March 18, 2025 • 38 mins
Senator Peter Durant, a Spencer Republican, told various media outlets that he is considering a run for governor of Massachusetts in 2026. The Republican potential believes Gov. Maura Healey is “beatable” and that there is “an opportunity here.” Durant is still mulling over the decision and plans to make a decision before Memorial Day of this year. Sen. Durant joined Dan to talk about some key issues in the Commonwealth as well as his consideration to run.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBZY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, nine o'clock, just about to start here on
night Side. You've arrived just in time. My name is
Dan Ray, and we are going to talk a little
politics with a favorite guest of ours, Massachusetts State Senator
Peter Durant. Peter, Welcome to Nightside. How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm doing well. Thanks for having me on, Dan Well.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I followed the news, of course, like everyone else does,
and you've been in the news a little bit the
last few days, and it looks like you're at least
thinking about the possibility of running for governor a year
and a half or so from now, in twenty twenty six.
I don't expect you to make an announcement here on Nightside,
(00:50):
but I love to know what goes through the mind
of a politician like yourself who's been very successful. I mean,
you're elected as a member of the Republican Party in
a state that's a Democratic state, overwhelmingly as a state representative,
and then you stepped up a little bit challenged for
a Senate seat, which is a more exclusive group the Senate,
(01:14):
for those who don't know, in Massachusetts, only has forty
members in the House has one hundred and sixty members.
So now you're in, you know, kind of a obviously
an equivocal branch of the legislation of the legislature, but
it's senators a little bit more little.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
You represent more communities, all of that.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
And now, I don't know what it appears to me
that you're thinking about maybe.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
A statewide run. How do you process that you and
for your family?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, it's a really good question. Sometimes I ask myself
that same thing, you know, Dan, Yeah, we're thinking about it.
But as you point out, it's it's a process. And
I mean I think, first of all, of course, it
starts with, you know, asking yourself, do you do you like?
(02:10):
Do you like what you see?
Speaker 5 (02:11):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And obviously the answer to that is no, And not
just because I'm a Republican and the governor's a Democrat,
but you know, I don't think we see a lot
of leadership in the corner office at this time, and
I don't think we have for a couple of years now.
So you know, you start to ask yourself questions, you say,
do you think you can do a better job? Right?
You know, my wife once said to me that you know,
(02:32):
you can't complain and not do anything about it. And
so you know, you kind of start having those conversations
with your wife and with your with your supporters, with
your with your team, and you start to you start
to think about if it's possible or not. And it's
not an easy it's not an easy question to answer,
you know. It's it's a big undertaking. It involves every
(02:57):
waking hour of your time if we decide to do it,
and it involves a ton of money. And so it's
there's a lot of different factors that go into it.
It's it's, uh, it's got so many different moving parts,
you know.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But I always do say people always asking me, they
ask me the same thing all the time, and you say, oh,
what's next for you? You know? And at one point
we saw that it was the Senate. You know this,
this looks like a good thing to do, and it
looks like we can go there, so we'll give it
a shot. And but I always used to say to
people is when they ask that question, what's next for you?
I always used to say, I don't know, but we'll
know it when we see it. And so we're kind
(03:34):
of wondering if we see it right now, and you know,
in some days, you know, some days you think, oh, yeah, definitely,
and then other days you're like, oh yeah, are you nuts?
You can't do this?
Speaker 5 (03:43):
So with Bill Hammer and a lot of those things.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Though, let me put this in some perspective for our listeners,
because this is I think fascinating to talk to someone
who is contemplating something like this. When you're a state representative,
you represented? How how many communities there are three hundred
and fifty one cities and towns in Massachusetts. How much
did you represent when you were a state representative.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
As state rep I represented four districts, four towns.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Did that district ever change during the time you were
a member of the House of Representatives or did it
say stable it?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Surprisingly, it only changed because I came in in a
special election in twenty eleven. We were going through a
redistricting year, so I literally spent six months in that
district and then it changed. But that was it. It
hadn't changed in the next reistrict, so I pretty much
did the same for the next twelve years.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
So what were the communities that you represented as a
member of the House.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
As a member of the House. I represented Spencer, Charlton, Dudley,
and Salthbridge.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Did you pick all of those towns up when you
became a state senator?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Were they all member? Were they all part of your
new Senate district?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
No, only my hometown of Spencer was, so I have Yeah,
twenty to the Senate district is twenty two towns. Only
Spencer was part of that. So yeah, so twenty two cities.
Two cities in the twenty towns all brand new to me.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
So which of the cities?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So it's Worcester, just a little piece of Worcester and
then Gardner.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Okay, so you now, if you add in the towns
that you represented as a state representative with the other
towns you now have represented in the legislature over the
course of your career, twenty five of the three hundred
and fifty one cities and towns in Massachusetts.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So, I mean that's almost really ten percent of the state.
