WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.240 --> 00:00:05.000 Now night Side with Dan Ray, an election night special 2 00:00:05.160 --> 00:00:07.919 on wb Z, Boston's news radio. 3 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:11.759 Good evening, everyone, and welcome on in. My name is 4 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:14.439 Dan Ray, the host of Nightside, and I have about 5 00:00:14.599 --> 00:00:16.719 eight people tonight that we're going to talk to who 6 00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.359 know politics inside and out from different perspectives here in 7 00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:22.239 New England. Going to start off with Jim Brett. He's 8 00:00:22.280 --> 00:00:25.800 the President of the New England Council. Jim Brett, Welcome 9 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:27.640 back to Nightside, sir. How are you tonight? 10 00:00:28.600 --> 00:00:30.120 Always a pleasure Dan to be back. 11 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:33.200 Well, this is a big night. We only have a 12 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:37.359 few of these during our lifetimes. You know, divide by four. However, 13 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:41.000 whatever it is you get, if you get four score 14 00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:45.079 years in your lifetime, you get about, realistically twenty of these. 15 00:00:45.399 --> 00:00:49.439 You've seen more than a few presidential elections, final presidential 16 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.759 elections on that first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, 17 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:55.359 and you're looking at it the perspective of the New 18 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:57.520 England Council. A lot of people don't understand what the 19 00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:00.439 New England Council is, but you're about to not you personally, 20 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:02.079 The New England Council is about the year in one 21 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:03.560 hundred years old. Tell us about it. 22 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:08.799 Well, that's an historic figure itself, one hundred years old. 23 00:01:08.879 --> 00:01:13.400 We're the oldest regional business organization in the United States. Obviously, 24 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:15.400 it was found in nineteen twenty five and it was 25 00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:18.920 founded in a little town called Poland Spring in Maine. 26 00:01:19.079 --> 00:01:22.319 And there was the governors and the leading CEOs at 27 00:01:22.359 --> 00:01:26.319 the time who were involved in manufacturing of textile and 28 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:29.239 shoe and they were saying that we need to find 29 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:32.799 ways of working together because in nineteen twenty five a 30 00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:36.239 lot of the workers were leaving the New England region, 31 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:40.439 going down south to the Carolinas, warmer climate, lower taxes, 32 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:43.439 and they said that we are well situated in our 33 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:46.799 own individual states. We know the Senators, we know the Congressmen, 34 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.599 they know us, but it's more important that we know 35 00:01:50.040 --> 00:01:53.480 more of the elected officials throughout in New England that 36 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:57.079 could help us and be our voice in Washington. And 37 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:00.239 that was really the genesis, saying, if we work together 38 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:03.400 as a region, even though we're a very small region 39 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:07.120 of the United States, we're only about five percent of 40 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:11.560 the nation's population and about thirteen and a half million people, 41 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:14.719 half of them in one state. But the genesis was, 42 00:02:15.159 --> 00:02:19.159 if we work together Vermont's population is no bigger than 43 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:22.280 the city of Boston, but they have two United States Senators. 44 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:26.199 So they said, if we're five percent of the nation's 45 00:02:26.199 --> 00:02:29.479 population and we have twelve percent of the United States 46 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:33.199 Senate in New England, that's a great asset. But we 47 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:36.800 have to find ways of keeping them engaged, involved and 48 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:41.840 working together on New England issues. And it's something that 49 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:47.879 has developed into a very successful advocacy organization. And what 50 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:51.199 we do is we are engaged with all the members 51 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:54.120 of Congress, the twenty one members of Congress and whether 52 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:57.879 they're Democrats or Republicans today they're Democrats. When I first 53 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:01.199 started in nineteen ninety six, you know, there's two Senators 54 00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:05.240 in New Hampshire, Republicans, Bob Smith and Judd Gregg, and 55 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:10.319 new Ginridge was the Speaker of the House. So they 56 00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:13.240 needed someone who could go to Washington and be their voice, 57 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:16.639 who could work both sides, both sides of the aisle, 58 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:20.360 and advocate on behalf of New England, whether it be 59 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:23.240 on higher ed energy tax policy. 