The Horse Race

For your spookiest episode of The Horse Race yet, we hit the stretch run just one week before the election. As election day nears, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith provide an update on three new polls that have been published this week. Then we check in on the attorney general's race with Maddie Kilgannon of WGBH. And finally, we hear from Steve Brown of WBUR about several of the contested seats i...

Welcome to debate season! On this episode of The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jenn Smith check in on the rousing round of debates that swept the state this past week. Next, we call many time guest of the pod, Chris Lisinski to check in on the MA 3rd Congressional district race. And finally, we hear from Shira Schoenberg on a race we should all be paying more attention to; the treasurers race (whi...

We're gearing up for these final weeks before the general election with our new Horse Race co-host, and many time guest of the pod, Jennifer Smith. Here to keep us updated with this week's wave of Senator Warren news is Vicki McGrane of the Boston Globe. Then, we welcome a new guest to the show, Dr. Shannon Jenkins Chair of the Department of Political Science at UMass Dartmouth who claims we shoul...

It is indeed the most wonderful time of the year... for polling that is! On this week's episode of The Horse Race, our very own Maeve Duggan of the MASSInc Polling Group joins as a co-host with Steve Koczela to take us behind all of this week's freshly published polls. Since we're just one month out from election day, we'll get you caught up on the Baker / Gonzales debate with Gin Dumcius of The S...

October has officially begun and brought us several surprises. Katie Lannan of Statehouse News joins us as our guest host this week to unpack what we like to call "the Massachusetts connection" to several national events, including Senator Warren's potential Presidential campaign, the Kavanaugh hearings, and Barak Obama's recent endorsements. Here to break down what has been a news-filled week, we...

That's right, it is polling season! We welcome back special guest host Jennifer Smith of the Dorchester Reporter to join Steve Koczela, President of the MassINC Polling Group to go over the latest in MA general election news, polls, and even potential presidential bids. Joining us as a first time guest on the pod, Vicki McGraine of the Boston Globe talked with us about Charlie Baker and Geoff Dieh...

We're taking a farewell victory lap this week for Lauren Dezenski's very last episode of The Horse Race before she moves to Washington D.C. to join CNN. As the third congressional race finally came to its close, we welcomed Chris Lisinski of the Lowell Sun to give us a rundown of the recount madness. Then we looked to our expert ballot guest George Cronin to get caught up on upcoming general ballo...

On this episode of The Horse Race, we wrap up our recap of the primary election and make a big announcement. We welcomed News Editor at the Dorchester Reporter, Jenn Smith and Michael Jonas of Commonwealth Magazine to cover the DA race. We then catch up with our friends of the Codcast, Jennifer Nassour and Jesse Mermell to hear all about their new, highly opinionated, cross-partisan podcast, Disag...

The Horse Race goes LIVE in this special post-primary "winner's circle." We recorded in front of a live studio audience at WeWork Boston's One Beacon office. President of the MassInc Polling Group, Steve Koczela and Politico Massachusetts' Lauren Dezenski break down all things Massachusetts primaries. On this extended episode, we welcomed Meghna Chakrabarti Host of NPR's "On Point" to discuss MA e...

8/29/18 -- With less than a week from the MA primary election, you could say we've hit the stretch run. In a jam packed episode, we cover what we can expect from campaigns in the final week before the polls close. Principal Sean Curran of Waterville Consulting joins us in the studio to break down what's happening right now with campaign advertising. We're also joined by Mike McLaughlin, an expert...

8/22/18 -- Secretary of State Bill Galvin and Josh Zakim are highlighted again this week as they each launch attack ads. Then we focus on one race that has flown under radar -- the democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Former LG and current president of the Worcester Chamber of Commerce Tim Murray tells us what it's like to run for the seat. Plus Becca Rausch is running for state senate and...

8/15/18 -- Secretary of State Bill Galvin and his primary challenger Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim met this week for a tense, table-slapping debate. MassLive's Gin Dumcius joins us for a recap on the zesty #debategate. Then CommonWealth Magazine's Michael Jonas has the latest intrigue in the already "cloak and dagger" filled Suffolk County DA race, while Lauren checks in on the Republican prima...