I mean, so you've represented a pretty good swath of Massachusetts.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
So that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Republicans do better in central Massachusetts than they do out
in the Berkshafts or Republican Okay, you do better on
the Cape.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
I learned.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Actually, I was watching an interview that Jake Congressman Jake
Auchincloss had done with The New York Times, And I
don't know if you're aware of this, but did you
know that the city of Fall River, which is an
overwhelmingly Democratic city, actually voted for Donald Trump last fall
the first time, the first time that the city of
(06:24):
Fall River had voted for a Republican presidential candidate in
over one hundred years.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, it's it's pretty amazing. But in you're absolutely right, Dan,
and those kind of things factor in when you talk about, well,
when you talk about how in this presidential election, how
this state did shift a little. Yeah, I think it
was the second most of any state in the country.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
So I didn't realize yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, which is obviously he's still you know, President Trump
still lost the state by a wide margin. I think
you got forty two thirty eight percent. So he still
lost by March, but he had he had moved it
by about eight points. And so you know, when you
when as you kind of go through this process, you
think about that. And that's one of those things that
(07:14):
you have to pay attention to, is that you're not
living in a bubble, and Central Mass is a fairly
red area, except for, of course, the city of Worcester,
but central Mass, Wincester County is pretty red. And you
have to realize, as you just said, you know, everybody's
lives in Wister County, they live in Suffolk County, they
live in Middlesex, and those are much bluer. You get
(07:37):
some red areas, as you say, down in the Cape,
in the south Shore, and then there's a there's a
good pocket up on the north Shore as well. But
you have to focus that in and one of the
important things is is that you don't just you sit
in this bubble. You know, I had a back when
I started in politics. I had a political advisor that
(07:57):
gave me the best advice, and they said, don't listen
to your friend, because your friends are going to tell
you got this in the bag. Don't worry about it,
and it will cause you not to work. They said, Yo,
listen to your friends. You just work and and win
your race. And so you kind of have to be
careful of that. It's it's something that you have to
think about. And you know, remember too, Dan that my
(08:18):
wife she ran for Lieutenant governor a couple of years ago,
so you know what that process is all about as well,
and it's it's consuming.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Oh I.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I always go back to the great story that Tip
O'Neil told many years ago that when he was a
student at Boston College, his first bid for elective office
I believe was for the school committee in the city
of Cambridge. Uh, and he lost by a single vote.
And I've heard this. I've never gone back and checked
(08:51):
the records, and I hope that Tip wasn't wasn't telling it.
As you know, I think it's a true story. So
he thanked the people on his street, went around the
day after the election and thanked them all for voting
for him, including his next door neighbor who he thanked.
And his next door neighbor looked at then Tom O'Neill,
(09:12):
who was probably twenty one years old sometime in the
nineteen thirties, and said, well, why do you think I
voted for you? And he said, well, I've known you
my entire life, babysitter, I assumed you voted for me.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
She said, you never asked me to vote for you.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And Tip used to always tell that story, and again
it was an allegory or whether it was actually the
specific proof. So I think you ask people to vote
for you, and if you can't meet all six million
people in the Commonwealth, but you can, you get out there.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
So lit'st do this.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
I want to talk We'll put the conversation about a
potential campaign aside and I want to take a break.
And what I want to do is talk about the
stay of the Republican Party. And I want to talk
about more Healey. Governor Healey. There are more and more
stories every day that she's thinking about running for president
in twenty twenty eight. That adds another element to this formula,
(10:14):
this equation, which yeah, so I want to talk about that.
And I also want to talk about how the legislature
is doing. And I want to talk about I'm assuming
that you are not only in the minority as a Republican,
but you're in the minority as a legislator. You're in
favor I assume of what the Democratic State Auditor Diana
Desauglio wants to do, which is to audit the books
(10:37):
of both the House and the Senate. I assume, so
I am I'm going to talk about some of that. Okay,
my guest is State Senator Peter Durant, if you like
to talk to one of the forty members of the
Massachusetts State Senator Senate, I should say, and there are
now four Republicans now that cal has five five, Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Unbelievable to twenty percent boosts.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It's enough for a caucus. I mean, five of five
of forty. That's okay. It's a it's a hearty band,
that is for sure. Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And if you'd like to talk politics, you can do
that as well. Six one, seven, two, five, four ten
thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty Back
with Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durant, a Republican from Central
MASSACHUSETTSS district kind of between Gardner and Worcester, if you
know the geography of the state. And we'll be back
on Nightside with more conversation with Peter Durrant. And I
(11:30):
hope some phone calls from some of you back on
nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Night Side Studios on.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
W b Z the news radio, My guess state Senator
Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durrant, Republican who is at least
thinking about running for governor. I assume that there are
probably others. How important is it, Peter for the Republicans
to have a legitimate contender in twenty twenty six to
(12:00):
run against Governor Healey, who I'm sure wants to win
reelection and maybe maybe use that as a launch a
launch pad for a presidential campaign.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Sure, I mean, you know, look, that's what we're really
focused on, is making sure that we put the best
person forward. You know, one of the things I've said
is is that, you know, Dan, I don't have to
be the leader. I don't have to be the governor.
Let's find who out who the best person can be.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
It.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
If it ends up being me, okay, then we're going
to go in. We're going to be one hundred percent
behind this. But you know, Massachusetts has had a history
of electing Republican governors. They actually the people of Massachusetts
have historically said we like a little bit of divided
government where we have a fiscally conservative governor and then
the legislature itself is a balance of more liberal priorities.
(12:54):
And it has worked. It's worked. Look, we've only had
two demo credit governors in the past thirty years, and
so that's something that Massachusetts does. Like, our job as
a party is to make sure that we put the
best person forward. We find out who that is there are,
you know, and I've talked to the other candidates as well,
or at least the other people who have expressed interest,
(13:16):
and you know, there's gonna be a primary and we'll
all figure out how it works. But but yeah, it's
this is the number one thing. We have an opportunity
here to take back the corner office and more. Heally,
you're right, it certainly appears that she's trying to elevate
her national profile. She I mean, you know, it only
(13:38):
makes sense that that means she wants to run for president.
But I don't know how that works because if you're
going around touting some kind of Massachusetts miracle as the
governor right now, I would say that makes it kind
of tone death if you don't see what's actually going
on around you, and you're going to go out to
(13:58):
America and say, hey, let's make America like Massachusetts said,
I think he's going to have a problem.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well, I will say this. I mean there's been a
lot of recent in recent years. I mean, the last
president from Massachusetts we've had you know several, both of
the Adages and President Kennedy, and there's been one or
two others along the way. But if you go back
in the last few years, Governor Ducacus, you know failed.
