| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | ADVICE AND COUNSEL — As he weighs whether to wade into the race for the governor, Mike Kennealy, who served as housing and economic development secretary under Republican Gov. Charlie Baker, has a crew of informal advisers counseling him. The list includes Baker’s longtime political adviser Jim Conroy, former Baker campaign manager Brian Wynne and David Drummond, a Scott Brown alum who also served as finance director for Baker’s political committee, according to a person familiar with Kennealy’s operation. Sound familiar? Conroy advised GOP Senate nominee John Deaton in his bid to unseat Sen. Elizabeth Warren last fall, while Drummond did finance consulting and Wynne’s firm, Opinion Diagnostics, handled polling. Also advising Kennealy: Gail Gitcho and Peter Flaherty, who both worked for Mitt Romney. Gitcho served as communications director on Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign and as a spokesperson for Brown and the Republican Governors Association. Flaherty, a former Suffolk assistant district attorney, was also a senior adviser to Romney while he was in office and during both of his presidential campaigns, and later started a consulting firm with fellow Romney aides Beth Myers and Eric Fehrnstrom. Nothing’s official yet. Kennealy earlier this month declined to give a timeline for when a decision could be coming. Baker launched his first gubernatorial campaign in July 2009; Kennealy — and anyone else considering running — have plenty of time to make a decision if they want to stick to the same timeline. GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Tips? Scoops? Advising a potential campaign? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announces early literacy school district grant awardees at 12:30 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu calls in to GBH’s “Boston Public Radio” at noon.
| | | | Power shifts, razor-thin margins, and a high-stakes agenda. We’ve transformed our coverage—more reporters, more timely insights, and unmatched policy scoops. From leadership offices to committee rooms, caucus meetings, and beyond, our expert reporting keeps you ahead of the decisions that matter. Subscribe to our Inside Congress newsletter today. | | | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Raging moderate’: Is Gov. Maura Healey tacking toward the center ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial race?,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald: “Tax cuts. Cutting red tape. Deregulation. Making life easier for businesses. Cracking down on free benefits for newly-arrived migrants. A pledge to work with the Trump administration. Those are key issues that Massachusetts conservatives have long championed. But they have also been touted over the past month as top priorities for Gov. Maura Healey, a first-term Democrat from Arlington who has not yet said whether she plans to run for reelection next year.” — “‘Medicare for All’ bill refiled in both chambers of state Legislature,” by Peter Currier, The Lowell Sun: “State Sen. Jamie Eldridge and state Reps. Margaret Scarsdale and Lindsay Sabadosa refiled a bill this past week to establish a single-payer health care system in Massachusetts. The bills, titled An Act Establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts, would establish the Massachusetts Health Care Trust, which would serve as the single payer for health care costs to Massachusetts residents. This would replace the role of insurance companies and certain government programs. The trustees for the trust would be appointed by the governor, attorney general and Governor’s Council from across the state.” — “Push to legalize psychedelics returns: After defeat in November, 10 legislators file bills more limited in scope,” by Samuel Gelinas, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Less than three months after voters rejected a ballot measure to legalize certain natural psychedelic substances and introduce therapeutic care, legislators have filed 10 bills at the start of this legislative session hoping to push the cause forward. Some 57% of voters in November rejected Question 4, which would have authorized licensed clinics, home cultivation and legal distribution for five psychedelic substances: psilocybin, psilocin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline and ibogaine. Retail sale of psychedelics, or ‘psychedelic dispensaries’ would have remained barred.” — “Mass. has a primary care physician shortage. A new law aims to help fill it with internationally trained doctors,” by Maren Halpin, The Boston Globe. — “Judge dismisses lawsuit against State Auditor’s Office from former employee accused of sexual harassment,” by Chris Van Buskirk, Boston Herald.
| | FROM THE HUB | | — “Boston City Council to debate mayor’s tax shift bill Monday,” by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: “Taxes will be top of mind for the Boston City Council on Monday, when it plans to hash out the mayor’s latest home rule petition, as part of her yearlong push to shift more of the city’s tax burden onto businesses to provide relief to homeowners. The City Council will hold a joint tax classification hearing of the Government Operations and Ways and Means committees, which are respectively chaired by Councilors Gabriela Coletta and Brian Worrell.”
| | MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS | | — “Worcester County sheriff backs bill on ICE detainers,” by Henry Schwan, Telegram & Gazette: “Two state Republican lawmakers filed a bill to crack down on undocumented immigrants who commit crimes, and it has the support of Worcester County Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis Jr. The proposal comes as the Trump administration is taking steps to round up people living in the country illegally that include executive orders, increased security at the southern border, and reports of raids by federal immigration agents. The bill is sponsored by state Reps. Michael Soter, R-Bellingham, and Kenneth Sweezey, R-Pembroke.” — “ICE Boston arrests suspected gang member with 17 criminal convictions in Mass., officials say,” by Niki Griswold, The Boston Globe: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials arrested a 25-year-old man in Boston said to be a member of a Haitian street gang who has 17 criminal convictions in Massachusetts, authorities announced Friday. Members of ICE Boston’s Enforcement and Removal Operations team took Wisteguens Jean Quely Charles, a Haitian national, into custody on Wednesday, according to a statement from the agency. The arrest was documented by a FOX News team, which was allowed to ride along with ICE authorities during the operation this week.” — “Worcester Catholic Schools stands by position on ICE amid national deportations,” by Ryan Mancini, MassLive: “As Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conduct mass deportations across the United States, the Diocese of Worcester Catholic Schools said on Friday it will not work with ICE to deport students. Within hours of being inaugurated for a second time on Monday, President Donald Trump wrote a series of executive orders to crack down on immigration in the United States. This includes orders to mass deport undocumented immigrants, specifically people the administration said are criminals.” — “Could immigration enforcement officials visit Fall River's schools?,” by Emily Scherny, The Herald News: “As President Donald Trump’s second term dawns, his administration rolled back longstanding policy that prevents federal agents from raiding ‘sensitive locations,’ including K-12 schools. Mayor Paul Coogan said he hasn’t heard of any changes to policy, and noted that traditionally ICE officials notify the local police chief before entering a community to carry out a search.”
| | FROM THE DELEGATION | | — “Democrats vow to uphold climate pact after Trump pulls out,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Sen. Ed Markey is leading a group of Democratic lawmakers pledging to stick with the Paris Agreement following Republican President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the global climate pact. Trump, sworn into office on Monday, signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw again from the landmark Paris Agreement, fulfilling a campaign pledge to pull out of the environmental pact.”
| | TRUMPACHUSETTS | | — “Trump pardons Massachusetts anti-abortion activists who blocked clinic entrance,” by Rick Sobey, Boston Herald: “President Trump has pardoned a pair of Bay State anti-abortion activists who were convicted and sentenced to federal prison for blocking a reproductive health clinic’s entrance. Kingston women Paulette Harlow and Jean Marshall, both in their 70s, are among the anti-abortion activists who were pardoned by Trump this week.”
| | | | New Year. New Washington. New Playbook. With intensified congressional coverage and even faster delivery of policy scoops, POLITICO’s reimagined Playbook Newsletter ensures you’re always ahead of the conversation. Sign up today. | | | | | | | FROM THE 413 | | — “Springfield City Councilor proposes ordinance to set minimum apartment size,” by Jeanette DeForge, The Springfield Republican: “While the lack of housing continues to hit the region, the city must also ensure new apartments that are being constructed are livable and decent, according to City Councilor Sean Curran. Within the next two months, Curran said he plans to draft an ordinance that will regulate the size of new apartments to prevent developers from creating units that are smaller than a hotel room.” — “8 teachers, 4 para posts likely lost in next Amherst elementary school budget,” by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: “Eight classroom teachers and four paraprofessionals at Amherst’s three elementary schools could lose their jobs under a preliminary plan that would eliminate $1.12 million in spending from a $29.26 million level services fiscal year 2026 budget.” — “Time for a pro? Holyoke to decide whether to appoint or keep electing its treasurer,” by Western Mass Politics & Insight: “City voters will decide January 28 whether to make the city’s treasurer appointed rather than elected. The ballot question’s mid-winter timing is an accident of the calendar. State practice disfavors local questions on state elections and ballot papers for city offices—including the treasurer—will become available next month. However, if voters approve the measure, it would nudge Holyoke toward a consolidation in fiscal management state and local officials have long sought.”
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “'A place of their own': Will Brockton's new 24-7 housing center end homelessness crisis?,” by Chris Helms, The Brockton Enterprise. — “Rift between councilors, mayor erupts over stalled licensing board appointments,” by Colin Hogan, The New Bedford Light: “A routine meeting of the City Council turned into a carnival of grievances against Mayor Jon Mitchell in which councilors alleged mismanagement, dysfunction, and manipulation. The trigger for the grievances was a monthslong delay in appointing two people to the city’s licensing board — the three-person committee that oversees liquor licenses — and the shift of blame onto the City Council in local media.” — “D.W. Field Park in Brockton closed due to potential bird flu outbreak,” by Kathy Bossa, The Brockton Enterprise: “D.W. Field Park — located in Brockton and Avon — has been closed out of an abundance of caution due to reports of a potential bird flu outbreak, and officials are asking the public not to touch any birds that are dead or hurt. … ‘Due to recent events with birds, there may be a potential outbreak of Avian Flu,’ according to a post on the D.W. Field Facebook page. Park officials said in a post they discovered dead swans and Canada Geese on Upper Porter Pond earlier this week.”
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