60 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:29.719 I also assume, Jim, that there must be issues, for example, 61 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.680 fishing issues that whether you're a Democrat or a Republican 62 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:36.800 on that issue, you want to make sure that whatever 63 00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:42.199 restrictions are imposed on our fishing industry, they're done fairly. Obviously, 64 00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:46.759 you have many regulatory agencies that you have to contend with. 65 00:03:47.400 --> 00:03:51.000 Interesting enough, you talked about the population. I will bet 66 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:55.919 you that as great as your organization is today, over 67 00:03:56.000 --> 00:04:00.560 time you've lost population and also representation in Congress. I 68 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:03.159 suspect that back in the day when the New England 69 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:07.759 Council started, we probably had sixteen or seventeen, maybe even 70 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:12.240 eighteen members of the House of Representatives, and that figure 71 00:04:12.759 --> 00:04:14.599 has diminished, which means that you. 72 00:04:16.199 --> 00:04:17.000 Could double that. 73 00:04:17.399 --> 00:04:20.959 In the nineteen twenties, it was all but thirty members. 74 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.839 Thirty members that we're advocating on behalf of New England 75 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:28.319 and Washington, and now we have twenty one and every 76 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:31.879 dessential every ten years when they do resistrict and someone 77 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:34.120 seems to lose, Rhode Island seems to lose the seat, 78 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:37.639 Massachusetts seems to lose the seat. That's why it is 79 00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:41.800 so important that the members of the delegation work as 80 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:45.439 a region. And someone like Ritchie Neil, who's the dean 81 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:49.959 who's elected nineteen eighty eight to Congress from Springfield, he 82 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:53.920 has really truly led the effort to in farm and 83 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:56.879 educate all new members of Congress from New England that 84 00:04:56.920 --> 00:05:00.279 we work together as a region, because when we do that, 85 00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:02.800 we have a lot of clout, and we've had a 86 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.839 lot of successes and in areas such as tax policy 87 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:10.759 and energy and health care. And that's because people in 88 00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:14.399 other parts of the country marvel at how well coordinated 89 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:18.480 and cohesive. The New England delegation is both the House 90 00:05:18.560 --> 00:05:21.639 in the Senate, and it's been that way, whether they're 91 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:26.040 all Democrats, are all Republicans, it's just working together. So 92 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:29.240 it's a joy for me to work with them because 93 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:33.839 they understand and strength and unity. We have an awful 94 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:37.800 lot of clout, and as I say, we've had people 95 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:39.839 from other parts of the country come to us and say, 96 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.519 we would like to duplicate what you do. We would 97 00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:45.879 love to have a mid Atlantic Council, our South East Council, 98 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:49.920 but they've been unsuccessful and achieving that. So we're unique 99 00:05:49.959 --> 00:05:51.839 and able to do what we do. And I think 100 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:54.160 one of the reasons we do as well is that 101 00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:57.079 New England pretty much you know, it's rich so Ox nation, 102 00:05:57.240 --> 00:06:00.519 it's patriots, you know, New England patriots. There are many 103 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:03.439 people that live in New Hampshire that work in Massachusetts. 104 00:06:03.600 --> 00:06:06.519 Many people in Massachusetts work in New England. In New Hampshire, 105 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.120 many people live in Massachusetts work in Rhode Island. Some 106 00:06:10.319 --> 00:06:13.839 even work in Maine and live here. So we are 107 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:19.680 a little more cohesive. But I think also we're an 108 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:23.480 organization that is very unique in this time and era 109 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:27.839 where there's so much gridlock, so much polarization in Washington. 110 00:06:28.600 --> 00:06:34.079 Our organization is able to access Democrats and Republicans to 111 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:37.120 sit together and to see if we can find common 112 00:06:37.160 --> 00:06:41.240 ground on issues that would be of importance to New England. 