(14:27):
You know, he was at a tough time running because
Ronald Reagan had done a great job in my opinion,
as President of the United States.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Argey was for a change.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
He lost to a Brigan's vice president George Bush. But
then you know, Ted Kennedy has certainly looked at it,
looked at it. In nineteen eighty he couldn't beat Jimmy
Carter the Democratic primary. Paul Songus, John Kerry. I think
Deval Patrick thought about running for it, although I don't
think he ever. He may have formally announced for it,
but he didn't stay in it long. But so Massachusetts
(15:00):
is not a state that has turned out presidents, have
turned out Democratic presidential candidates. And of course mid Romney
also from Massachusetts on the other side of the aisle,
he took a shot at it and that didn't work
too well, as did Paul Songers, Member Senator Sungus in too.
So so yeah, it's it's I if I would advise
(15:21):
it to Governor Heay I would say, be careful what
you wish for, because you never know. So let's talk
what sort of a rating would you give her? Is
there any areas that you feel she's.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Done well in?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, if you're gonna if we change that around and say,
are there any areas that she's done well in? I
think one of the things that we can point to
is an appointment of filling over at the NBTA. I
think I think Phil's doing a fairly good job over there.
It's a it's an enormous task with an agency that's
just been plagued with problems, as you know, over the years,
(15:57):
and and so I think Phil's been doing a good job.
I think he's he's doing the best job that he
can with the system that he has. So I think
we could point to something like that, But I just
see so many other problems than that that go along
with what more Healy's doing. She she stumbles from crisis
(16:17):
to crisis and seemingly doesn't see something coming until it's
upon us. We just, you know, just looked recently at
the electric rates going through the roof. I mean, we
knew this was coming. These rates were put in place
in November, and we all knew they were coming. Yet
they show up and it's, oh my god, what's going
(16:40):
what's going on? I demand to know why the raisers
are really.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Here's the thing that it was interesting And here's the
thing was really interesting to me about that when she
she basically told the commissioners to lower the rates five
percent for all utility providers, and the utilities get back
and said, will lower the rates ten percent. I mean,
it was like I actually felt that she would have
(17:07):
been smarter and she wouldn't take it. Didn't take my advice,
but I advised her on the air. I think she
should have asked for the resignations of those three DPU
commissioners and said, you know, thank you for your service,
but based upon this debacle of this winter, I don't
I don't think that we need your.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Service next year. And I would I would, I would
ask them to resign.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Was that something that you might have considered if you
had been in the corner office?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Well, you know, it's honestly hard to put myself into
that positions too, but you're right. Here's the thing is
is those rates were approved, right, it was a thirty
plus percent increase in rates that were approved by the DPW.
Now she controls the DPW, so and so she should
she could have done that. But and look at that
(17:58):
when she said we're going to do I demand to
be reduced by five percent. Remember what the next sentence
was was, but you can get it back in the summer.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Absolutely, So it's a it's.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
By the way, with interest, So I might as well
just put I might as well just put my electric
bill on my credit card because it's the same thing.
So your your solution to lowering rates was to actually
make people pay more. So that really made no sense
to me. But at the end of the day, Dan,
one of the things, look, you got to go back
(18:32):
to why are the rates going up so high?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Now?
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Again, rates are set based on the previous winter and
things of that nature.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
It was cold.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I get all of that. But at the root of
this matter is the fact that more Healy was very
proud to say two years ago that she stopped to
natural gas pipelines from coming into the state. The state relies.
There's the state. It's seventy five percent of its energy
or it's electricity from natural gas. And so when you
(19:04):
have a cold winter, gas gets prioritized to go to
the people get a little wonky, but gas gets prioritized
for the houses first, for heating, which means the utility companies,
the generators you have a tougher time getting them, which
of course makes the price go up. It's not rocket science.
So we need those natural gas pipelines to come into
(19:26):
this state so we can actually have reasonable rates.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
But yeah, she played to the NIMBI people, not in
my backyard. I want my house warm in the winter,
and I want my house the rates as low as
they can be, But I don't want a pipeline anywhere
near me.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Uh. We're going to take a quick break here for
the news at the bottom of the hour, and we're
going to talk a little bit more about that. Have
you ever looked at the the biographies of these three
DPU commissioners, by any chances to Peter.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I have not try it. Try it.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Only one of them has any potential connection educationally or
geographically with Massachusetts. It's it's an interesting when you look
at their bios. They are truly well from out of state.
And I still think that that when you look at
(20:17):
the bios, you say to yourself, now, Baker appointed one,
and I think Heiley has appointed two. But I think
that you should have done somethings and shown some leadership
and said, Okay, thank you very much for your service.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
We appreciate it. That's that's what I was thinking.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
And you know, Dan, as a leader, the most important
thing you can do is surround yourself with people who
are smart at what they do.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Right.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I always say that my team, you know, I always
I always say that they're the ones that make me
look good. They know what they're doing and they make
me look good. You put people into positions so that
they're the experts, they're the ones who know do and
you manage them. And we just don't see that happening here.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Yeah, let me take a quick break. I got a newscast.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
We'll talk more about that, uh, and talk about the
other problems that you see that need to be addressed,
what your priorities would be, if indeed you did decide
that you wanted to take the next big step. We'll
take a break here. My guest is Massachusettstate Senator Peter Durant.
If you'd like to call and ask a question, feel
free encourage him or tell him that that you'll love
(21:29):
more Healy and that there's no need for change six
one seven either way anyway six one seven, two thirty
six one seven, nine, three thirty back on night Side.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
Right after this.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
All right, let's keep rolling here.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
I want to get to phone calls, Peter, and we
can we can work in some of your your criticisms
of the Healy administration. And I think that that the
MBTA Communities Act. I assume that's something that you're not
a big supporter of.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Am I correct on that, Yeah, you know, the MBTA
Communities Act. I think what I would have liked to
have seen is the implementation of this lot. It should
have been more along the lines of the community compacts
that the Baker administration have done, which is to say,
more carrot less stick. Say we understand, you know, we
need to build more housing. We'd like you to increase
(22:30):
your stock. If you agree to do so, we'll give
you will help you out with some grants and things
of that nature. Instead, it's been do this or else,
and I just don't think that's the way to go
about it.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
It also takes away from communities. And again, there's no
question here. I just want to make people understand there's
no question have some sort of you know, constitutional issue
where some community is keeping certain people out of the town,
where there's constitutional issues. Now, these are communities who enjoy
what their community is. Some some of the more rural,
(23:03):
some and more suburban, some are more urban or whatever.
