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The Mass. primary down-ballot races that matter most

DA races and Wu-backed Senate challenges are quietly deciding who holds real power in Massachusetts.

Politics

Deehan here with Spill of the Hill, my column unraveling Massachusetts politics.While political news in Massachusetts this cycle has centered on marquee races like the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Democratic U.S. Senate primary" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/07/08/markey-moulton-debate-massachusetts" data-vars-content-id="6a679057-9069-4761-8ffd-e5dd82bd9cee" data-vars-headline="The Mass. primary down-ballot races that matter most" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/07/08/markey-moulton-debate-massachusetts" target="_self">Democratic U.S. Senate primary</a>, some of the contests getting the least attention will do the most to shape how power is wielded in Massachusetts.Why it matters: Three things are happening: DA races are testing prosecutorial power, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is pushing for more clout in the state Senate and disputes over how the Legislature actually operates are dominating down-ballot races.

10 Boston etiquette tips for new students and transplants

The stereotype that people are kind, not nice, bears some truth but is often misunderstood.

Culture

Steph here, with some advice for all the college students and transplants moving in this month.The intrigue: The stereotype that people here are kind, not nice, bears some truth but is often misunderstood.

Where Trump's tariffs hit Massachusetts the hardest

States bear wildly different burdens from President Trump's $342 billion in tariffs.

Money

States bear wildly different estimated <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tariff" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/economy/tariffs" data-vars-content-id="db19257b-07fb-4b99-a86c-b43ba5fd096d" data-vars-headline="Where Trump&#x27;s tariffs hit Massachusetts the hardest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/economy/tariffs" target="_self">tariff</a> burdens from President <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Trump&#x27;s " data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="db19257b-07fb-4b99-a86c-b43ba5fd096d" data-vars-headline="Where Trump&#x27;s tariffs hit Massachusetts the hardest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">Trump&#x27;s </a>trade actions since the start of 2025, from California&#x27;s<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" $62.8 billion" data-vars-click-url="https://tariffs.org/" data-vars-content-id="db19257b-07fb-4b99-a86c-b43ba5fd096d" data-vars-headline="Where Trump&#x27;s tariffs hit Massachusetts the hardest" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://tariffs.org/" target="_blank"> $62.8 billion</a> share to Wyoming&#x27;s $107 million.Why it matters: Local industries dictate how and how hard communities have been hit — in this case, the impact on Massachusetts&#x27; health care industry.

Lynch survives Roath's primary challenge

The 71-year-old incumbent outlasted a heavily funded challenger who attacked his record on health care and immigration.

South Boston Rep. Stephen Lynch turned back a stiff primary challenge from attorney Patrick Roath on Tuesday, according to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Associated Press" data-vars-click-url="https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/massachusetts-primary-results/" data-vars-content-id="04f127e7-4151-4ada-9c79-30a2ad3672a0" data-vars-headline="Lynch survives Roath&#x27;s primary challenge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/massachusetts-primary-results/" target="_blank">the Associated Press</a>.Why it matters: Lynch&#x27;s win, in the Boston and South Shore-based district he&#x27;s held since 2001, shows voters preferred experience and familiarity over new blood.

Downtown Boston office vacancies create opening for nonprofits

Downtown's vacancy rate is hovering just above 25%.

Development

Boston-area nonprofits are capitalizing on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="office vacancies" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/27/boston-area-office-vacancies-drop-slightly-in-q1-2026" data-vars-content-id="2d971e74-7dd4-4d7e-9f2a-72f474f558c6" data-vars-headline="Downtown Boston office vacancies create opening for nonprofits" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/04/27/boston-area-office-vacancies-drop-slightly-in-q1-2026" target="_self">office vacancies</a> downtown.Why it matters: Office vacancies and, in some cases, steeply discounted building sales have created an opening for nonprofits to buy or lease in a pricey real estate market.

Boston sends Sullivan Square plan to MassDOT, again

The dream of a redeveloped Rutherford Avenue, conceived in the '90s, is old enough to rent a car.

The Sullivan Square of the 21st century is turning into a playground for young families and professionals, between the new pickleball club, Hood Park&#x27;s new gym and plans for a grocery store.<ul><li>All that&#x27;s missing is a facelift of the square&#x27;s infamous rotary.</li></ul>

How Hood Park is reshaping Sullivan Square

Its developer has led Sullivan Square's makeover through the pandemic and a volatile economy.

Business

While <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="the Rutherford Avenue road project languished" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/05/26/wu-sullivan-square-plan-massdot" data-vars-content-id="a970fda4-b4a8-4b6f-98dd-307c639bff4c" data-vars-headline="How Hood Park is reshaping Sullivan Square" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/05/26/wu-sullivan-square-plan-massdot" target="_self">the Rutherford Avenue road project languished</a>, Hood Park&#x27;s developer built a quasi-town square with apartments, lab spaces, offices and retailers. Why it matters: Catamount Management Corporation has led Sullivan Square&#x27;s makeover through the COVID-19 pandemic and the years since.

Inside La Casa, the South End's new arts and community center

When it opens in May, La Casa will be the largest Latino performing arts center in New England.

When Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción&#x27;s arts center opens, it will host concerts, youth arts programming, workshops and maybe a quinceañera (a traditional 15th birthday celebration for Latinas).The big picture: La Casa, a $33 million project, will be the largest Latino arts center in New England.

How churches, synagogues could be key to Mass. housing crisis

Faith-based land could unlock hundreds of thousands of new Massachusetts homes — and new legislation would let religious organizations build without local zoning approval.

Land owned by faith-based organizations could unlock hundreds of thousands of new homes to help get Massachusetts out of its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="housing crisis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/11/12/greater-boston-housing-report-card" data-vars-content-id="3984a3ed-3b42-4631-8262-5252921330c6" data-vars-headline="How churches, synagogues could be key to Mass. housing crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/11/12/greater-boston-housing-report-card" target="_self">housing crisis</a>.Why it matters: Massachusetts religious organizations control nearly 5,000 developable parcels over more than 20,000 acres, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="according to an analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://cgsearth.org/-whoa-housing-faith-based-land-massachusetts" data-vars-content-id="3984a3ed-3b42-4631-8262-5252921330c6" data-vars-headline="How churches, synagogues could be key to Mass. housing crisis" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://cgsearth.org/-whoa-housing-faith-based-land-massachusetts" target="_blank">according to an analysis</a>.<ul><li>The land mostly sits idle while the state needs 222,000 housing units built by 2035.</li></ul>

Foodie's closure sparks fight over South End storefronts

Residents fended off an attempt to convert the market into a school. But the battle's not over.

Food and Drink

South End residents convinced a private school to back off plans to turn a grocery store into classrooms, but that&#x27;s just half the battle.The big picture: The news of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Foodie&#x27;s Market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/02/04/foodies-market-closure" data-vars-content-id="7c582db7-c9e0-4abc-9083-f2e6fec22da5" data-vars-headline="Foodie&#x27;s closure sparks fight over South End storefronts" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2026/02/04/foodies-market-closure" target="_self">Foodie&#x27;s Market</a> closing in June has mobilized residents to lobby for a new grocer to maintain food access around 1421 Washington St., the only supermarket in that part of the South End.

Designers display plans for new development on Kowloon restaurant site

The restaurant will relocate to one of the new buildings.

The Wong family unveiled architectural plans to transform their iconic Route 1 landmark into a mixed-use development with nearly 200 one-bedroom apartments across two six-story buildings.State of play: Architect Michael McKeown was before the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Saugus Planning Board," data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gca5inEyeAQ" data-vars-content-id="257ef150-df5a-4205-9581-b7c1ae45c0b3" data-vars-headline="Designers display plans for new development on Kowloon restaurant site" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gca5inEyeAQ" target="_blank">Saugus Planning Board,</a> representing the Wongs, to outline scaled-back plans from an original 221-unit proposal.

What's going up: Development in and around Boston

See what's happening in Allston, JP and Dedham. Plus, an update on empty lab space.

News

🧬 Boston&#x27;s life sciences market has hit a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="record high vacancy rate of 29.7%" data-vars-click-url="https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/bostons-life-sciences-market-faces-unprecedented-vacancy-as-supply-outpaces-demand/" data-vars-content-id="51bc4bc4-b753-40e0-86ca-360f4dbe68d4" data-vars-headline="What&#x27;s going up: Development in and around Boston" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://bostonrealestatetimes.com/bostons-life-sciences-market-faces-unprecedented-vacancy-as-supply-outpaces-demand/" target="_blank">record high vacancy rate of 29.7%</a>, with 17 million square feet of available space.<ul><li>Why it matters: Speculative construction collided with declining demand and left lots of empty lab spaces.</li></ul>

"Spirit Factory" brewery and distillery would lean into South Boston's industrial chic

"Spirit Factory" would embrace the neighborhood's industrial roots.

The team behind several popular South End restaurants wants to open a new dining and entertainment venue in the vanishing industrial zone between Broadway and the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Menino Convention Center." data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/06/10/boston-convention-center-tom-menino-rename" data-vars-content-id="5a1c7294-f263-4d4b-a9da-21913dee5622" data-vars-headline="&quot;Spirit Factory&quot; brewery and distillery would lean into South Boston&#x27;s industrial chic" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2025/06/10/boston-convention-center-tom-menino-rename" target="_self">Menino Convention Center.</a>Why it matters: The proposed Southie Spirit Factory would be a combination brewery, winery, distillery, restaurant and entertainment venue from the owners of the Beehive, Spybar and Cosmica restaurants.

Wu blasts Kraft Group over "limited to no" details about soccer stadium impact

Wu says the Kraft Group has yet to share impact study results on noise, transportation and other areas.

A battle of public opinion escalated Monday near the proposed New England Revolution soccer stadium as Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and Kraft Group leaders traded jabs over their talks.Between the lines: The strained negotiations spilled into public view with Wu blasting the developer for a lack of details about the Everett stadium&#x27;s potential impact and a $750,000 pledge to cover mitigation costs.

Development 🏗️

Downtown Boston office vacancies create opening for nonprofits

Boston sends Sullivan Square plan to MassDOT, again

How Hood Park is reshaping Sullivan Square

Inside La Casa, the South End's new arts and community center

How churches, synagogues could be key to Mass. housing crisis