This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith discuss how polls today compare to previous presidential elections, and taste test Dunkin's newest spooky drink: the potion macchiato. Then, state house reporter for GBH News Katie Lannan reveals what Beacon Hill lawmakers think about Ballot Question 1 and 2.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith delve into the arguments in favor and against the ballot questions facing Massachusetts voters on November 5. They also examine state auditor Diana DiZoglio's recent audit of the Legislature, and what it means for ballot question 1.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith share their thoughts on the role of AI in local journalism, and comment on the Melrose Robocast. Plus, Senior Research Director of the MassINC Polling Group and Horse Race Western Mass correspondent Rich Parr discusses reasons polls can be wrong.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith give their take on the 2024 vice-presidential debate, and the MBTA advancements overshadowed by a derailment. Then, Cape and Island's Climate Reporter Eve Zuckoff shares her on-the-ground perspective of the Massachusetts National Guard's proposal to build a machine gun range on Cape Cod.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith unpack the latest poll on ballot questions, the State Legislature, the Warren v. Deaton race for senate, and the presidential race. Then, an exclusive first look on national fall foliage rankings. Spoiler alert: Massachusetts should be first!…

In a live episode of the Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by Steve Crawford, President of Crawford Strategies with years of experience in building public support for ballot questions. They discuss how ballot questions are developed, what makes them successful, and who benefits in the context of the 5 questions on the ballot t…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by state house reporter for GBH News Katie Lannan to discuss the generally uncompetitive state primaries last Tuesday with at least ONE twist. Next, the co-hosts break down the Trump-Harris debate and what it could mean for a neck-and-neck race.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith speculate on Governor Healey joining a future Harris-Walz administration, new polls showing Harris with an edge over Trump, and how heartbreak and engagement made their way to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith react to the news that RFK, Jr. has dropped out of the presidential race...along with other news stories connected to RFK, Jr. They also discuss the complicated politics of community input into development review processes and their relationship to the housing crunch.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith reunite with Lisa Kashinsky to hear about Massachusetts's presence at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Steve and Jennifer also discuss voters' seeming lack of interest in the GOP Senate primary, and subject themselves to yet another Dunkin beverage on the air.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith update you on where the presidential tickets stand in the polls, and where Massachusetts stands in the latest attempt to rank the states. Then, Jarred Johnson of TransitMatters joins to discuss the upcoming electrification of the Fairmount line in the MBTA commuter rail system.…

This week on the Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by state auditor Diana DiZoglio to discuss her ballot measure to enable her office to audit the state legislature, in light of recent legislative events. Steve and Jenn also discuss the latest polling on the presidential campaign, with a special focus on what seems to be a ver…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by Sam Drysdale of Statehouse News to discuss the last day of the legislative session, the first day of new emergency shelter restrictions, the upcoming MCAS ballot fight, and of course, Massachusetts representation at the Paris Olympics.…

This week on The Horse Race, Rich Parr of the MassINC Polling Group discusses a new survey of Massachusetts residents and how they're feeling about their transportation experiences. Plus, Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela run through the Massachusetts angles on the shakeup in the Democratic presidential primary, and hurtle through the latest on Beac…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by CommonWealth Beacon reporter Gin Dumcius to discuss the state of the presidential race, and in particular a poll of Massachusetts delegates to the Democratic convention by CommonWealth Beacon and the MassINC Polling Group.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Bhaamati Borkhetaria talks to Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith about the ballot measure proposing to legalize medical psychedelic drugs in Massachusetts. Plus, Steve and Jenn take a look at how both polls and elected officials have responded to the presidential debate.…