8/8/18 -- Democrats are taking on Democrats in this week’s episode of The Horse Race. First, Andy Metzger of State House News Service (and who is soon to be striking out as a freelancer!) details some tension between senate president Karen Spilka and speaker of the House Bob DeLeo in the wrap up of legislative loose ends. Then the Dorchester Reporter’s Jennifer Smith returns to breakdown this week...

In part 2 of our special “bootleg” episode, Steve breaks down the results of the recent WBUR poll that highlights the horse race between Michael Capuano and Ayanna Pressley. The poll also looks at democratic opinion in the MA-7 on abolishing ICE, Nancy Pelosi and single payer healthcare, among other issues. Head to wbur.org for the full topline. This episode is sponsored by WeWork Boston.

8/1/18 -- In the last minute scramble of legislation, the state appears to have made horse racing illegal, which means Lauren and Steve are off to the glue factory. But first, they speak with The Springfield Republican’s Shira Schoenberg about the chaotic end of the Legislature’s formal session, and what did and didn’t fall through the cracks. Then former state senator Ben Downing returns to analy...

7/25/2018 -- On the podcast this week, Lauren Dezenski is still on vacation, but calls in to talk with Steve and Doug Rubin, senior strategist for Deval Patrick and Elizabeth Warren, about presidential race rumors. Then, a quick check in on the MA1 Primary with Shannon Young, of MassLive and The Springfield Republican; followed up by a look at key races in the Pioneer Valley with MassINC Polling G...

7/18/18 -- The Legislature has reached a budget compromise and our guest host Lizzi Weyant, manager of government affairs at MAPC, explains what’s in it, what’s not and what’s next. Then George Cronin of Rasky Partners details the questions still standing on the ballot, and The Dorchester Reporter’s Jenn Smith highlights the “proxy fight” in the 7th congressional district. Plus Lauren Dezenski put...

7/11/18 --We’re back post-Fourth of July with a check in on what’s still pending on Beacon Hill. MassLive’s Gin Dumcius walks us through why Massachusetts still does not have a state budget; then in a return to the pod, Principal of Waterville Consulting Sean Curran explains quarter two fundraising reports and Gov. Charlie Baker’s massive ad buy. Plus Steve and Lauren look at the recent Supreme Ju...

7/4/18 -- Happy Independence Day, Horse Race fans! We're on hiatus this week, so enjoy a reel of some of our favorite outtakes. Tune in next week when we return to the latest #mapoli developments, and enjoy the holiday! Featuring special appearances by The Benator (Ben Downing) and Senate President Harriette Chandler.

State Senate President Harriette Chandler joins us for a special extended edition of The Horse Race. We ask her about the grand bargain, legislation vs. ballot questions, the fallout from Stan Rosenberg, and what she has learned in her time at the top. Then WBUR's Shannon Dooling discusses what the immigration debate means for Massachusetts. This episode is sponsored by the Massachusetts Business...

6/20/18 -- We have a “Grand Bargain”...kind of. State House News Service reporter Katie Lannan discusses the bill moving through the house that would combine a minimum wage increase, paid family leave and a permanent sales tax holiday; then Steve chimes in with polling on education spending and regional ballot initiatives. Plus Chris Lisinski of the Lowell Sun circles back to the race to replace R...

Episode 36: EMERGENCY POD - SJC strikes down Fair Share Ballot Question by Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith

6/13/18 -- The statewide candidates are locked -- so who exactly are they? This week we breakdown the bios of the Republican Senate candidates with the Springfield Republican’s Shannon Young, and Michael Bonner of the Cape Cod Times highlights Peter Tedeschi, who’s challenging Rep. Bill Keating in the 9th congressional district. Then Andy Metzger of State House News returns for an update on the Gr...

6/6/18 -- There were some unexpected twists at the Democratic Convention last weekend. MassLive’s Gintautas Dumcius joins us to discuss the upset in the Secretary of State’s race, and State House News Service reporter Katie Lannan breaks down the top-ticket governor’s race. Then, Steve highlights parts of the latest WBUR poll, and answers audience questions! This episode is sponsored by the Massac...

5/30/18 -- Just before the nominating convention, Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party Gus Bickford joins us for a chat about what to expect from candidates and delegates. Then the Springfield Republican's Shira Schoenberg discusses the developments in the race for Stan Rosenberg’s former Senate seat. Plus, Steve and Lauren discuss the reality behind the Safe Communities Act that passed the...