113 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:44.879 It's not the New England Democratic Council, it's not the 114 00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.560 New England Republican Council. It's the New England Council. And 115 00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:52.000 who's the New England Council. It's the community health centers, 116 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:56.680 it's hospitals, it's colleges, it's the biotech, it's the industries 117 00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:58.759 that you could think of. They're part of the New 118 00:06:58.759 --> 00:07:03.639 England Council. The mission statement to improve the economic conditions 119 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:06.600 in New England and have a voice at the table 120 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:09.959 in Washington. And what I'm very proud of is to 121 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.519 be able to say that we don't give money. We don't. 122 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:15.800 We don't have a pack, we don't give endorsements, we 123 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:18.839 don't give a grade. And that's why we're able to 124 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:21.720 get leaders of both parties and. 125 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:25.439 Jim Whitehouse, Jim, maybe, with a little bit of luck, 126 00:07:26.120 --> 00:07:30.000 Congress can take the New England Council as an example 127 00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:33.360 and as a model and maybe work together in the 128 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:36.560 Congress that will assemble in January. Jim Brett of the 129 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:39.000 New England Council, President and CEO, thanks so much for 130 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:42.240 joining us tonight here on Nightside and a very important 131 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:44.920 night and we'll have you on some night and spend 132 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:47.279 some time taking phone calls from listeners. 133 00:07:47.879 --> 00:07:50.319 Thanks so much, love you, Thanks very much. 134 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:51.439 I appreciate Thank you. 135 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:51.720 Dan. 136 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.720 All right, Jim Brett. Back to our other programming here 137 00:07:54.759 --> 00:07:55.480 on Nightside. 138 00:07:56.279 --> 00:08:01.959 Night Side with Dan Ray continues now on WBZ News Radio. 139 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:06.600 Welcome back. We are interviewing a number of political leaders 140 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:11.680 from different perspectives and with different experiences and different emphasize 141 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:15.639 emphasis with us. Now with State Representative David Lynskey. He's 142 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:19.519 a Democrat, been in the House Chamber here in Massachusetts 143 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:23.560 for many many years. Representative. Welcome to Night's Side. Welcome. 144 00:08:23.600 --> 00:08:27.560 How are you. Welcome to wbz's special election coverage. Thank you, Dan. 145 00:08:27.680 --> 00:08:30.600 It's a big night for America tonight and I'm very 146 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:31.759 happy to be part of it. 147 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:35.639 Well delighted you with us. You have been a state 148 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:39.399 representative for I know Natick, but do you have other 149 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.600 communities in your district as well? 150 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:44.320 Yeah, currently I represent all of Natick and half of 151 00:08:44.360 --> 00:08:47.919 the town of Whaleland. I formerly represented Sherburn and Millis too, 152 00:08:49.080 --> 00:08:52.360 but I picked up Whaleland and I'm very happy to 153 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:55.840 have that too. And I've been in the state legislature 154 00:08:55.840 --> 00:08:59.759 now for twenty five years in Massachusetts and been involved 155 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.159 in in a variety of issues. 156 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:09.200 So you have some seniority then, twenty doll. 157 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:11.120 Well, one of the things you think, as we're saying, 158 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:13.879 goes when I first ran that, my slogan was give 159 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:16.320 a young man a chance, and now it's turned into 160 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:18.720 there's no substitute for experience. 161 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:21.679 No question about that. Perspective always makes us feel that way. 162 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:23.879 A little bit of age, nothing wrong with that. So look, 163 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:26.440 one of the things you mentioned was that your district 164 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:30.519 changes periodically, and of course congressional districts change, and one 165 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:33.840 of the things that you are very much involved in nationally. 166 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.679 You're a state representative from Massachusetts, but you're involved with 167 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:41.799 the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the DLLCC, and you told 168 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:46.000 me that the Republicans nationally have been I guess out 169 00:09:46.120 --> 00:09:50.759 maneuvering the Democrats when it comes to controlling state legislatures. 