This week on The Horse Race, enjoy our semiannual holiday blooper reelSteve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith are joined by guest co-host Katie Lannan to discuss the end-of-session rush on Beacon Hill, and the current state of Massachusetts immigration politics. Plus, past host Lisa Kashinsky swings by to explain the Forward Party's entry into the Bay State.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith talk to Politico's Kelly Garrity about the State House Employee Union, and producer-slash-guest John Gee about employment numbers for PhDs. Plus, the latest on hemp product regulations and the cutting edge in Massachusetts equestrianism.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Lisa Kashinsky bids farewell to Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith before riding off into the sunset of national election coverage. But along the way, they discuss Massachusetts Democrats' reactions to Joe Biden's asylum order (and Donald Trump's guilty verdicts), as well as new poll results on state leadership and upcomi…

This week on The Horse Race, Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service joins to preview the summer's legislative agenda. Meanwhile, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky examine hopeful trends in student attendance, alongside less hopeful trends in electoral competitiveness and the Greater Boston news ecosystem.…

This week on The Horse Race, Shaleen Title of the Parabola Center joins Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela to discuss a survey on what Americans think marijuana legalization should look like. Plus, how are Boston Public School parents thinking about the proposed facilities plan, and what did Steve learn at the national pollsters' conference?…

This week on The Horse Race, Jennifer Smith asks Zayna Basma-Doyle of the MassINC Polling Group what Massachusetts parents know and don't know about early childhood reading instruction. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Lisa Kashinsky lament the latest findings about local news consumption, and sort through the legal arguments between the AG's office and Ube…

This week on The Horse Race, Gov. Maura Healey joins Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky while at the MA Tech 16 conference. They discuss her economic development priorities, the Commonwealth's role in building new climate technology, and her upcoming visit to the Vatican. Meanwhile, Steve shares what's on the minds of youth and small…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky are joined by Gin Dumcius of CommonWealth Beacon to discuss Suffolk County DA Kevin Hayden's recent ethics penalty, and the long shadow of the 2022 DA race. Meanwhile, Lisa dives into the role of crypto in the US Senate GOP primary, and the crew considers whether it's po…

On the 300th episode of The Horse Race, Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky celebrate reaching this milestone by looking back at the early days of the pod (with help from some special guests), and by trying out the Dunkin' orders of various Massachusetts officials. And of course, they do what they do best: discuss the latest poll resu…

This week on The Horse Race, Katie Lannan of GBH News joins Steve Koczela, Jennifer Smith, and Lisa Kashinsky to discuss a new poll out from GBH, CommonWealth Beacon, and the MassINC Polling Group. Plus, what to watch for in the MA House leadership budget proposal.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Ben Forman of MassINC joins Jennifer Smith to discuss a new report on economic development in the Pioneer Valley, Steve Koczela weighs criticisms of the Harvard/Harris poll's perceived slant, and Lisa Kashinsky recaps the latest in the MassGOP's internal struggles.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela get to the bottom of why hemp-based THC seltzers are appearing outside of dispensaries, and why fewer and fewer voters are registered with a party. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Lisa Kashinsky do not get to the bottom of where Maura Healey travels, or why elected officials say the things they …

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Jennifer Smith break down the latest numbers on why young residents are staying in, or leaving, Greater Boston. Then, Gin Dumcius of CommonWealth Beacon sorts out the different aspects of a ballot measure on tipped wages. Plus, a look back at the first days of Covid, and a quizzical glance at the Kenat…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve Koczela and Lisa Kashinsky break down the Super Tuesday results in Massachusetts and elsewhere, explaining what the surprising and not-so-surprising outcomes mean for November. Plus, Jennifer Smith checks in on the first of a series of committee hearings on the current slate of ballot measures.…

This week on The Horse Race, the Boston Globe's Tiana Woodard breaks down a new report on what local reparations could look like in Boston. Then, Jennifer Smith digs into AG Campbell's lawsuit against Milton and its wider implications for home rule in Massachusetts. Plus, Lisa Kashinsky gives us the background on Elizabeth Warren's new challenger.S…

This Valentine's week, on a special joint recording of The Horse Race and The Codcast, Steve and Jenn ask the burning question: is #mapoli breaking up? They're joined by a crew of #mapoli veterans to discuss how social media has impacted political communications over the past decade and a half, and what the declining political twittersphere means f…

