The Horse Race

What could the situation in LA mean for Massachusetts? This week on The Horse Race, Jenn Smith is joined by Steve Koczela to discuss recent New England polling which reveals growing political pessimism... and its not only directed at Republicans.

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn Smith is joined by Steve Koczela for an early update on key Massachusetts elections, who is running... and who is definitely not running. Then, Jenn and Steve are joined by Paul Watanabe, professor of political science and director of the Institute for Asian American Studies at the UMass-Boston, to discuss a groundbreaking new poll from Mass Inc. Polling Group entitled "No Longer Invisible" [Link Below]. This poll focussed on issues facing Asian & Pacific Islander American residents of Massachusetts, the fastest growing group in the Commonwealth. And finally, tomorrow is donut day... but the feminist history may surprise you.

https://aapicommission.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/No-Longer-Invisible-6-2-25-rev2.pdf

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss how the latest federal proposals will effect education throughout Massachusetts from Harvard to community colleges. Plus, did you know that horse racing is subsidized in Massachusetts?

This week on The Horse Race, Steve talks to MassINC Polling Group VP Rich Parr about his trip to the annual conference of the American Association of Public Opinion Researchers (AAPOR), which featured extensive discussions of AI tech in polling, postmortems on the 2024 election cycle, and public perceptions of the polls.

This week, it's a double housing policy polling special from the MassINC Polling Group. Jenn interviews Jesse Kanson-Benanav of Abundant Housing Massachusetts about a new poll MPG conducted for them, finding that majorities of Massachusetts voters support most policies to build more housing. Then, Steve and Jenn talk to Olivia Wine of MPG about a recent report on the experiences of tenants and landlords in the Massachusetts state housing voucher program (MRVP).

For the Abundant Housing poll: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/new-poll-voters-across-massachusetts-support-building-more-housing-in-their-own-neighborhoodsnbsp

For the MRVP report: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/tenants-and-landlords-both-give-massachusetts-rental-voucher-program-good-marks-but-administrative-hurdles-pose-a-challenge

For video of the MRVP report release event: https://www.tbf.org/news-and-insights/videos/2025/may/voices-of-experience-recap

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss a MassINC Polling Group survey that asked nonprofit workers and leaders what impacts they expect the Trump administration to have on their organizations and the communities they serve. Plus, a look at competing internal polls from gubernatorial candidates.

MPG conducted the nonprofit survey for the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and the Boston Foundation, which also hosted an event on May 5 for nonprofit leaders to hear and discuss the results. For the full results, as well as a video recording of the event, visit this link: https://www.massincpolling.com/our-work/40ls2wra074r1sola48s94ojwt0lm2

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn go international, looking at the polling both around the Canadian federal election and around the first hundred days of the second Donald Trump administration. Plus, horse *and* Dunkin content.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn discuss the latest polling on the Trump administration's actions, especially divides that show up in different ways of asking about the same issue. Then, GBH reporter Katie Lannan joins to break down Beacon Hill's response to federal uncertainty, scandal at the statehouse, and the upcoming budget season.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by John Gee of The MassINC Polling Group to discuss new MPG polling on how Massachusetts voters are feeling about national politics right now. Then, Jenn tells us about her reporting on the intertwined climate and housing crisis on the Cape and Islands, part of CommonWealth Beacon's Climate Month.

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by Rich Parr to discuss new polling on transportation in Massachusetts from The MassINC Polling Group, and Jenn explains how federal funding cuts are affecting fair housing organizations. Stick to the end for our co-hosts' perspectives on "the group chat situation."