And zoning has always been the precinct of the most
local leaders. Communities decide on how their community is going
to be zoned. If they don't want liquor stores, or
they don't want bowling alleys or drive in theaters, they
(23:24):
don't the government can't force that down their throat. But
the government is forcing this down people's throats and it's
really undercutting I think the most fundamental obligation that a
local community has to itself to itself.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
I mean, I mean to your point, Cities and towns
get to decide how it is that they want to grow,
and exactly right through zoning, through their select board or
city councils. They get to decide, this is what we
want to do, this is how we want to grow.
They manage their growth. Instead, what the NBTA communities that
just did was it just came along and say, you know,
(24:00):
you have to do this and you know, some of
those towns and some of my towns are affected by this.
But some of those towns said, you know briefly, so
they said, well, we don't want to do that. And
if you're not going to give us grants, that's fine.
We don't want your grants, but we're not going to
do that. And it turned into again this this punitive
do this, or will sue you, and it really just
(24:21):
handled very very poorly.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I mean, the only next card that they could that
the administration could play would be threatened jailing to the
select and the aldermen in these communities, and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And the other thing is all of the Democrats on
in authority and power, they use that authority and power
to basically force communities to do what instinctively they don't
want to do. But they're not willing to use that
force and power and authority to tell the legislature, hey,
comply with the law that was passed last fall, which
(24:59):
will which mandate that the state auditor audits the legislature.
And it's interesting when they want to use power they do.
When they choose not to use power, which in effect
is a use of power, they choose not to. Let's
get to phone calls, Peter. Let me go to Steve
and Cambridge. He's not a constituent, but I suspect he's
going to be a fan.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Steve.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
You and I live in the state of Massachusetts, so
I could be a constituent.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Yes, yes, yes, that's that's sure. Peter likes to hear that.
Gored ahead Row State Senator Peter Durrect Peter.
Speaker 7 (25:32):
I think the consensus is that Kamala Harris lost to
Trump in part because of the Democrats, let's say, emphasis
on abortion, DEI, LGBTQ matters, in other words, social issues.
(25:56):
How would that figure into a possible full campaign on
your part? Would you take that into account or would
you simply stay fiscal.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
No.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I think we have to, you know, it's I think
we have to stay grounded in fiscal responsibility here. I
think that a big part of this your law, the
loss from the Democrats is exactly that, uh they went in.
It was a lot of lecturing and telling people why
they're wrong and that you're a bad person, and that
you have to do all of these things. I think
(26:29):
government asking it back to the basics and do what
it is that you're supposed to do, which is boring things.
Keep people safe, educate your kids, right, these are these
are kind of boring thing, but it's just we need
to we need to do these things. We need to
be fiscally responsible and handle our checkbook more appropriately.
Speaker 7 (26:50):
Well, Peter, I certainly hope you consider running. And I'm
not a complete uh. I think more Healy has handled
yourself reasonably well. But I certainly would like to see
someone who would concentrate more on fiscal matters and stop
lecturing the public on what they should be thinking and
(27:11):
whom they should be associating with, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I agree. You know, one of the things I've always
said to Steve is, you know, the the American dream
right is different for everybody, and and people just want
to live that. They just want to They just want
to be left alone to go about and make their
way in life, whatever way works best for them.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
You know, some people like to start businesses, others like
to just you know, I have a job and start
a family. And everybody's got these differences. I don't think
that it's government's responsibility to be telling you how to
how to be a moral person or what you should
think in how you should, uh, you know, how you
(27:54):
should feel about some of these some of these issues.
So I agree. I think at the next governor needs
to focus on on physical responsibility and leave the social
stuff alone.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
Okay, thank you very much, Dan, thank you, Peter.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Thanks Steve, thank you. Great night.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
All right, we take a quick break here six one, seven, two, five,
four ten thirty one line there also six one seven,
nine three one, ten thirty. We try to get everyone in.
Stay there.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
We have a.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Constituent coming up Tony and Gardner Paul in Boston, and
room for you coming back with State Senator Peter Durant.
He's a Republican from central Massachusetts and has been asked
by many people about potentially running for governor in twenty
twenty six as a Republican obviously, and has said that
he would consider it and he would make a decision
(28:40):
at some point.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
And I just thought I would.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Give you an opportunity to listen to him tonight, So
when you read about him or see him on television,
you're gonna have an opportunity to yourself to say, hey,
listen to him.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
And maybe even I spoke with him back on night
Side right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on w News Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
My guest is Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durant. He's a
Republican from central Massachusetts. He's been on the phone on
the on the show before, and he has been quoted
in a couple of news articles that I saw in
the last couple of days that he is at least
considering the possibility of running for governor in twenty twenty
six against more Heali, let's go to Tony and Gardner.
(29:25):
Tony would be a constituent of yours.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Peter.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
I assume Tony, welcome, you're next time, I side with
your state Senator Peter Durant.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Go ahead, right, go.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Ahead, Tony, Tony, Hi, Dan, Hi, Peter.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Thank you very much. And I voted Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
He's a he's a great state senator out here.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
Thank Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
I want to you welcome.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
I wanted to ask you have you given any thought
to maybe extending the Fitchburgh cronkered line for the west
towards Gardner. I think if we had a commuter line
out here, it would really help the city.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
We yeah, we we have had some talks about that,
and I know that that there's been a kind of
a concern and something that could go out to Gardener
to help that situation out. You know, one of the
things that I've said is that we talk a lot
about the East West Rail, which is of course down
in the southern part of the state through southern Winster County,
(30:24):
and one of the things that I have said in
the past is, you know, we need to kind of
get our house in order at the MBTA first before
we can expand out. But what does make sense between
the Fitchburg and Gardener rail is is that's a corridor,
a natural corridor for that rail that comes through. And
so that's something that we actually are talking about in
(30:45):
the state level and trying to trying to figure that out.
