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to former state Rep. Jim Cantwell, who serves as state director to Sen. Ed Markey. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to Sunday birthday-ers Rep. Lori Trahan, Stephanie Knapp and Cara Burke.
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