MA-07: Boston City Councillor to Challenge Capuano

[Strudelcutie4427]

I live in this district and can't think of any examples of liberals unseating liberals on demographics and half-generational differences (Capuano isn't that old) alone. If Capuano were a conservative who adopted some liberal votes, maybe, but he's fully embraced by progressives here and institutions and there is not discontent with him. The district is diverse but not overly so. Unless Pressley has some incredible off-the-charts organizing prowess I haven't seen, OR Sanders endorses her (which would be the real X factor; a Sanders faction swept Somerville city council last year), I don't see how Capuano doesn't cruise to a win again.

Maybe she's doing this as a dry run for future Boston races.

I doubt that about the mayor. Marty’s there as long as he wants, Boston usually has mayor-for-life

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

[Brittain33]

I live in this district and can't think of any examples of liberals unseating liberals on demographics and half-generational differences (Capuano isn't that old) alone. If Capuano were a conservative who adopted some liberal votes, maybe, but he's fully embraced by progressives here and institutions and there is not discontent with him. The district is diverse but not overly so. Unless Pressley has some incredible off-the-charts organizing prowess I haven't seen, OR Sanders endorses her (which would be the real X factor; a Sanders faction swept Somerville city council last year), I don't see how Capuano doesn't cruise to a win again.

Maybe she's doing this as a dry run for future Boston races.

I doubt that about the mayor. Marty’s there as long as he wants, Boston usually has mayor-for-life

That's certainly the case. She could run for a Suffolk County office since Boston makes up most of Suffolk County, or possibly a State Senate seat.

[Jeppe]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

[Strudelcutie4427]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

What are you talking about? They have a “Native American” woman senator 😂

[Jeppe]

I live in this district and can't think of any examples of liberals unseating liberals on demographics and half-generational differences (Capuano isn't that old) alone. If Capuano were a conservative who adopted some liberal votes, maybe, but he's fully embraced by progressives here and institutions and there is not discontent with him. The district is diverse but not overly so. Unless Pressley has some incredible off-the-charts organizing prowess I haven't seen, OR Sanders endorses her (which would be the real X factor; a Sanders faction swept Somerville city council last year), I don't see how Capuano doesn't cruise to a win again.

Maybe she's doing this as a dry run for future Boston races.

Mind you that this poll is not a Pressley internal. The numbers look awful for a 20 year incumbent, to be below 50% in their primary, and only running 12 points ahead of a challenger who declared 2 weeks ago. If Capuano tried to sleepwalk through the primary, he could easily lose. I get that you like Capuano, but you’d have to be pretty delusional to not think that Pressley will give Capuano a run for his money. I acknowledge that it’ll be an uphill battle for Pressley, but that doesn’t mean Capuano can just hit the snooze button.

[BuckeyeNut]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

These things are all true, but they aren't sufficient reason to primary an effective and, frankly, quite progressive Congressman. Capuano isn't Tierney.

[Brittain33]

I live in this district and can't think of any examples of liberals unseating liberals on demographics and half-generational differences (Capuano isn't that old) alone. If Capuano were a conservative who adopted some liberal votes, maybe, but he's fully embraced by progressives here and institutions and there is not discontent with him. The district is diverse but not overly so. Unless Pressley has some incredible off-the-charts organizing prowess I haven't seen, OR Sanders endorses her (which would be the real X factor; a Sanders faction swept Somerville city council last year), I don't see how Capuano doesn't cruise to a win again.

Maybe she's doing this as a dry run for future Boston races.

Mind you that this poll is not a Pressley internal. The numbers look awful for a 20 year incumbent, to be below 50% in their primary, and only running 12 points ahead of a challenger who declared 2 weeks ago. If Capuano tried to sleepwalk through the primary, he could easily lose. I get that you like Capuano, but you’d have to be pretty delusional to not think that Pressley will give Capuano a run for his money. I acknowledge that it’ll be an uphill battle for Pressley, but that doesn’t mean Capuano can just hit the snooze button.

I think that is a fair point. I live in Somerville and support Capuano. I would counter that I don't think Capuano will sleepwalk through a primary. He's ambitious and not someone who coasts, and going on the assumption he takes this race seriously, I consider him 80% odds to win.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

It’s more important to have competent representatives with the experience to help advance progressive legislation instead of just screaming buzzwords.  Capuano has been a great congressman and primarying him simply because he’s the “wrong” skin-color or gender doesn’t really make much sense, to say the least.  And this isn’t someone like Steve Lynch we’re talking about either; that’d obviously be another story.

[Brittain33]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

It’s more important to have competent representatives with the experience to help advance progressive legislation instead of just screaming buzzwords.  Capuano has been a great congressman and primarying him simply because he’s the “wrong” skin-color or gender doesn’t really make much sense, to say the least.  And this isn’t someone like Steve Lynch we’re talking about either; that’d obviously be another story.

I don't think Gauche is wrong about diversifying the Mass. delegation and this is the district to do it in; but agree that primarying Capuano is not the best (or likely a successful) way to do it, and the district will be vacant as soon as he can find a winnable race for a promotion. He ran for Senate against Coakley in 2009, remember, and probably will run for governor in 2022 or another Senate seat if it opens up.

[McGovernForPrez]

My state senator was collecting ballot signatures the other day and he was wearing a Capuano button. Looks like Capuano is gonna have a lot of the local political backing on his side as well. An endorsement from Setti Warren doesn't mean anything when nobody knows who he is. I just don't see how Pressley wins. I have experience working on the campaign of insurgent minority candidates here and I can say with full certainty that Pressley is gonna have a difficult time. If you wanna see how this race will likely go down look at Tito Jackson's 2017 mayoral campaign. Marty Walsh spurned progressives and still won pretty damn easily.