This week on The Horse Race, Lisa checks in on the Mass. GOP one year into Amy Carnevale's tenure, Steve walks through Mass. voters' feelings on presidential candidates and immigration, and Jenn explains what's new and different in the latest ballot measure litigation. Plus, a roundup of animal-based climate prediction in the northeast.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn talk to the Boston Globe's Diti Kohli about renewed controversy between Boston's North End and Mayor Michelle Wu; and Jenn asks Steve some probing questions about how pollsters rank each other. Plus, the glorious return of #mapoli trivia: name that reporter edition.…

This week on The Horse Race, the crew is scattered across the country. Lisa breaks down the New Hampshire primary results, Steve digs into Diana DiZoglio's financial support base with the help of CommonWealth Beacon's Gin Dumcius, and—we swear there's a Massachusetts connection—Jenn and producer John report from the Sundance Film Festival.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn ask how pollsters did in the Iowa caucus, and what the results say about the GOP primary. Then, Jenn explains how Massachusetts taxes stack up next to other states for the majority of earners. Plus, the terror of the downtown Boston public art installation…and the terror of the MBTA.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn try out a new segment format, announce a Valentine's live pod event, and also manage to discuss the news. Specifically, are people really fleeing Massachusetts? Should they? And why have the state's tax revenues fallen short?Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn are joined by friends of the pod Katie Lannan of GBH News and Chris Lisinski of the State House News Service to take a look back at some of the biggest news stories of 2023, and share what they're watching in 2024. Plus, some service journalism (and public interest polling) about treats to enjoy this holi…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn talk to WBUR's Max Larkin about the controversy following university presidents' Congressional testimony about antisemitism on campus. Then, they dive into a poll of former members of Congress and how they feel about the state of democracy. Along the way, they recap the finale of the Granite Bachelor and …

This week on The Horse Race, it's a polling extravaganza, as Jenn and Steve talk with the MassINC Polling Group's Rich Parr about controversies in poll-land, the Massachusetts public's transportation opinions and experiences, and a recent national poll of youth.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Lisa talk to the Shah Foundation's Ross Wilson about guaranteed income programs, before breaking down the contest for New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu's presidential endorsement with an extended metaphor that longtime listeners may be familiar with.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve, Jenn, and Lisa resume their annual Thanksgiving tradition: bloopers, bleepers, and hot-mic moments.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve talk through new polling on how parents think their children are planning for after high school, and the Boston Globe's Catherine Carlock joins to catch us up on rent control proposals. Also, the great Thanksgiving dish debate continues.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn, Steve, and Lisa break down the big takeaways from this week's elections in Massachusetts, with some help from GBH's Katie Lannan. Of course, there's also polling, and that picture of Ben Affleck that went viral.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Jenn and Steve mark the launch of Commonwealth Beacon by discussing new polling and bringing on Commonwealth Beacon reporter Gin Dumcius for the latest on the migrant shelter crisis.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, there's a bumper crop of polls for Jenn and Steve to discuss, along with the state's new guidance on diversity in higher education admissions. Plus, Lisa's latest report from the campaign trail in New Hampshire, and an exciting announcement about the launch of CommonWealth Beacon.…

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Lisa talk to GBH's Katie Lannan about what is and isn't in the new housing bond bill, and Lisa explains the governor's latest announcement on the shelter emergency. Plus, what do our hosts think of the new Green Line "super" cars?Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, Steve and Jenn recap the gun bill hearing on Beacon Hill, Brent Benson explains why a central Mass. Senate seat may be a toss-up, and Steph Solis of Axios joins to review Massachusetts elected officials' responses to the violence in Israel and Palestine.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley

This week on The Horse Race, the Boston Globe's Taylor Dolven goes through the MBTA's considerable woes, while Lisa explains those of the Massachusetts GOP. Meanwhile, Steve and Jenn have woes of their own, as they are once again forced to cover politicians releasing recorded music.Steve Koczela; Jennifer Smith; Lisa Kashinsky; Libby Gormley