I think that given the amount of money and it's
going to cost and things of that nature, I'd be
hard pressed to say that it's something that's going to
happen real soon. But I do know that. But we've
been pushing forward with it with a lot of the
reps out in that area as well as some of
(31:06):
the other senators up there. It is a quarter that
is of interest to us.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
Great well.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
You know, it sounds promising because we have a freight
train that comes out here, so we could get the
commuter rail.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
I think it would be great. Thank you, Peter. Thanks Dan.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
All right, Tony, great, claud great question.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That's what a constituent does ask at paul political leader
a question and maybe you got the answer you need.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
Thanks Tony, appreciate it. Next up is Paul in Boston.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Paul, you were next on nice Ioway State Senator Peter
durank A right, hit Paul, all right again.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Are you and getting Senative Sena my contunity boss. A
little bit about your education and work experience in the
private sector. What had gone downe on the past?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Yeah, so quick, So I guess I'm going to try
to go backwards. Prior to becoming a state center, which
was back in November twenty three, I was a state representative.
I got elected in twenty eleven. Prior to that, I
worked in the construction industry. I was a national project
manager for a temperature controls company out of Atlanta, and
(32:18):
that was from about two thousand or so to about
two thousand and eleven. There was a couple of companies
in there. And prior to that, in the eighties and nineties,
I had my own temperature controls company in the Wister
area that I then sold. So I had some business
a business experience through owning my own contracting company. Education wise,
(32:41):
I started out of high school. A lot of people
don't know this, but I started out of high school.
I went down to Florida a college called Florida Tech,
where I actually became a commercial diver. I did that
for a very short period of time, and then came
back up to Massachusetts where I started my company shortly
thereafter a couple of years after that, and and I
(33:01):
earned my bachelor's degree during that time from Northeastern University
and political science. That's the kind of Nickel tour, the
quick thirty second Nickel tour of my life.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
So'd you grew up in Massachusetts, Peter? Are you a native?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Yeah, I am. I grew up in I've lived in
Spencer all my life. In fact, yeah, the house I
live in is next door to the house I grew
up in. When my parents at a piece of land
and they separated them office as us kids got older,
and we have a little what we call the Durant
compound out here.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
So you wanted to become a diver, a diver, a
marine diver. Is that what you were looking to be
in for a while.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, yeah, commercial diver. I want to work in a
short stint out in Louisiana, and but it didn't really
didn't enjoy it as much as I had had hoped
and decided that I would come back up to Massachusetts.
It's a it's a tough life.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yeah, interesting background, Paul, those are great questions. I had
never thought to ask those questions. Thank you.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
Good management experience.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah sounds great, Paul, appreciate that experience. Yeah, all right,
thanks again. Let me get one more call in for
State Senator Peter Durant. Let me go to Rick, who
is joining us from North Reading. Rick, you're on night
side with State Senator Peter Durant, Right.
Speaker 8 (34:20):
Ahead, Rick, Hey, senator called, So if if you actually
answer this question, I apologize our guess. My question is
what is the number one priority you want to go
on do elector? And why that ad?
Speaker 5 (34:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Easy affordability. We need to make Massachusetts more affordable. We
have fifty thousand people every year that leave Massachusetts in
search of greener pastures, and they're middle class families that
that just can't afford to stay here anymore, their kids
coming out of college. We've got a great brain trust
that comes out of college. They can't afford to stay here.
(35:01):
They can't afford to raise a family and buy houses.
So we need to make Massachusetts affordable. And there's so
many different things that we can do to get there.
We talked earlier about the electricity prices. It's simple things
like that. I say simple, you know, simple in concept.
They're a little bit more complicated to get done. But
we have to bring down the cost of living here,
(35:22):
otherwise we're just going backwards in this state we have.
We're coming into a position right now in Massachusetts where
our middle class is leaving, so we're left with two
classes of people in a wide income disparity. We need
to correct that.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Gosha just just want to ask a little bit of
an operating question. By you're talking about affordability, are you
subseifically referring to housing price or overall everything?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Well, housing is there's a lot of different facets to it. Again,
we talked about energy. Housing is an enormous thing we
have to build. I think we're short about two hundred
thousand units right now. So that's an enormous amount and
we get there. The MBTA Communities that looks to solve
that problem, but it doesn't do it efficiently and it
(36:13):
doesn't do it in a very good way, especially when
you have so many towns rebelling against it. But we can.
We did some work with the Housing Bond Bill last
year where we made accessory dwelling units by right, so
now you can put up some more units. We need
to really aggressively go after these commercial buildings that are
(36:33):
that are sitting empty now because of you know, more
of a remote work type the atmosphere. A lot of
those can be converted to housing, as well as old
mills and things of that nature. So we have a
lot of building that we need to do, and quite frankly,
out in western and central Massachusetts there's more land to build.
So I think housing is an enormous issue here in
(36:54):
Massachusetts that we have to solve, and we have to
solve that as quick as possible.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Those are great question, flat out at time. Thanks Rick,
Senator Durant, thank you very much. I appreciate your time
tonight and keep us posted as you go through the
decision making process. And I happen to think that you
would be a wonderful candidate to run for governor.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
You've been there for a while, and I think it
would be a very interesting race. So let's keep in touch, okay,
Peter Durant.