170 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:53.679 Not so in Massachusetts. Tell us what's going on and 171 00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:58.440 what you and other members of the the DLCC are 172 00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.240 trying to do about it. 173 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:04.320 Well, so, Dan, I think the reality is is that 174 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:08.159 because of the dysfunction in Congress for the last many years, 175 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.639 and then also a whole series of Supreme Court decisions 176 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:16.279 that pushed decisions down to the state level, including quite frankly, abortion, 177 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:24.080 the importance of state legislatures became magnified immensely, and so 178 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:29.360 state legislatures now have an enormous impact on everybody's day 179 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.840 to day lives. But the Republicans quite frankly beat us 180 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:37.000 to the punch about fifteen years ago with a program 181 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:42.360 to get people elected. Republicans elected the state legislatures, and 182 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:45.879 what it turned into, quite frankly, was they then controlled 183 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:52.039 congressional redistricting, because that's generally done by state legislatures out there. Now, 184 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:55.559 did you know, for example, that way more people in 185 00:10:55.639 --> 00:11:02.679 this country vote for Democratic congress people than Republican congress people, 186 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:05.559 but that's never reflected because the way the maps have 187 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.799 been drawn. So we in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee 188 00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:13.679 over the past few years have decided to meet the 189 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:17.399 Republican challenge and put a lot of emphasis in trying 190 00:11:17.480 --> 00:11:25.000 to get Democratic majorities in state legislatures. So, yeah, my 191 00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.519 colleague around the country, Yeah, on. 192 00:11:27.639 --> 00:11:31.679 That issue, there are some states, some sparsely populated states, 193 00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:35.559 I think maybe South Dakota and Wyoming where they have 194 00:11:35.679 --> 00:11:38.840 two US Senators but only one member of Congress. So 195 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:42.360 it doesn't make a big difference in states that just 196 00:11:42.519 --> 00:11:45.919 have one member of Congress because there's going to be 197 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:49.840 really no redistricting unless as a dramatic increase in population, but. 198 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.159 It makes them a lot difference in a Michigan or Wisconsin, 199 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:57.159 or New York or North Carolina, you know that really 200 00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:00.120 the swing states. So what happens is is, as we 201 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.159 know from what's going on in the presidential election tonight, 202 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:06.039 in the swing states, the votes are pretty much split 203 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:10.519 fifty to fifty. But because of redistricting at both a 204 00:12:10.600 --> 00:12:14.919 state legislature level and the congressional level. The Republicans have 205 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:19.519 really had majorities in those states in the congressional delegation 206 00:12:19.720 --> 00:12:23.120 and in the state legislature, and so they've done a 207 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.120 great job at it, and we in the Democratic Party 208 00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:28.600 are now trying to match it. And I expect we're 209 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:29.799 going to have some good news tonight. 210 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:33.759 Well, it'll be interesting. I know that at some point 211 00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:35.840 later in the week, we'll find out that across the 212 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.639 country the Republicans or the Democrats either picked up a 213 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:42.679 lost so many state Senate seats or so many state 214 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:47.159 legislative seats, state representative seats. State I know it's called 215 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:50.320 the legislatures are a little different in New York. I 216 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:52.960 know it's the Assembly, if they're not mistaken. But that's 217 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:55.879 the equition I guess of our House of Representatives. And 218 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:01.200 do you think that the Democratic Party can in this around? Obviously, 219 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:04.559 in Massachusetts, the Democratic Party has a super majority in 220 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.879 both the House and Senate, and nothing's going to change 221 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:09.519 as of tonight. The Republicans are hoping to pick up 222 00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.840 a seat here, a seat there, but the Democrats run 223 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:18.240 Beacon Hill in Massachusetts. But it's not always the same 224 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:21.080 way in the other forty nine state capitals and that's. 225 00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:26.720 Really For example, in Pennsylvania right now, the Democrats have 226 00:13:26.840 --> 00:13:31.960 a one seat majority in the in the state House 227 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:35.360 of Representatives, and they're down one seat in the state Senate. 228 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:38.799 Up in our neighbors in New Hampshire, that's within three 229 00:13:38.960 --> 00:13:43.039 or four seats in the state legislature and just a 230 00:13:43.159 --> 00:13:45.440 couple of seats in the state Senate. You know that 231 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:49.720 the changing the majority in these states can really have 232 00:13:49.879 --> 00:13:53.720 a major effect on people's lives, on democracy, on their 233 00:13:53.799 --> 00:13:56.120 right to vote, on the right to control their bodies. 