The Horse Race

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith talk to Politico's Kelly Garrity about the State House Employee Union, and producer-slash-guest John Gee about employment numbers for PhDs. Plus, the latest on hemp product regulations and the cutting edge in Massachusetts equestrianism.

This week on The Horse Race, Lisa Kashinsky bids farewell to Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith before riding off into the sunset of national election coverage. But along the way, they discuss Massachusetts Democrats' reactions to Joe Biden's asylum order (and Donald Trump's guilty verdicts), as well as new poll results on state leadership and upcoming elections.

This week on The Horse Race, Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service joins to preview the summer's legislative agenda. Meanwhile, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky examine hopeful trends in student attendance, alongside less hopeful trends in electoral competitiveness and the Greater Boston news ecosystem.

This week on The Horse Race, Shaleen Title of the Parabola Center joins Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela to discuss a survey on what Americans think marijuana legalization should look like. Plus, how are Boston Public School parents thinking about the proposed facilities plan, and what did Steve learn at the national pollsters' conference?

This week on The Horse Race, Jennifer Smith asks Zayna Basma-Doyle of the MassINC Polling Group what Massachusetts parents know and don't know about early childhood reading instruction. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Lisa Kashinsky lament the latest findings about local news consumption, and sort through the legal arguments between the AG's office and Uber and Lyft.

This week on The Horse Race, Gov. Maura Healey joins Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky while at the MA Tech 16 conference. They discuss her economic development priorities, the Commonwealth's role in building new climate technology, and her upcoming visit to the Vatican. Meanwhile, Steve shares what's on the minds of youth and small business owners in new polls, including climate change; and Lisa breaks down what's in the Senate's budget proposal.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky are joined by Gin Dumcius of CommonWealth Beacon to discuss Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden's recent ethics penalty, and the long shadow of the 2022 DA race. Meanwhile, Lisa dives into the role of crypto in the US Senate GOP primary, and the crew considers whether it's possible for Boston to have fun.

On the 300th episode of The Horse Race, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky celebrate reaching this milestone by looking back at the early days of the pod (with help from some special guests), and by trying out the Dunkin' orders of various Massachusetts officials. And of course, they do what they do best: discuss the latest poll results, this week on marijuana use and attitudes.ty

This week on The Horse Race, Katie Lannan of GBH News joins Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky to discuss a new poll out from GBH, CommonWealth Beacon, and the MassINC Polling Group. Plus, what to watch for in the MA House leadership budget proposal.

This week on The Horse Race, Ben Forman of MassINC joins Jennifer Smith to discuss a new report on economic development in the Pioneer Valley, Steve Koczela weighs criticisms of the Harvard/Harris poll's perceived slant, and Lisa Kashinsky recaps the latest in the MassGOP's internal struggles.

This week on The Horse Race, Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela get to the bottom of why hemp-based THC seltzers are appearing outside of dispensaries, and why fewer and fewer voters are registered with a party. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Lisa Kashinsky do not get to the bottom of where Maura Healey travels, or why elected officials say the things they do at the St. Patrick's Day breakfast.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith break down the latest numbers on why young residents are staying in, or leaving, Greater Boston. Then, Gin Dumcius of CommonWealth Beacon sorts out the different aspects of a ballot measure on tipped wages. Plus, a look back at the first days of Covid, and a quizzical glance at the Kenators of St. Galentine.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky break down the Super Tuesday results in Massachusetts and elsewhere, explaining what the surprising and not-so-surprising outcomes mean for November. Plus, Jennifer Smith checks in on the first of a series of committee hearings on the current slate of ballot measures.

This week on The Horse Race, the Boston Globe's Tiana Woodard breaks down a new report on what local reparations could look like in Boston. Then, Jennifer Smith digs into AG Campbell's lawsuit against Milton and its wider implications for home rule in Massachusetts. Plus, Lisa Kashinsky gives us the background on Elizabeth Warren's new challenger. Sad trombone noise by Joe Lamb, used under Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License (link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sad_Trombone-Joe_Lamb-665429450.ogg)

This Valentine's week, on a special joint recording of The Horse Race and The Codcast, Steve and Jenn ask the burning question: is #mapoli breaking up? They're joined by a crew of #mapoli veterans to discuss how social media has impacted political communications over the past decade and a half, and what the declining political twittersphere means for the future.

This week on The Horse Race, Lisa checks in on the Mass. GOP one year into Amy Carnevale's tenure, Steve walks through Mass. voters' feelings on presidential candidates and immigration, and Jenn explains what's new and different in the latest ballot measure litigation. Plus, a roundup of animal-based climate prediction in the northeast.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn talk to the Boston Globe's Diti Kohli about renewed controversy between Boston's North End and Mayor Michelle Wu; and Jenn asks Steve some probing questions about how pollsters rank each other. Plus, the glorious return of #mapoli trivia: name that reporter edition.

This week on The Horse Race, the crew is scattered across the country. Lisa breaks down the New Hampshire primary results, Steve digs into Diana DiZoglio's financial support base with the help of CommonWealth Beacon's Gin Dumcius, and—we swear there's a Massachusetts connection—Jenn and producer John report from the Sundance Film Festival.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn ask how pollsters did in the Iowa caucus, and what the results say about the GOP primary. Then, Jenn explains how Massachusetts taxes stack up next to other states for the majority of earners. Plus, the terror of the downtown Boston public art installation…and the terror of the MBTA.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn try out a new segment format, announce a Valentine's live pod event, and also manage to discuss the news. Specifically, are people really fleeing Massachusetts? Should they? And why have the state's tax revenues fallen short?