Speaker 5 (37:25):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
If folks want to get in touch with you, what's
the easiest way.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
The easiest way to go is to reach out to
me at Senator Durant dot com. We'd love to say
I love to have you all.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
One word, Senator Durant du r A n T dot
com sounds great.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
You got it, Peter.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
Thank you so much when we when we get back
on to talk about a phone call that we don't
know a whole lot about. But today President's Trump and
Putin had a conversation about ninety minutes. Love to know
what you think. If you think there's a possible ability
that peace might break out in Ukraine, we'll talk about
that on the other side of the ten o'clock news.
(38:06):
Here on a Tuesday night, my name's Dan Ray, and
you're listening to Nightside
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBZY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
All right, nine o'clock, just about to start here on
night Side. You've arrived just in time. My name is
Dan Ray, and we are going to talk a little
politics with a favorite guest of ours, Massachusetts State Senator
Peter Durant. Peter, Welcome to Nightside. How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm doing well. Thanks for having me on, Dan Well.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I followed the news, of course, like everyone else does,
and you've been in the news a little bit the
last few days, and it looks like you're at least
thinking about the possibility of running for governor a year
and a half or so from now, in twenty twenty six.
I don't expect you to make an announcement here on Nightside,
(00:50):
but I love to know what goes through the mind
of a politician like yourself who's been very successful. I mean,
you're elected as a member of the Republican Party in
a state that's a Democratic state, overwhelmingly as a state representative,
and then you stepped up a little bit challenged for
a Senate seat, which is a more exclusive group the Senate,
(01:14):
for those who don't know, in Massachusetts, only has forty
members in the House has one hundred and sixty members.
So now you're in, you know, kind of a obviously
an equivocal branch of the legislation of the legislature, but
it's senators a little bit more little.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
You represent more communities, all of that.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
And now, I don't know what it appears to me
that you're thinking about maybe.
Speaker 4 (01:41):
A statewide run. How do you process that you and
for your family?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, it's a really good question. Sometimes I ask myself
that same thing, you know, Dan, Yeah, we're thinking about it.
But as you point out, it's it's a process. And
I mean I think, first of all, of course, it
starts with, you know, asking yourself, do you do you like?
(02:10):
Do you like what you see?
Speaker 5 (02:11):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
And obviously the answer to that is no, And not
just because I'm a Republican and the governor's a Democrat,
but you know, I don't think we see a lot
of leadership in the corner office at this time, and
I don't think we have for a couple of years now.
So you know, you start to ask yourself questions, you say,
do you think you can do a better job? Right?
You know, my wife once said to me that you know,
(02:32):
you can't complain and not do anything about it. And
so you know, you kind of start having those conversations
with your wife and with your with your supporters, with
your with your team, and you start to you start
to think about if it's possible or not. And it's
not an easy it's not an easy question to answer,
you know. It's it's a big undertaking. It involves every
(02:57):
waking hour of your time if we decide to do it,
and it involves a ton of money. And so it's
there's a lot of different factors that go into it.
It's it's, uh, it's got so many different moving parts,
you know.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
But I always do say people always asking me, they
ask me the same thing all the time, and you say, oh,
what's next for you? You know? And at one point
we saw that it was the Senate. You know this,
this looks like a good thing to do, and it
looks like we can go there, so we'll give it
a shot. And but I always used to say to
people is when they ask that question, what's next for you?
I always used to say, I don't know, but we'll
know it when we see it. And so we're kind
(03:34):
of wondering if we see it right now, and you know,
in some days, you know, some days you think, oh, yeah, definitely,
and then other days you're like, oh yeah, are you nuts?
You can't do this?
Speaker 5 (03:43):
So with Bill Hammer and a lot of those things.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Though, let me put this in some perspective for our listeners,
because this is I think fascinating to talk to someone
who is contemplating something like this. When you're a state representative,
you represented? How how many communities there are three hundred
and fifty one cities and towns in Massachusetts. How much
did you represent when you were a state representative.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
As state rep I represented four districts, four towns.
Speaker 2 (04:11):
Did that district ever change during the time you were
a member of the House of Representatives or did it
say stable it?
Speaker 3 (04:18):
Surprisingly, it only changed because I came in in a
special election in twenty eleven. We were going through a
redistricting year, so I literally spent six months in that
district and then it changed. But that was it. It
hadn't changed in the next reistrict, so I pretty much
did the same for the next twelve years.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
So what were the communities that you represented as a
member of the House.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
As a member of the House. I represented Spencer, Charlton, Dudley,
and Salthbridge.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Did you pick all of those towns up when you
became a state senator?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Were they all member? Were they all part of your
new Senate district?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
No, only my hometown of Spencer was, so I have Yeah,
twenty to the Senate district is twenty two towns. Only
Spencer was part of that. So yeah, so twenty two cities.
Two cities in the twenty towns all brand new to me.
Speaker 4 (05:12):
So which of the cities?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
So it's Worcester, just a little piece of Worcester and
then Gardner.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Okay, so you now, if you add in the towns
that you represented as a state representative with the other
towns you now have represented in the legislature over the
course of your career, twenty five of the three hundred
and fifty one cities and towns in Massachusetts.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Ye.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
So, I mean that's almost really ten percent of the state.
I mean, so you've represented a pretty good swath of Massachusetts.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
So that's interesting.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Republicans do better in central Massachusetts than they do out
in the Berkshafts or Republican Okay, you do better on
the Cape.
