The Horse Race

10/16/19--Steve and Stephanie have returned to the bunker after last week's live show at WeWork in Back Bay. Our guests, Attorney General Maura Healey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III had a lot to talk about, and today the hosts go over what stuck out to them. Then, Boston City Councillor At-Large Michelle Wu stops by to talk about her big ideas, the most recent being her call to abolish the BPDA. Is this...

10/11/2019 -- We're doing it live! Thanks to our lovely hosts, WeWork on 31 St. James Ave. in Back Bay, Steve, Jenn, and Stephanie got to run through the state (and national) headlines in person with the fine company of Horse Race listeners. But it wouldn't be a Horse Race without a lineup of special guests. First up was state Attorney General Maura Healey. She spoke about her activist approach to...

10/2/19-- With so much happening on the state and national level, Stephanie and Jenn tackle a little bit of everything on this week's show. An impeachment inquiry into President Trump has officially begun, and as Stephanie points out, there's a local angle there. Rep. Richard Neal from Massachusetts' 1st District came out in favor of impeachment , becoming one of the last members of the Massachuse...

9/25/19--Welcome, one and all, to the 100th Episode Jubilee! This week features old friends of the pod as well as a brand-new visitor to the bunker. First, Jamie Belsito is a first-time visitor to The Horse Race, making her case for why she's right for the 6th District House seat. She argues Seth Moulton has been too busy running for president and gunning for Nancy Pelosi to show up for his distri...

9/18/19-- Fresh off the Massachusetts Democratic Convention, Steve and Stephanie have much to discuss. Stephanie covered the convention in Springfield for Politico, and there were a few things in particular that stood out to her. Namely, as pundits in Massachusetts and nationwide speculate on the implications of the potential Markey-Kennedy Senate matchup, there's someone already calling out the s...

9/11/19-- A new week brings new polls to discuss. Last week, Steve and Stephanie spoke to the Chief Growth Officer at Change Research, which had published a poll finding Joe Kennedy III with a 17-point lead ahead of Ed Markey in the Senate race. Since then a Boston Globe/Suffolk University poll found Kennedy up by 14 points, confirming the substance of a poll that many considered to be an outlier....

9/4/19-- It's post-Labor Day in The Horse Race bunker, which means post-Labor Day Breakfast, which means the hosts have much to discuss. Namely, Stephanie pointed out, the breakfast featured 'Kennedy for Senate' banners posted directly across from 'Markey for Senate' banners, illustrating a race that's sure to be tight IF Congressman Joe Kennedy decides to officially throw his hat in the ring. Mea...

8/28/19-- New polls out this week rank Democratic presidential hopefuls, but one in particular stood out. Monmouth University published a poll showing a three-way tie for first place between former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Results from other major polling outfits, meanwhile, showed Biden in first place, as has been the case sin...

8/21/19--A new co-hosting combo hits the bunker this week -- it's Steve and Stephanie breaking down the latest in Massachusetts. First up is a rundown of the very busy Massachusetts primaries. With all the announced challengers to Congressional incumbents (and undoubtedly more to come), Steve and Stephanie address the question: is the era of "wait your turn" in politics over? The hosts are next jo...

8/14/19--A new co-host joins us in the bunker this week. That's right, folks, Steve's on vacation and the Politico Massachusetts Playbook composer Stephanie Murray is busting up the joint. She broke the story on the puzzling, anonymous live caller poll circling around the commonwealth a few weeks ago, pitting Senator Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III in a hypothetical Senate race that Kennedy nev...

8/7/19--Gather round, folks, for a very special announcement. As co-host and Empress of Equine Exuberance Jennifer Smith trains her sights on a law degree, she will move from full-time co-host to part-time, meaning we are thrilled to announce a third member of the pod squad. This intrepid reporter is a good friend of the pod and has contributed countless elections updates as the Massachusetts poli...

7/31/19-- Today on the podcast, Jenn and Steve unpack a mysterious phone survey facing off Rep. Joe Kennedy III and Sen. Ed Markey. It's unclear who sponsored it, but it does raise questions about if or when Kennedy may run for Senate. And, brace yourselves, but it's come to the hosts' attention that the legislature has not reauthorized horse racing and simulcasting. If no action is taken by tomor...

