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Ayanna Pressley passes on Senate run, despite seeing 'strong path to victory'
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We did eventually see some snowflakes last night. But the town of Westminster is the state's snowfall winner with 7.5 inches. Read Massachusetts' full town-by-town snow totals from yesterday's storm here.
Now to today's news:
She's running (for reelection): After giving the idea some thought, Rep. Ayanna Pressley announced yesterday that she won't run for Senate in 2026. The Boston congresswoman said she will instead run for a fifth term representing Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District, leaving 79-year-old incumbent Sen. Ed Markey and challenger Rep. Seth Moulton as the two major candidates in next year's Senate Democratic primary. (Former teacher Alex Rikleen is also in the race.)
- Why not run for Senate? Pressley said it wasn't the best time. "With our daughter in her last year at home before college and a district that has been in the crosshairs of this White House, I am certain that the Massachusetts 7th is where I belong in this moment," she said in a statement.
- Looking ahead: Pressley also said that it "would be an honor" to serve statewide. In an email to supporters, she said she saw a "strong path to victory" and gave the potential campaign "careful consideration." "I’m not closing the door to a Senate run down the line," she told The Boston Globe, which first reported her decision.
- What does this mean for 2026? Pressley's decision probably helps Markey, with whom she might have split the progressive vote, according to UMass Boston political science professor Erin O'Brien. Last month, a poll found that Markey's support dropped by 15 percentage points if Pressley was included in the race. "This isn't great news for Seth Moulton," O'Brien told WBUR's Anthony Brooks. "Markey and Pressley draw on similar bases within the Massachusetts Democratic Party, and so he would have loved to have that base divided."
Heads up: Homeowners in Boston are expected to see property taxes rise by 13% next year, according to Mayor Michelle Wu. As WBUR's Eve Zuckoff reports, that translates to a $780 hike compared to last year for the average single-family home owner. Wu told reporters yesterday that the projected spike — similar to this past year — is largely driven by a decline in commercial property values that "will continue to put pressure" on residents in an "unsustainable way." (State law limits how much the city can raise the property tax rate for businesses relative to the rate for homeowners.)
- Wu is again calling on Beacon Hill to pass her home rule petition allowing the city to temporarily shift more of the tax burden onto businesses to lessen the blow to homeowners. However, state Sen. Nick Collins, the South Boston Democrat who spearheaded the opposition to Wu's proposal last year, told Eve the city should instead resort to budget cuts to deal with the issue.
Save the date: The Boston Fleet are set to play their first game at TD Garden next spring. The 2-year-old Professional Women's Hockey League team, which usually plays its games in Lowell, announced yesterday that it will have a one-off game on the Bruins' home ice on April 11. The Fleet will host the Montreal Victoire in front of up to 18,000 fans, triple the amount that can fit in Lowell's Tsongas Center.
- Want to be in the building? Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 a.m.
- Psst: You can also catch the Fleet at Agganis Arena tonight, the first of four games they'll play this season at the Boston University arena.
In memoriam: Today marks 26th since the deadly Worcester Cold Storage fire. WBUR's Fausto Menard reports several events this week are planned to honor the six firefighters who died in the blaze. A brief ceremony will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at the site of the fire, which is now the city's Franklin Street Fire Station.
- The state's Department of Fire Services and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy will also host a public blood drive tomorrow morning in Stow.
P.S.— Tonight is also the third annual #ShopAAPI Holiday Night Market in Boston's Back Bay, hosted by the Asian Business Empowerment Council. The free market features dozens of vendors, pop-up food stations, book signings and limited-edition merch. For more festive events and markets happening in the area this week, check out our arts and culture team's weekend roundup of thing to do.