234 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.679 It has enormous impact. Like I said, the Supreme has 235 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:04.279 pushed these decisions down to the state legislative level. 236 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:07.600 Yeah, there's there's a lot of cases that work their 237 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:11.399 way up to the Supreme Court to deal with you know, 238 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:16.600 apportionment and how districts are are constructed, and you'll see 239 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:20.320 those those those cases percolate up. The other thing which 240 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.639 people need to understand, and maybe you can explain it 241 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:27.320 better than I that different legislatures around the country are 242 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:31.720 quite different. Meaning Massachusetts, for the most part, members of 243 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:37.039 our legislature, that's your primary career. You're a legislative, you know, 244 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:42.399 elected official. Whereas in New Hampshire, I think that people, it's. 245 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.720 Much more and fifty dollars a year, yea, right. 246 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:47.600 And no one's going to be able to live even 247 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:49.879 in New Hampshire on one hundred and fifty dollars a year. 248 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:51.799 So this. 249 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:57.840 Yeah, yeah, so very different situation. The reality is, when 250 00:14:57.879 --> 00:15:01.120 you have a situation like that, it gives governor a 251 00:15:01.240 --> 00:15:04.799 lot more power when you have a very part time, 252 00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:10.480 inexperienced legislature with no staff and no expertise. That that's 253 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:13.879 what happens. It hands it hands the control away from 254 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:16.879 the people, away from the legislature into the hands of 255 00:15:16.919 --> 00:15:17.399 the governor. 256 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:22.840 But doesn't it make that a little easier for your organization, 257 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:30.200 this Legislative Campaign Committee Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee to go 258 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:33.639 into a state like New Hampshire and and find good 259 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:37.519 candidates who you would approve of and and help them 260 00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:43.200 get elected. Because it's it's it's an easier lift, I guess, 261 00:15:43.320 --> 00:15:46.440 is what I'm saying, to turn to flip a state 262 00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:49.120 legislature like New Hampshire than it would be for the 263 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.360 Republicans to in any way, shape or form flip a 264 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:57.720 more professional legislature like Massachusetts or exactly say. 265 00:15:57.639 --> 00:16:01.559 That, right, we're putting a lot of resources into New 266 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:04.799 Hampshire today obviously, and we've been doing it for months, 267 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:08.639 but we're also trying to get control of state legislatures 268 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:16.519 this session in Minnesota, in Arizona, and then increase some 269 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:20.120 seats where we're in the minority and trying to be 270 00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:23.519 able to at least sustain a vetol. North Carolina as 271 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:26.279 an example of that. They have a democratic governor, they 272 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:31.480 just elected another democratic governor tonight, but the legislature down 273 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:36.840 there is overwhelmingly Republican, and when the governor veto's something 274 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:40.799 in North Carolina, there aren't enough Democratic votes to sustain 275 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:46.039 is VETOL. So there the Republican super majority in both 276 00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:48.960 the House and the Senate are really able to control THEMS. 277 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.279 So we're trying to pick up some seats in North 278 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:54.120 Carolina to give that governor a little help down there. 279 00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:57.159 And what this shows is that so many of the 280 00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:01.919 states in America, at the legislative level and at the 281 00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:05.559 state level are just very different. They're pp dishes of 282 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:11.640 democracy different, but all of them have impact. And again, 283 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:13.440 your group, if people want to check it out as 284 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:17.279 the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, or if they're more interested, 285 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:19.359 they could get in test with your office at the 286 00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:24.240 State House. Representative David. Great to have you on. Get 287 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:26.200 you on some night and maybe we'll get some callers 288 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:28.799 involved as well. But this was a pretty interesting Pacidis 289 00:17:28.880 --> 00:17:31.160 lesson tonight. Thanks so much, Representative. 