7/24/19--It's Mueller Day! Does that phrase sound familiar? Probably because it's been thrown around once or twice in The Horse Race bunker already. Steve and Jenn pontificate on today's testimony, and discuss Massachusetts elected officials' positions on impeachment. Next, Steve and Jenn welcome back a familiar face. Stephanie Murray, author of the Politico Massachusetts Playbook, brings the host...

7/17/2019--On this episode of The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve grapple with the unavoidable subject of the president’s racist comments aimed at freshmen members of congress Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ayanna Pressley. Jenn, who covers part of Ayanna Pressley’s district as news editor for the Dorchester Reporter, touches on what the comments might mean for residents of th...

7/10/19--This week's episode of The Horse Race takes a Seinfeldian twist in celebration of the sitcom's 30th birthday. Jenn presents two babkas --one cinnamon, one chocolate, in reference to that infamous bakery scene-- for our judges to taste and rate. The fine culinary judges joining Steve and Jenn in the bunker also happen to be reporters well-versed in Massachusetts politics, policy and electi...

7/3/2019-- In celebration of the Fourth of July, Steve and Jenn are celebrating their freedom far, far away from the bunker. They'll be back next week to talk Massachusetts politics, policy and elections, and until then, enjoy this compilation of slip-ups, swears, and snickers from the most professional podcast hosts to ever grace your feed.

6/26/2019-- Steve and Jenn are back in The Last Remaining Signal Bungalow in Boston, and first on the discussion topic list: debates. This week, 2 groups of Democratic presidential candidates, each group on their own night, will square off in a verbal jousting match. Steve and Jenn discuss how polls can move in response to primary debates. Later, Andy Metzger, AKA Duke of Derailments and Master of...

6/19/2019--Another week, another conversation about the Red Line. Jenn has given up any and all expectations of trains showing up on time (or at all). She and Steve discuss the various responses by public officials about whether the slated July 1st MBTA rate hike should happen before the Red Line service improves. Mayor Marty Walsh says no. Steve, who's been keeping an eye on the citizenship quest...

6/14/2019--It's your lucky day, #MAPoli. Steve and Jenn are bringing you an extra episode this week. Jenn is surprisingly alive to tell the tale of her hellish commute on the Red Line after its meltdown earlier this week. This being the second derailment in as many days, it's safe to say that commuters are getting fed up. Local leaders are speaking up as well, and the MBTA is responding with a ful...

6/12/2019--Steve and Jenn are back in the studio, fresh from a weekend at the race track...literally. Sunday, June 9 was full of big hats, exciting races, and scintillating political conversation during our live show at Suffolk Downs. The first guest to speak was Shannon Liss-Riordan, a labor attorney and Senate candidate who's announced her bid for Senator Ed Markey's seat. She joined Jenn and St...

6/5/2019--Come one, come all to our live show at Suffolk Downs! Eat, drink, gamble and be merry amongst fellow #MAPoli-interested folks. Register here! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-horse-race-live-at-the-races-tickets-60936755476?aff=ebdssbdestsearch This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley to discuss her new Power of Us PAC. Then, Rich Parr drops...

5/29/2019-- While drama abounds in our nation's capital, Steve and Jenn are squarely focused on state-level issues. But first, they discuss exit polls with MassINC Polling Group Research Director Maeve Duggan. Exit polls have traditionally been the basis for understanding what happens on election night. Now, exit polls are evolving in a big way. Jenn and Steve are then joined by Commonwealth Magaz...

5/22/2019--Fresh off a weekend nerding out on polling at the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) Conference, Steve is joined by a good friend of the pod to recount the insights they gained there. Steve and Maeve Duggan, Research Director for the MassINC Polling Group, discuss how 2019 and 2020 elections polls will be conducted. Later, Matt Murphy of the State House News Servic...

On this special bonus episode of The Horse Race, we explore the history of Suffolk Downs, what its final racing season means for its dedicated patrons, and what's in store for the 161-acre parcel once the racetrack shuts down. Join us for a LIVE recording of The Horse Race podcast at the races! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-horse-race-live-at-the-races-tickets-60936755476

5/15/19--Steve and Jenn are back with a vengeance to discuss...you guessed it: transportation. US News Rankings published Massachusetts as the 44th worst state in the union in the category of overall infrastructure and 46th in commute time. This should come as no surprise to anyone who lives in Massachusetts and has commuted even once in the past 5 years. They're joined by State Sen. Becca Rausch...