[Brittain33]

I read in the Globe this morning that Capuano's approval rating among Dems in this poll is 63%-8%. Joe Lieberman, he isn't.

[Jeppe]

I read in the Globe this morning that Capuano's approval rating among Dems in this poll is 63%-8%. Joe Lieberman, he isn't.

And Pressley has a 65% - 5% approval rating within Boston, so they’re both well-liked, it’s just a matter of who best represents the interests and priorities of the district today.

[Brittain33]

I read in the Globe this morning that Capuano's approval rating among Dems in this poll is 63%-8%. Joe Lieberman, he isn't.

And Pressley has a 65% - 5% approval rating within Boston, so they’re both well-liked, it’s just a matter of who best represents the interests and priorities of the district today.

You seem too bought into the idea of diversifying Massachusetts's delegation to recognize the difference between an incumbent legislator and a challenger, Gauche. Challengers win by making the race a referendum on the incumbent; good luck doing that when he has an 8% disapproval, the challenger agrees with him on the issues at her own admission, and the demographics are a draw at best. Pressley can romp in the city of Boston and still lose this race.

[Brittain33]

I live in this district and can't think of any examples of liberals unseating liberals on demographics and half-generational differences (Capuano isn't that old) alone. If Capuano were a conservative who adopted some liberal votes, maybe, but he's fully embraced by progressives here and institutions and there is not discontent with him. The district is diverse but not overly so. Unless Pressley has some incredible off-the-charts organizing prowess I haven't seen, OR Sanders endorses her (which would be the real X factor; a Sanders faction swept Somerville city council last year), I don't see how Capuano doesn't cruise to a win again.

Maybe she's doing this as a dry run for future Boston races.

I doubt that about the mayor. Marty’s there as long as he wants, Boston usually has mayor-for-life

That's certainly the case. She could run for a Suffolk County office since Boston makes up most of Suffolk County, or possibly a State Senate seat.

County office in Massachusetts is a huge step down from BCC. State Senate is a lateral move, maybe better.

Stephen Murphy seemed to think the county offices were a step up. They may not lead much further but they can be cushy jobs.

[McGovernForPrez]

I'm already seeing signs up around my town for Capuano. Local Teamsters are coming out strong in his favor.

[Brittain33]

I'm already seeing signs up around my town for Capuano. Local Teamsters are coming out strong in his favor.

Blech. Hopefully they treat Pressley volunteers better than the cast of Top Chef.

[McGovernForPrez]

I'm already seeing signs up around my town for Capuano. Local Teamsters are coming out strong in his favor.

Blech. Hopefully they treat Pressley volunteers better than the cast of Top Chef.

All of his signs just say "Mike Capuano Democrat for congress". Those are the exact type of signs that'll help him win over low info voters.

[OkThen]

I am 100% voting for Pressley and I hope she's able to pull it off. That poll is encouraging since the primary isn't until September.

[Meatball Ron]

Hoping for a Pressley win. If she can get this close with just a month of campaigning, hopefully she can pull out a win.

Why? 

Because the Massachusetts delegation is all-white and severely lacking in women. It may not be important to you, but having proper representation of women and minorities in Congress is important for some people. Tough luck for Capuano, but times are changing.

It’s more important to have competent representatives with the experience to help advance progressive legislation instead of just screaming buzzwords.  Capuano has been a great congressman and primarying him simply because he’s the “wrong” skin-color or gender doesn’t really make much sense, to say the least.  And this isn’t someone like Steve Lynch we’re talking about either; that’d obviously be another story.

I don't think Gauche is wrong about diversifying the Mass. delegation and this is the district to do it in; but agree that primarying Capuano is not the best (or likely a successful) way to do it, and the district will be vacant as soon as he can find a winnable race for a promotion. He ran for Senate against Coakley in 2009, remember, and probably will run for governor in 2022 or another Senate seat if it opens up.

I wish that was the case, but I don't think it is:

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My sense is that his plan was to stay in Congress as long as he wanted then retire. Hopefully that doesn't change.

[Jeppe]

Capuano raised $500,000 this past quarter, Pressley $364,000.

[McGovernForPrez]

Capuano raised $500,000 this past quarter, Pressley $364,000.

Good numbers for Pressley but if Newman couldn't win I doubt Pressley wins.

[Jeppe]

Capuano raised $500,000 this past quarter, Pressley $364,000.

Good numbers for Pressley but if Newman couldn't win I doubt Pressley wins.

Pressley has much more time than Newman though. The MA primary is all the way in September and Newman was polling in the low double digits against Lipinski 2 months before the primary, meanwhile Pressley was only behind by 8 points in February.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

Why should this person be primaried? Primarying good incumbent dems makes no sense.

[Jeppe]

Why should this person be primaried? Primarying good incumbent dems makes no sense.

On the other hand, why should candidates have to wait for their turn to run for office? Ayanna Pressley has been trotted out to campaign for Democrats in black communities in Boston and across the country, and she’s been told to wait for her turn for many years now.

If she wants to run for office and make her case to voters that she would be a better representative than Capuano, trying to stop her is undemocratic and reductive. It’s one thing if she were challenging an endangered incumbent in a swing sweat, but she’s not, so what difference does it make.

That’s the problem with the Democratic Party, it marginalizes the voices of women and minorities, and tells them to “wait for their turn”, denying them the opportunity to be more actively involved in important discussions that affect their day-to-day lives.