| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | ROAD TO REDEMPTION — Massachusetts Republicans may have just positioned themselves for their best shot at taking back the governor's office in 2026. But first they’ll have to move past internal tussling over who their nominee should be, while contending with the realities of running a GOP campaign in the blue bastion with Donald Trump in the White House — no small feat against Democrats who handily won every statewide office in 2022. Republican State Committee members reelected Amy Carnevale as their leader during a snowy Saturday morning vote. The lobbyist and longtime state committee member notched a 47-22 victory over opponent Jimmy Davidson. It’s a win for the more moderate Republican hopefuls weighing runs for statewide office in 2026, some of whom are already jockeying both privately and publicly. Mike Kennealy, who served as secretary of housing and economic development under former Gov. Charlie Baker, confirmed to Playbook at Saturday’s election that he’s “seriously considering” running for governor in 2026, while sources previously told Playbook Baker’s former MBTA administrator Brian Shortsleeve is also considering a bid. And as the Boston Herald reported Saturday, there’s an effort to get Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis into the race (though Evangelidis told the Telegram & Gazette the door for a gubernatorial campaign is, at this point, “not really” open. "I haven't made a decision yet. We'll see how the news over the next few months evolves,” he said, per the Telegram & Gazette’s Henry Schwan.) One person who’s out: attorney and former GOP Senate candidate John Deaton. "John will not be a candidate for Governor this cycle, but plans to remain active in growing and uniting the Republican Party, because he believes Massachusetts is losing under one party rule,” Jim Conroy, a spokesperson for Deaton, said in a statement. (Though asked if Deaton would rule out future campaigns in Massachusetts, Conroy said “no.”) “We have tremendous opportunities in 2026,” Carnevale said Saturday. “I feel like 2024 was really laying the groundwork for this next election cycle. However, her victory doesn’t guarantee it’ll be smooth sailing for the party over the next two years. The party still has some debt to pay down, and is trying to hammer out a deal with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance over $74,000 in allegedly illegal contributions from the 2022 cycle. And Davidson, in his pitch to state committee members, criticized Carnevale and party leadership for failing to field candidates in many of the legislative races this cycle, including ones he said would’ve been winnable for Republicans. But in a sign of shifting dynamics in a body not long ago hamstrung by infighting, Davidson put aside any ill will and pledged to work with Carnevale. “We need to get more Republican candidates, so I’m willing to work with her,” he said in his concession speech. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Trump is also likely to scramble the odds in Massachusetts, which saw a leftward leap the 2018 elections amid a wider resistance movement across the country. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce Mayors and Managers Forum at 7:45 a.m. in Andover. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu speaks at a ribbon cutting at noon in Jamaica Plain. Rep. Richard Neal announces federal transportation funding for the town of Southbridge at 10 a.m. and declares the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge at noon in Agawam.
|  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | | SHELTER SYSTEM SHOWDOWN — As criticism of the state’s management of the emergency shelter system crescendoed in the wake of the arrest of an undocumented migrant on gun and drug charges at one of the state’s family and migrant shelters (and the revelation in the Boston Globe that officials were not performing full criminal background checks on all those in the system), Gov. Maura Healey announced Friday that she was tapping former Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis to lead an independent review of the system’s security protocols. Healey had ordered CORI checks in the spring, she said at the Friday press conference, but they weren’t carried out across the board. And in a turn from her past position, Healey signaled she’d potentially be open to residency requirements Republicans have been pushing for months, which would require families to have lived in the state for a certain amount of time in order to be eligible for services within the shelter system. The announcement came after House Minority Leader Brad Jones called for “heads to roll” over the revelation that criminal background checks weren’t performed on each of the thousands of people who moved through the shelter system, while demanding a halt in funding for the system, which houses families made up of both newly arrived and longtime residents. Also notable: L. Scott Rice, the retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general Healey tapped to lead the shelter system, quietly retired at the end of last year, according to State House News Service. “The last time the Healey administration used Rice's name in a press release was June 28 and his name last appeared in news reports about the same time, though state payroll records indicate that his $150,000 annual salary was paid up through Dec. 28. And [his replacement Adit] Basheer's name has not yet appeared in a press release from the governor's office,” State House News Service’s Colin Young wrote last week. STATE OF THE STATE WATCH — Gov. Maura Healey is gathering her “top supporters” for a State of the Commonwealth watch party Thursday in downtown Boston. The event, which coincides with her 6:30 p.m. speech, will be followed by a reception with refreshments, according to the invite. —— “Massachusetts gets $14.4M grant for EV chargers,” by Christian M. Wade: “Massachusetts is getting a $14.4 million federal grant to expand charging stations for electric vehicles amid uncertainty about the future of the industry and federal incentives aimed at convincing more drivers to ditch their gas-powered vehicles. The U.S. Department of Transportation grant will be used to install 472 new EV charging ports in ‘disadvantaged’ communities near multi-family housing.” — “Local stores report a drop in those using HIP benefits since cuts took place,” by Chris Larabee, Daily Hampshire Gazette. — “Auditor looks to attorney general to break her standoff with Legislature,” by Walter Wuthmann, WBUR. — “Advocates cheer new credit reporting rule, but want more action on medical debt,” by Marilyn Schairer, GBH News.
| | WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET | | — “‘We’re prepared, we’re ready’: AG Campbell staffs up office in preparation for next Trump term,” by Anjali Huynh, The Boston Globe: “In the weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, Attorney General Andrea Campbell is readying her team for the expected legal fights ahead. Her office is staffing up and adding people to divisions expected to tackle issues on which Trump has pledged to pursue sweeping changes, such as immigration and LGBTQ rights; the AG also wants to step in on issues where the Trump administration may not provide as much oversight as the Biden team did.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston Mayor Wu seeking tax break for homeowners again, this time with rebates on the table,” by Joe Dwinell and Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Now that tax bills have hit mailboxes, Mayor Michelle Wu is appealing to legislators again for relief for Boston homeowners — and seeking permission to offer rebates at the very least. The mayor is announcing an ‘expanded’ tax relief home-rule petition Monday that aims to help residents hit with ‘the single largest jump in the residential share of the property tax levy since 2007,’ the mayor’s office will say. And this time, she’s hedging her bets by putting rebates on the table if a compromise can’t be reached by March.” — “City councilor calls for Boston Police, ICE hearing to answer for detainer request discrepancies,” by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald.
| | THE RACE FOR CITY HALL | | NO-GO — Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn won’t run for mayor, the Boston Herald’s Joe Battenfeld reported Friday (h/t CommonWealth Beacon’s Gin Dumcius, who first reported the news on Twitter/X Thursday). That leaves the lane wide open for New England Patriots Foundation President Josh Kraft to jump in the race against Mayor Michelle Wu, who has said she’s running though has yet to hold a formal campaign launch.
| | | MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS | | | — “Cannabis Control Commission finds ‘continuity’ in reelecting treasurer, secretary,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald: “With very little fanfare, the Cannabis Control Commission unanimously approved the reappointment of its Treasurer and Secretary, broadcasting rare signals of stability for a notoriously wobbly agency.”
| | | FROM THE 413 | | | — “Property taxes ticking up in Easthampton next year as tax rate, values rise,” by Alexa Lewis, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “An average homeowner in the city can expect to pay about $185 more in property taxes this year. The increase reflects both a higher tax rate and higher property values this year, which city officials say was expected amid current national trends.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “How the Los Angeles wildfires are resonating in Mass.,” by Matt Baskin, GBH News. — “Worcester city manager appoints city’s first female city solicitor,” by Adam Bass, MassLive. — “Methuen police making strides; old criticisms remain,” by Teddy Tauscher, The Eagle-Tribune: “Residents of the Arlington neighborhood will soon have a familiar face to report crimes or disturbances to. The local police department is aiming to have an officer dedicated solely to Arlington, a densely populated, lower-income community in the city, hitting the streets this summer. The introduction of the community officer comes at the same time as more bilingual officers are joining the ranks of Methuen Police and as the department continues to make reforms aimed at improving trust with the community following past scandals.” — “On Cape Cod, part-time residents want a voice on state seasonal communities council,” Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times: “Some part-time residents of Cape Cod towns want a voice on the newly created Seasonal Communities Advisory Council. On Wednesday, several Part-Time Resident Taxpayers’ groups sent a letter to Massachusetts Secretary of Housing and Livable Communities Edward Augustus, making a formal request to have representation on the panel.” — “Possible override of Brockton mayor's veto of camping and loitering bills set for Monday,” by Chris Helms, The Brockton Enterprise: “Again this week, all eyes will be on whether Brockton's city council will override the mayor's veto of two controversial laws about homelessness. At Monday's city council meeting, the agenda includes twice-delayed debate on bills to outlaw camping and loitering on city property. City councilors passed both but Mayor Robert F. Sullivan issued a rare veto, arguing that they wrongly criminalize homelessness. He proposed several ways councilors could revise the camping bill to make it something he would sign.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Ricardo Patrón, deputy chief of staff for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu; Meredith Coolidge, Gina Christo and Paul Singer. Happy belated to Paul Bologna, digital communications director for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who celebrated Saturday and to Barry Shrage who celebrated Friday. Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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