The Horse Race

Today on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve talk AI's new role in local political reporting. Then Chris Lisinski, reporter for Commonwealth Beacon, joins the program to discuss his latest reporting on the effects of budgetary uncertainty on healthcare for residents of Mass. And finally, dial-up internet is now, officially, a thing of the past.

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn is dispatched to New Haven to attend the "Yes, In My Back Yard" or "YIMBYtown" conference where Massachusetts pro-housing folks angst over the MBTA Communities law. Then Steve and Jenn dig into a sweeping new MPG poll on Bay State health care -- is this as good as people expect it to get? And finally, who is not NOT running?

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss the results of the Boston Mayoral preliminary election -- by all accounts a blowout for Michelle Wu setting up a tough road to November for Josh Kraft. Plus, all politics is national, and we have some national approval polls to pick through. And last but not least, we can FINALLY stop paying taxes on all the money you've given us, dear listeners.

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve talk with Politico's Kelly Garrity about the Trump administration's recent threats to ramp up ICE presence in Boston. Trump has also threatened to send National Guard agents to support ICE enforcement, echoing similar moves in LA and DC. On a lighter note, we are down to three choices for a new Massachusetts state flag.

This week on The Horse Race Jenn and Steve talk discuss how automatic voter registration is making Democrats’ woes look worse than they are. And, of course, all the new Mass. flag submissions. "The Democratic Party Faces a Voter Registration Crisis" by Shane Goldmacher With Jonah Smith www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/us/politics/democratic-party-voter-registration-crisis.html "Massachusetts political parties are fading away" by Steve Koczela www.commonwealthbeacon.org/by-the-numbers/massachusetts-political-parties-are-withering-away/

This week on The Horse Race, Steve sits down with Rich Parr VP of the MassINC Polling Group to talk about a new poll they conducted for MassDOT. This highly detailed report, entitled "People and Transportation Project Report," shows how transportation can burden low income residents of Massachusetts. https://www.mass.gov/the-people-and-transportation-project

Last week was the deadline to file ballot questions for November 2026 and over 40 ballot questions made it through. These are questions that ultimately could become law covering a wide range of topics from MBTA zoning to rent control, from marijuana "re-illegalization" to voter ID requirements. This week on The Horse Race, Steve is joined by Mike Deehan, reporter for Axios, to discuss how these ballot questions will effect Mass residents. and why filing ballot questions is becoming an increasingly used tactic of political activists and special interests to force issues in Mass., the lowest ranked state for legislative productivity.

This week on The Horse Race Jenn asks Rich Parr, VP of the MassINC Polling Group, a very simple question: 'are the dems doomed?' With a surprising glint of optimism, Parr breaks down the latest polling on this question to give us a sense of how the democratic party is likely to fair in the upcoming elections.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve sits down with Rich Parr, VP of The MassINC Polling Group to discuss new polling on the mayoral election. Then Steve is joined by Katie Lannan of GBH News to tell the story of how uncertain federal dollars could spell disaster for the recently passed state budget. And most importantly of all, the heated election for the Feline-Mayor of the Somerville bike path. Guests: Rich Parr, Vice President of The MassINC Polling Group Katie Lennan, Reporter for GBH News Hosts: Steve Koczela, President of The MassINC Polling Group

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by CommonWealth Beacon reporter Bhaamati Borkhetaria to talk about the fight to regulate nicotine use in the Commonwealth. In recent years, various Massachusetts municipalities have implemented so-called "generational nicotine bans." On Monday, Borkhetaria attended a hearing where law makers discussed whether these regulations should be statewide or would that just be nannying a population which loves its "legal vices." "An Act to create a nicotine free generation:" https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/HD2372 Borkhetaria's article in CommonWealth Beacon: https://commonwealthbeacon.org/government/state-government/mass-lawmakers-weigh-a-statewide-age-based-nicotine-ban/ Articles on Mass. State Sedimentary Structure: https://www.nepm.org/regional-news/2022-09-29/massachusetts-official-sedimentary-structure-geologist-wants-state-to-recognize-armored-mud-balls https://www.wbur.org/news/2025/07/14/official-massachusetts-state-symbols-bill-newsletter

After years of delayed budgets, the Massachusetts state budget came ever so close to coming on time this year. This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by Chris Lisinski of Statehouse News Service to look at how we got here, and why this year was different.

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve discuss the flurry of news from the Middle East this weekend. Then they discuss various polls which reveal how Americans are feeling about Trump's unannounced bombing of Iran. And finally, on a lighter note, some very dedicated young citizens are pushing our state to protect a certain Salamander.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jenn Smith are joined by CommonWealth reporter Gin Dumcius. The race for Governor is beginning and candidates such as Maura Healey and Mike Keneally and are on the trail. Then Gin breaks down Monday's meeting between politicians from Canada and Northeastern States. And finally... Dunkin' Donuts Lip Gloss... why.

What could the situation in LA mean for Massachusetts? This week on The Horse Race, Jenn Smith is joined by Steve Koczela to discuss recent New England polling which reveals growing political pessimism... and its not only directed at Republicans.

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn Smith is joined by Steve Koczela for an early update on key Massachusetts elections, who is running... and who is definitely not running. Then, Jenn and Steve are joined by Paul Watanabe, professor of political science and director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at the UMass-Boston, to discuss a groundbreaking new poll from Mass Inc. Polling Group entitled "No Longer Invisible" [Link Below]. This poll focussed on issues facing Asian & Pacific Islander American residents of Massachusetts, the fastest growing group in the Commonwealth. And finally, tomorrow is donut day... but the feminist history may surprise you. https://aapicommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/No-Longer-Invisible-6-2-25-rev2.pdf

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss how the latest federal proposals will effect education throughout Massachusetts from Harvard to community colleges. Plus, did you know that horse racing is subsidized in Massachusetts?

This week on The Horse Race, Steve talks to MassINC Polling Group VP Rich Parr about his trip to the annual conference of the American Association of Public Opinion Researchers (AAPOR), which featured extensive discussions of AI tech in polling, postmortems on the 2024 election cycle, and public perceptions of the polls.

This week, it's a double housing policy polling special from the MassINC Polling Group. Jenn interviews Jesse Kanson-Benanav of Abundant Housing Massachusetts about a new poll MPG conducted for them, finding that majorities of Massachusetts voters support most policies to build more housing. Then, Steve and Jenn talk to Olivia Wine of MPG about a recent report on the experiences of tenants and landlords in the Massachusetts state housing voucher program (MRVP). For the Abundant Housing poll: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/new-poll-voters-across-massachusetts-support-building-more-housing-in-their-own-neighborhoodsnbsp For the MRVP report: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/tenants-and-landlords-both-give-massachusetts-rental-voucher-program-good-marks-but-administrative-hurdles-pose-a-challenge For video of the MRVP report release event: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/videos/2025/may/voices-of-experience-recap

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss a MassINC Polling Group survey that asked nonprofit workers and leaders what impacts they expect the Trump administration to have on their organizations and the communities they serve. Plus, a look at competing internal polls from gubernatorial candidates. MPG conducted the nonprofit survey for the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and the Boston Foundation, which also hosted an event on May 5 for nonprofit leaders to hear and discuss the results. For the full results, as well as a video recording of the event, visit this link: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/40ls2wra074r1sola48s94ojwt0lm2

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn go international, looking at the polling both around the Canadian federal election and around the first hundred days of the second Donald Trump administration. Plus, horse *and* Dunkin content.