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Boston's Morning Newsletter
3 close New England congressional races to watch
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Mayor Michelle Wu will be on Radio Boston this morning at 11 a.m. Have a question for her? Tweet it to @RadioBoston or send it through our text club by texting BOSTON to 617-766-0382!
Now, to the news:
In-person and mail-in voting now underway in Massachusetts. And there hasn't been much attention on the local congressional races, with all nine members up for re-election this year widely expected to keep their seats. But that's not the case just across the border. In fact, Republicans are currently favored to pick up at least one New England seat — though WBUR's Anthony Brooks reports that they might be dampening their chances in an otherwise favorable political environment with too many Donald Trump-aligned nominees. With the balance of Congress at stake, here are the top three races to watch:
- Rhode Island's 2nd District: The GOP's best shot to win a New England seat may be in reliably blue Rhodey, where polls show Republican Allan Fung leading Democratic state Treasurer Seth Magaziner in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Jim Langevin. Like many GOP candidates, Fung has focused on the rising cost of living, which he attributed in a forum last week to taxes on the wealthy and regulation. But the former Cranston mayor is also a moderate on abortion and no fan of Trump. Magaziner argued a vote for Fung is a vote for GOP control of the House. He also disagreed with the notion that the wealthy are overtaxed.
- Maine's 2nd District: Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is facing a rematch against former Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin, who he narrowly unseated in 2018. But this time around, Poliquin is running on a more rightward message, according to the AP. The former GOP congressman is now putting an emphasis on curtailing immigration and protecting gun rights, a shift from his previous economy-focused approach. Meanwhile, Golden, a moderate Democrat, is again running on more local issues.
- New Hampshire's 1st District: The Granite State's famously swingy 1st District could make Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas the first person in two decades to represent the district for three straight terms. But he'll have to fend off a challenge from former Trump aide Karoline Leavitt, who won a crowded GOP primary. In a debate last week, Leavitt went after Pappas for supporting President Joe Biden's policies, which she argues contributed to inflation and high energy prices. Pappas, however, stood by his support of the Inflation Reduction Act — while dinging Leavitt for her openness to privatizing Social Security and for echoing Trump's "big lie."
Heads up: The Callahan Tunnel from downtown Boston to East Boston and Logan airport will close from 11 p.m. tonight until 5 a.m. tomorrow morning, so crews can install new vent equipment.Anyone on the roads during those late-night hours will be detoured through the Ted Williams Tunnel.
ICYMI: A federal appeals court halted President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan on Friday. And while the White House is still processing applications, the ruling at least temporarily prevents them from discharging any debts. Here's what borrowers need to know:
- If you haven't applied yet: The White House is still encouraging those eligible for relief to apply for the debt forgiveness program.
- If you have already applied: The ruling does not prevent officials from reviewing your application and getting documents in order for loan servicers. Biden's administration had previously been hoping to begin officially canceling debts this fall.
- What's next: Two different things could happen as early as this week. Either the court will issue an injunction that will further extend the pause as the legal fight plays out. Or it could dismiss the case and allow the program to carry on as planned.
P.S. — After spending seven years in prison for leaking hundreds of thousands of military and diplomatic records, Chelsea Manning will be at WBUR CitySpace tonight to tell her story. Here & Now co-host Robin Young will interview Manning about her early life, her gender transition while in prison and what life is like for her now. In-person and virtual tickets are available here.