290 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:34.319 Thank you, Dan, have a good evening and made democracy 291 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:35.240 prevail tonight. 292 00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:37.839 I think it will, There's no question in my mind, 293 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:41.480 and the show will prevail and continue right after this 294 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:44.440 quick break right here on WBZ Boston's News Radio. 295 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:49.559 Nike Side with Dan Ray continues now on WBZ News Radio. 296 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:55.480 Welcome back. We are interviewing a number of political leaders 297 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:00.599 from different perspectives and with different experiences and different emphasize 298 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:04.559 emphasis with us now is State Representative David Lynskey. He's 299 00:18:04.599 --> 00:18:08.400 a Democrat, been in the House Chamber here in Massachusetts 300 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:12.480 for many, many years. Representative, welcome to Night's side. Welcome. 301 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.039 How are you welcome to wbz's special election coverage. 302 00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:18.799 Thank you, Dan. It's a big night for America tonight 303 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:20.559 and I'm very happy to be part of it. 304 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:24.559 Well delighted you with us. You have been a state 305 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:28.279 representative for I know, Natick, but do you have other 306 00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:30.960 communities in your in your district as well? Yeah? 307 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:33.319 Currently I represent all of Natick and half of the 308 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.759 town of Whiteland. I formerly represented Sherbert and Millis too, 309 00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:40.359 but I picked up Whaleland and I'm very happy to 310 00:18:41.400 --> 00:18:44.720 have that too. And I've been in the state legislature 311 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:48.680 now for twenty five years in Massachusetts and been involved 312 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:53.240 in a variety of issues, and I'm awesome now you have. 313 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:57.680 Some seniority then for twenty five do we well? 314 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:00.400 One of the things you think, as we're saying, goes 315 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:02.880 when I first ran that, my slogan was give a 316 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:05.599 young man a chance, and now it's turned into there's 317 00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:07.640 no substitute for experience. 318 00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:10.599 No question about that. Perspective always makes us feel that way, 319 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:12.799 a little bit of age, nothing wrong with that. So look, 320 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:15.359 one of the things you mentioned was that your district 321 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:19.440 changes periodically, and of course congressional districts change. And one 322 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:22.799 of the things that you are very much involved in nationally. 323 00:19:23.160 --> 00:19:25.599 You're a state representative from Massachusetts, but you're involved with 324 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:30.720 the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the DLLCC. And you told 325 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:34.920 me that the Republicans nationally have been I guess, out 326 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:39.680 maneuvering the Democrats when it comes to controlling state legislatures, 327 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:42.599 not so in Massachusetts, tell us what's going on and 328 00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:47.640 what you and other members of the DLCC are trying 329 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:48.200 to do about it. 330 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:49.359 Wow. 331 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:53.759 So, Dan, I think the reality is is that because 332 00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:57.079 of the dysfunction in Congress for the last many years, 333 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.599 and then also a whole series of Supreme Court decisions 334 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:05.240 that pushed decisions down to the state level, including quite frankly, abortion, 335 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:13.000 the importance of state legislatures became magnified immensely, and so 336 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:18.279 state legislatures now have an enormous impact on everybody's day 337 00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:21.799 to day lives. But the Republicans quite frankly beat us 338 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.920 to the punch about fifteen years ago with a program 339 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:31.279 to get people elected. Republicans elected the state legislatures, and 340 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:34.799 what it turned into, quite frankly, was they then controlled 341 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:41.000 congressional redistricting because that's generally done by state legislators out there. Now, 342 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:44.480 did you know, for example, that way more people in 343 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:51.640 this country vote for Democratic congress people than Republican congress people, 344 00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:54.480 But that's never reflected because the way the maps have 345 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:58.720 been drawn. So we in the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee 346 00:20:59.400 --> 00:21:02.599 over the past few years, have decided to meet the 347 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:06.359 Republican challenge and put a lot of emphasis in trying 348 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:12.720 to get Democratic majorities in state legislatures. So to issue, yeah, 349 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:17.039 my colleagues around the country, Yeah, on that issue. 