Speaker 4 (06:01):
I learned.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Actually, I was watching an interview that Jake Congressman Jake
Auchincloss had done with The New York Times, And I
don't know if you're aware of this, but did you
know that the city of Fall River, which is an
overwhelmingly Democratic city, actually voted for Donald Trump last fall
the first time, the first time that the city of
(06:24):
Fall River had voted for a Republican presidential candidate in
over one hundred years.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Yeah, it's it's pretty amazing. But in you're absolutely right, Dan,
and those kind of things factor in when you talk about, well,
when you talk about how in this presidential election, how
this state did shift a little. Yeah, I think it
was the second most of any state in the country.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
So I didn't realize yeah, okay.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Yeah, which is obviously he's still you know, President Trump
still lost the state by a wide margin. I think
you got forty two thirty eight percent. So he still
lost by March, but he had he had moved it
by about eight points. And so you know, when you
when as you kind of go through this process, you
think about that. And that's one of those things that
(07:14):
you have to pay attention to, is that you're not
living in a bubble, and Central Mass is a fairly
red area, except for, of course, the city of Worcester,
but central Mass, Wincester County is pretty red. And you
have to realize, as you just said, you know, everybody's
lives in Wister County, they live in Suffolk County, they
live in Middlesex, and those are much bluer. You get
(07:37):
some red areas, as you say, down in the Cape,
in the south Shore, and then there's a there's a
good pocket up on the north Shore as well. But
you have to focus that in and one of the
important things is is that you don't just you sit
in this bubble. You know, I had a back when
I started in politics. I had a political advisor that
(07:57):
gave me the best advice, and they said, don't listen
to your friend, because your friends are going to tell
you got this in the bag. Don't worry about it,
and it will cause you not to work. They said, Yo,
listen to your friends. You just work and and win
your race. And so you kind of have to be
careful of that. It's it's something that you have to
think about. And you know, remember too, Dan that my
(08:18):
wife she ran for Lieutenant governor a couple of years ago,
so you know what that process is all about as well,
and it's it's consuming.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Oh I.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
I always go back to the great story that Tip
O'Neil told many years ago that when he was a
student at Boston College, his first bid for elective office
I believe was for the school committee in the city
of Cambridge. Uh, and he lost by a single vote.
And I've heard this. I've never gone back and checked
(08:51):
the records, and I hope that Tip wasn't wasn't telling it.
As you know, I think it's a true story. So
he thanked the people on his street, went around the
day after the election and thanked them all for voting
for him, including his next door neighbor who he thanked.
And his next door neighbor looked at then Tom O'Neill,
(09:12):
who was probably twenty one years old sometime in the
nineteen thirties, and said, well, why do you think I
voted for you? And he said, well, I've known you
my entire life, babysitter, I assumed you voted for me.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
She said, you never asked me to vote for you.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And Tip used to always tell that story, and again
it was an allegory or whether it was actually the
specific proof. So I think you ask people to vote
for you, and if you can't meet all six million
people in the Commonwealth, but you can, you get out there.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
So lit'st do this.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
I want to talk We'll put the conversation about a
potential campaign aside and I want to take a break.
And what I want to do is talk about the
stay of the Republican Party. And I want to talk
about more Healey. Governor Healey. There are more and more
stories every day that she's thinking about running for president
in twenty twenty eight. That adds another element to this formula,
(10:14):
this equation, which yeah, so I want to talk about that.
And I also want to talk about how the legislature
is doing. And I want to talk about I'm assuming
that you are not only in the minority as a Republican,
but you're in the minority as a legislator. You're in
favor I assume of what the Democratic State Auditor Diana
Desauglio wants to do, which is to audit the books
(10:37):
of both the House and the Senate. I assume, so
I am I'm going to talk about some of that. Okay,
my guest is State Senator Peter Durant, if you like
to talk to one of the forty members of the
Massachusetts State Senator Senate, I should say, and there are
now four Republicans now that cal has five five, Oh
my goodness.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Unbelievable to twenty percent boosts.
Speaker 4 (11:01):
It's enough for a caucus. I mean, five of five
of forty. That's okay. It's a it's a hearty band,
that is for sure. Uh.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
And if you'd like to talk politics, you can do
that as well. Six one, seven, two, five, four ten
thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty Back
with Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durant, a Republican from Central
MASSACHUSETTSS district kind of between Gardner and Worcester, if you
know the geography of the state. And we'll be back
on Nightside with more conversation with Peter Durrant. And I
(11:30):
hope some phone calls from some of you back on
nightside right after this.
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Night Side Studios on.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
W b Z the news radio, My guess state Senator
Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durrant, Republican who is at least
thinking about running for governor. I assume that there are
probably others. How important is it, Peter for the Republicans
to have a legitimate contender in twenty twenty six to
(12:00):
run against Governor Healey, who I'm sure wants to win
reelection and maybe maybe use that as a launch a
launch pad for a presidential campaign.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Sure, I mean, you know, look, that's what we're really
focused on, is making sure that we put the best
person forward. You know, one of the things I've said
is is that, you know, Dan, I don't have to
be the leader. I don't have to be the governor.
Let's find who out who the best person can be.
Speaker 5 (12:29):
It.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
If it ends up being me, okay, then we're going
to go in. We're going to be one hundred percent
behind this. But you know, Massachusetts has had a history
of electing Republican governors. They actually the people of Massachusetts
have historically said we like a little bit of divided
government where we have a fiscally conservative governor and then
the legislature itself is a balance of more liberal priorities.
(12:54):
And it has worked. It's worked. Look, we've only had
two demo credit governors in the past thirty years, and
so that's something that Massachusetts does. Like, our job as
a party is to make sure that we put the
best person forward. We find out who that is there are,
you know, and I've talked to the other candidates as well,
or at least the other people who have expressed interest,
(13:16):
and you know, there's gonna be a primary and we'll
all figure out how it works. But but yeah, it's
this is the number one thing. We have an opportunity
here to take back the corner office and more. Heally,
you're right, it certainly appears that she's trying to elevate
her national profile. She I mean, you know, it only
(13:38):
makes sense that that means she wants to run for president.
But I don't know how that works because if you're
going around touting some kind of Massachusetts miracle as the
governor right now, I would say that makes it kind
of tone death if you don't see what's actually going
on around you, and you're going to go out to
(13:58):
America and say, hey, let's make America like Massachusetts said,
I think he's going to have a problem.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
Well, I will say this. I mean there's been a
lot of recent in recent years. I mean, the last
president from Massachusetts we've had you know several, both of
the Adages and President Kennedy, and there's been one or
two others along the way. But if you go back
in the last few years, Governor Ducacus, you know failed.
