Axios Boston

October 30, 2023
Alas, it's Monday. But at least the Red Line's Ashmont branch and Mattapan trolley are back.
Today's weather: Rainy, a bit foggy with a high of 53.
Situational awareness: The Biden administration and the state are hosting a clinic to help migrants in the family emergency shelter system with work permits the week of Nov. 13, the Healey administration tells Axios.
- The state will organize appointments and take migrants from shelter to the clinic, happening in an undisclosed location in Middlesex County.
Today's newsletter is 906 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: Gender disparities in political fundraising

Women are not only underrepresented as political candidates in Massachusetts, they're also underrepresented as donors.
Driving the news: Women donors made up 38% of contributions to general election candidates at the statewide and state legislative levels between 2019 and 2022, Axios' Emma Hurt writes.
- That's according to a new report from Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics using data from OpenSecrets.
- Massachusetts exceeded the national average but still fell short of gender parity.
Why it matters: While women are registered to vote at higher rates than men, they remain disproportionately absent from the halls of political power — and from the political donations that influence how that power is wielded.
Of note: States without regular elections in 2022 were excluded from the data.
The big picture: While the report found the disparity to be worse in some states — just 14% of Nebraska's contributions in 2022 were from women, 17% of Illinois' and 18% of Alabama's — no state had contributions equivalent to their female population last year.
State of play: Massachusetts for the first time has women dominating statewide elected offices with the elections of Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Auditor Diana DiZoglio.
- Still, women make up less than one-third of the state legislature and just over one-third of the Congressional delegation.
Zoom in: There are more women donors in Massachusetts politics, some of whom gave thousands to Healey's and others' campaigns, but women voters don't just back any woman running for office, says Amanda Hunter, executive director of the nonpartisan Barbara Lee Family Foundation.
- "Women voters can be just as hard on women candidates as anyone from any gender," she tells Axios.
- Women gubernatorial candidates nationwide, especially women of color, still have to convince some donors that they're serious, viable candidates, Hunter adds.
By the numbers: In her personal capacity, Lee, the namesake of the family foundation is one of the state's biggest political donors.
- Lee has donated $12,000 to individual women candidates since January 2022, per state campaign finance data.
2. 🔙 Back that Mass. Up: Pats lose again
Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Mistakes like a Mac Jones interception and a few missed tackles led the Patriots to a 31-17 loss against the Dolphins. (Athletic)
- The Pats are now 2-and-6 this season and it's looking bleak.
Matthew Perry, the Massachusetts-born actor known for playing Chandler Bing in "Friends," was found dead Saturday. He was 54. (WaPo)
📉 Boston-based mutual fund giant Fidelity marked down the value of X, formerly known as Twitter, by 65% over the first 11 months since Elon Musk's purchase. (Axios Pro)
🐓 Cambridge is one step closer to legalizing hen keeping after the city planning board approved the practice last week. (Cambridge Day)
3. Maine shooting suspect found dead
Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck speaks to the press in Lewiston, Maine. Photo: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images
Law enforcement officials found the body of Robert Card, the man suspected of perpetrating dual mass shootings in Lewiston, Maine, police confirmed Friday night.
Catch up fast: Officials found Card dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at around 7:45pm in Lisbon Falls, Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mike Sauschuck said during a press conference in Lewiston.
- Investigators found Card's body in a trailer stationed in an overflow parking lot at a recycling facility, about 10 miles from the city of Lewiston, Sauschuck told reporters Saturday morning.
The big picture: Card killed 18 people and injured 13 others in the shootings, including some who tried to stop him, Axios' Sareen Habeshian reports.
- "It is often said that our state is 'one big small town' because Maine is such a close-knit community," Maine Gov. Janet Mills said. "As a result, many of us know the victims personally, including me."
What's next: Two support centers have opened around Lewiston to support people injured or present at the mass shootings, NBC Boston reports.
4. 🍺 Garden's beer prices highest in NBA
Celtics fans spending way too much on booze and snacks last year at TD Garden. Photo: Stephen Nadler/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The basketball season just started, but the Celtics are already No. 1 in the NBA — in beer prices.
What's happening: TD Garden has the most expensive beer in the NBA, according to research by Bookies.com.
- The price of one 16oz. beer is $19.87 at a Celtics game.
- The next most expensive is $19.01 at a Warriors game.
- Beer's cheapest in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers only charge $5.78.
Why it matters: More than just beer prices are going up, and attending an NBA game could cost you a lot more this year, Axios' Analis Bailey writes.
- A family of four will spend, on average, $536.69 at a Celtics game for four of the cheapest available tickets, a parking spot, two beers, two sodas and four hot dogs.
- That cost was $472.00 last season. But that was before Jaylen Brown's record-breaking new contract.


By the numbers: The average cost across the league for the same family package is $304.64.
- Since last season, the total cost per game rose $16.26 per game, a 5.3% increase.
Zoom out: New York Knicks games are the priciest to see this winter at $745.18, while the Charlotte Hornets will cost you the least, $158.72, according to Bookies.com.
What they did: Bookies.com calculated the cost of attending an NBA game in each area using the cheapest available ticket for home games in December and January on Ticketmaster.
5. Pic du jour: Feels like summer
Photo: Mike Deehan/Axios
Several Bostonians took advantage of the 80-degree October day Friday to soak up the sun in Seaport's Waterfront Park.
6. Where's Townie?
Basking in the sun before it gets cold. Photo: Steph Solis/Axios
Townie took a break from her travels and enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather. Can you guess where she is?
Reply to this email if you know the answer. The first person who does gets a shoutout.
Deehan had a lovely time Friday at the 13th annual Boston Irish Honors event in the Seaport.
Steph is dressing up as "geriatric Millennial" Ash Ketchum for Halloween. IYKYK.
This newsletter was edited by Jeff Weiner (who's dressing up as Allan from "Barbie") and copy edited by James Farrell.
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