WORCESTER, MA — U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern has come out in support of Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential bid after President Joe Biden dropped out Sunday, signaling that Democrats in Massachusetts will broadly support her at the nominating convention in August.

McGovern came out early in support of Harris, saying in a Sunday evening tweet that he “wholeheartedly” endorses Harris.

“Throughout her career in public service she has shown an incredible ability to bring people together, take on the big banks & special interests, stand up for the underdog, & fight for what she believes in,” he said.

McGovern is a Democratic delegate who will be part of the nominating convention in Chicago beginning Aug. 19. No other potential Democratic presidential candidates had emerged as of Monday, but it’s possible Harris could face challengers from within her party.

By Monday morning, U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark — the most powerful Democrat from Massachusetts in Congress who serves as the minority whip — had endorsed Harris. U.S. Reps. Jake Auchincloss, Ayanna Pressley, Seth Moulton, Lori Trahan, Bill Keating and U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey also backed Harris. Attorney General Andrea Campbell also endorsed Harris, but Gov. Maura Healey and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Pittsfield, hadn’t outright endorsed her as of Monday morning.

Most importantly, Biden endorsed Healey. His delegates are now free to vote for whomever they choose. It’s only the first item on a staggering political to-do list for her after Biden’s decision to exit the race, which she learned about on a Sunday morning call with the president. If she’s successful at locking up the nomination, she must also pick a running mate and pivot a massive political operation to boost her candidacy instead of Biden’s with just over 100 days until Election Day.

On Sunday afternoon, Biden’s campaign formally changed its name to Harris for President, reflecting that she is inheriting his political operation of more than 1,000 staffers and a war chest that stood at nearly $96 million at the end of June. It got bigger by Monday morning: Campaign spokesperson Lauren Hitt said Harris had raised $49.6 million in donations in the first 15 hours after Biden’s endorsement.

Harris spent much of Sunday surrounded by family and staff, making more than 100 calls to Democratic officials to line up their support for her candidacy, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the effort. It comes as she tries to move her party past the painful, public wrangling that had defined the weeks since the Biden’s disastrous June 27 debate with Donald Trump.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this story

By: State Senator Pavel Payano – July, 224

In a decisive move aimed at tackling Massachusetts’ ongoing housing crisis, the Massachusetts Senate has unanimously passed S.2834, also known as the Affordable Homes Act. This legislation marks a significant step forward in addressing housing affordability, availability, and equity across the state.

The Affordable Homes Act is a multifaceted initiative that combines $5.4 billion in funding with substantial policy reforms. Its primary objectives include the construction of new housing units, expedited rehabilitation of existing housing stock, reduction of development barriers, and promotion of affordable housing initiatives. These measures are designed to alleviate the pressures that have contributed to Massachusetts’ housing shortage and escalating costs.

Thanks to the support of Senate President Karen Spilka, Chair of Senate Ways and Means Michael Rodrigues, and Housing Chair Lidia Edwards for supporting one of the amendments that I successfully championed. Amendment #168 secured enhancements to Massachusetts’ Chapter 40R program. Initially enacted in 2004, Chapter 40R incentivizes municipalities to adopt smart growth zoning, encouraging compact residential and mixed-use development.

The amendment, which passed with overwhelming support, includes substantial updates to the program’s financial incentives to better align with current economic realities and inflation. Specifically, it nearly doubles the one-time incentive payment and raises the bonus payment per new housing unit from $3,000 to $6,000.

40R has had successful implementations in Haverhill, where smart growth initiatives revitalized the central business district and repurposed mill spaces into housing units. Originally, these efforts resulted in significant 40R incentive payments, but inflation had diminished their impact over the years. With the passage of the amendment, Massachusetts aims to empower more municipalities to zone for affordable and dense housing, fostering vibrant communities statewide without requiring additional state funding.

Key Provisions of the Affordable Homes Act

The Affordable Homes Act addresses various aspects of the housing crisis through targeted investments and policy reforms:

1. Public Housing Rehabilitation: Allocates $2.2 billion for repairs and upgrades to state-aided public housing, ensuring safer and more sustainable living conditions for thousands of families. A portion of this funding, $150 million, is earmarked for energy-efficient upgrades to align with the state’s climate goals.

2. Affordable Housing Initiatives: Includes $425 million for the Housing Stabilization and Investment Trust fund, supporting the preservation, construction, and rehabilitation of affordable rental units. An additional $800 million is allocated to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create and maintain housing for households earning up to 110% of the area median income.

3. Sustainable Building Practices: Dedicates $275 million to promote innovative and environmentally friendly housing construction methods, contributing to Massachusetts’ efforts to combat climate change.

4. Support for First-Time Homebuyers: Authorizes $200 million for the CommonWealth Builder program, aimed at increasing homeownership opportunities in gateway cities. This initiative not only fosters economic growth but also revitalizes urban areas.

5. Infrastructure Investment: Provides $375 million for HousingWorks, which supports essential infrastructure improvements necessary for new housing developments. This includes addressing water, sewer, and septic challenges, as well as incentivizing best practices in transit-oriented development communities.

6. Equity and Fairness: Introduces policy measures such as tenant protection from broker fees, the establishment of equity-focused housing offices, eviction record sealing for certain cases, and the promotion of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in residential zones. These initiatives aim to enhance housing stability, promote fairness in real estate transactions, and expand housing options.

With separate versions of the Affordable Homes Act passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the next step involves reconciling differences between the two branches before final enactment. The Act represents a substantial commitment by Massachusetts to address its housing challenges comprehensively and inclusively.

Please feel free to email me at
pavel.payano@masenate.gov ◊

Republican party leaders in Massachusetts are questioning President Joe Biden’s fitness to remain in office after the 81-year-old withdrew from the 2024 presidential race on Sunday, endorsing his vice president just weeks ahead of the Democratic Party Convention. And they are objecting to the switch of nominees after the primary process has ended.

“I don’t think anybody expected it to be any different,” said Thomas Hodgson, the chairman of former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign in Massachusetts. He is the former Bristol County sheriff.

“The Democrat Party has been hiding what everybody else has seen for a long time: He’s not capable of being president for another term, and frankly he isn’t capable of being president right now. He is cognitively challenged, as everybody knows, and so for us — for America — that’s not a good thing. Who knows how it will play out. If he continues to stay in there, as I said, it’s not a good thing. But given the fact that he’s never there, he works limited hours, it’s the best thing that could happen, and frankly should have happened a lot sooner.”

Although political pundits have speculated that Biden is suffering from cognitive decline and the president has made misstatements in recent weeks, Biden’s statement did not say he was withdrawing because of any health reasons.

Geoff Diehl, who ran for the governor in 2022 and is a supporter of Donald Trump also spoke out against Biden.

‘I’m glad that President Biden has withdrawn. Our country needs a strong leader & he had no mandate to proceed. Be aware, though, that a sitting President who won the primary process, just had a reelection campaign canceled by a handful of party insiders. An atrocious precedent.”

The statements echoed many of the state points Chris LaCivita and Susan Wiles, of Trump’s national campaign said on Sunday.

“Joe Biden cannot take himself out of a campaign for President because he is too mentally incompetent and still remain in the White House,” reads the statement. “Biden is a national security threat in great cognitive decline and a clear and present danger to every man, woman, and child in our country. The question then to Kamala Harris is simple: knowing that Joe Biden withdrew from the campaign because of his rapidly deteriorating condition, does Harris believe the people of America are safe and secure with Joe Biden in the White House for six more months?”