350 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:21.079 There are some states, some sparsely populated states, I think 351 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:25.079 maybe South Dakota and Wyoming where they have two US 352 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:28.559 Senators but only one member of Congress. So it doesn't 353 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:32.440 make a big difference in states that just have one 354 00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:35.400 member of Congress because there's going to be really no 355 00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:38.920 redistricting unless as a dramatic increase in population, but it. 356 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:42.519 Makes them an difference in a Michigan or Wisconsin, or 357 00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:46.240 New York or North Carolina, you know that really the 358 00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:49.200 swing states. So what happens is is, as we know 359 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:52.079 from what's going on in the in the presidential election tonight, 360 00:21:52.359 --> 00:21:54.960 in the swing states, the votes are pretty much split 361 00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:59.440 fifty to fifty. But because of redistricting and both a 362 00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:04.279 state level and the congressional level, the Republicans have really 363 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:08.680 had majorities in those states in the congressional delegation and 364 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:12.680 the state legislature. And so they've done a great job 365 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.559 at it, and we in the Democratic Party are now 366 00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:17.720 trying to match it. And I expect we're going to 367 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.759 have some good news tonight. 368 00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:22.720 Well, it'll be interesting. I know that at some point 369 00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:24.759 later in the week we'll find out that across the 370 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:28.559 country the Republicans or the Democrats either picked up a 371 00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:31.599 lost so many state Senate seats or so many state 372 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:36.079 legislative seats, state representative seats. State I know it's called 373 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:39.279 the legislatures are a little different in New York. I 374 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:41.920 know it's the Assembly, if they're not mistaken, But that's 375 00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:44.799 the equivalent, I guess of our House of Representatives. And 376 00:22:45.480 --> 00:22:50.119 do you think that the Democratic Party can turn this around? Obviously, 377 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:53.480 in Massachusetts, the Democratic Party has a super majority in 378 00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:55.799 both the House and Senate and nothing's going to change 379 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:58.440 as of tonight. The Republicans are hoping to pick up 380 00:22:58.599 --> 00:23:02.759 a seat here, a seat there, But the Democrats run 381 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:07.160 Beacon Hill in Massachusetts. But it's not always the same 382 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:09.799 way in the other forty nine state capitals. And that's 383 00:23:09.920 --> 00:23:10.240 really so. 384 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:15.799 For example, in Pennsylvania right now, the Democrats have a 385 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:21.799 one seat majority in the in the state House of Representatives, 386 00:23:21.880 --> 00:23:24.720 and they're down one seat in the state Senate. Up 387 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.920 in our neighbors in New Hampshire. That's within three or 388 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:32.319 four seats in the state legislature and just a couple 389 00:23:32.359 --> 00:23:34.680 of seats in the state Senate, you know that they 390 00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:38.839 changing the majority in these states can really have a 391 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:42.880 major effect on people's lives, on democracy, on their right 392 00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:46.000 to vote, on the right to control their bodies. It 393 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:49.640 has enormous impact. Like I said, the Supreme Court has 394 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:53.200 pushed these decisions down to the state legislative level. 395 00:23:53.880 --> 00:23:56.759 Yea, there's a lot of cases that work their way 396 00:23:56.839 --> 00:24:00.319 up to the Supreme Court to deal with, you know, 397 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:05.559 apportionment and how districts are are constructed, and you'll see 398 00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:09.240 those those those cases percolate up. The other thing which 399 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:11.559 people need to understand and maybe you can explain it 400 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:16.240 better than I that different legislatures around the country are 401 00:24:16.359 --> 00:24:20.680