(14:27):
You know, he was at a tough time running because
Ronald Reagan had done a great job in my opinion,
as President of the United States.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
Argey was for a change.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
He lost to a Brigan's vice president George Bush. But
then you know, Ted Kennedy has certainly looked at it,
looked at it. In nineteen eighty he couldn't beat Jimmy
Carter the Democratic primary. Paul Songus, John Kerry. I think
Deval Patrick thought about running for it, although I don't
think he ever. He may have formally announced for it,
but he didn't stay in it long. But so Massachusetts
(15:00):
is not a state that has turned out presidents, have
turned out Democratic presidential candidates. And of course mid Romney
also from Massachusetts on the other side of the aisle,
he took a shot at it and that didn't work
too well, as did Paul Songers, Member Senator Sungus in too.
So so yeah, it's it's I if I would advise
(15:21):
it to Governor Heay I would say, be careful what
you wish for, because you never know. So let's talk
what sort of a rating would you give her? Is
there any areas that you feel she's.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Done well in?
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, if you're gonna if we change that around and say,
are there any areas that she's done well in? I
think one of the things that we can point to
is an appointment of filling over at the NBTA. I
think I think Phil's doing a fairly good job over there.
It's a it's an enormous task with an agency that's
just been plagued with problems, as you know, over the years,
(15:57):
and and so I think Phil's been doing a good job.
I think he's he's doing the best job that he
can with the system that he has. So I think
we could point to something like that, But I just
see so many other problems than that that go along
with what more Healy's doing. She she stumbles from crisis
(16:17):
to crisis and seemingly doesn't see something coming until it's
upon us. We just, you know, just looked recently at
the electric rates going through the roof. I mean, we
knew this was coming. These rates were put in place
in November, and we all knew they were coming. Yet
they show up and it's, oh my god, what's going
(16:40):
what's going on? I demand to know why the raisers
are really.
Speaker 2 (16:44):
Here's the thing that it was interesting And here's the
thing was really interesting to me about that when she
she basically told the commissioners to lower the rates five
percent for all utility providers, and the utilities get back
and said, will lower the rates ten percent. I mean,
it was like I actually felt that she would have
(17:07):
been smarter and she wouldn't take it. Didn't take my advice,
but I advised her on the air. I think she
should have asked for the resignations of those three DPU
commissioners and said, you know, thank you for your service,
but based upon this debacle of this winter, I don't
I don't think that we need your.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Service next year. And I would I would, I would
ask them to resign.
Speaker 2 (17:32):
Was that something that you might have considered if you
had been in the corner office?
Speaker 3 (17:37):
Well, you know, it's honestly hard to put myself into
that positions too, but you're right. Here's the thing is
is those rates were approved, right, it was a thirty
plus percent increase in rates that were approved by the DPW.
Now she controls the DPW, so and so she should
she could have done that. But and look at that
(17:58):
when she said we're going to do I demand to
be reduced by five percent. Remember what the next sentence
was was, but you can get it back in the summer.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Absolutely, So it's a it's.
Speaker 3 (18:12):
By the way, with interest, So I might as well
just put I might as well just put my electric
bill on my credit card because it's the same thing.
So your your solution to lowering rates was to actually
make people pay more. So that really made no sense
to me. But at the end of the day, Dan,
one of the things, look, you got to go back
(18:32):
to why are the rates going up so high?
Speaker 6 (18:35):
Now?
Speaker 3 (18:36):
Again, rates are set based on the previous winter and
things of that nature.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
It was cold.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
I get all of that. But at the root of
this matter is the fact that more Healy was very
proud to say two years ago that she stopped to
natural gas pipelines from coming into the state. The state relies.
There's the state. It's seventy five percent of its energy
or it's electricity from natural gas. And so when you
(19:04):
have a cold winter, gas gets prioritized to go to
the people get a little wonky, but gas gets prioritized
for the houses first, for heating, which means the utility companies,
the generators you have a tougher time getting them, which
of course makes the price go up. It's not rocket science.
So we need those natural gas pipelines to come into
(19:26):
this state so we can actually have reasonable rates.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
But yeah, she played to the NIMBI people, not in
my backyard. I want my house warm in the winter,
and I want my house the rates as low as
they can be, But I don't want a pipeline anywhere
near me.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Uh. We're going to take a quick break here for
the news at the bottom of the hour, and we're
going to talk a little bit more about that. Have
you ever looked at the the biographies of these three
DPU commissioners, by any chances to Peter.
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I have not try it. Try it.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
Only one of them has any potential connection educationally or
geographically with Massachusetts. It's it's an interesting when you look
at their bios. They are truly well from out of state.
And I still think that that when you look at
(20:17):
the bios, you say to yourself, now, Baker appointed one,
and I think Heiley has appointed two. But I think
that you should have done somethings and shown some leadership
and said, Okay, thank you very much for your service.
Speaker 4 (20:31):
We appreciate it. That's that's what I was thinking.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
And you know, Dan, as a leader, the most important
thing you can do is surround yourself with people who
are smart at what they do.
Speaker 5 (20:44):
Right.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I always say that my team, you know, I always
I always say that they're the ones that make me
look good. They know what they're doing and they make
me look good. You put people into positions so that
they're the experts, they're the ones who know do and
you manage them. And we just don't see that happening here.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
Yeah, let me take a quick break. I got a newscast.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
We'll talk more about that, uh, and talk about the
other problems that you see that need to be addressed,
what your priorities would be, if indeed you did decide
that you wanted to take the next big step. We'll
take a break here. My guest is Massachusettstate Senator Peter Durant.
If you'd like to call and ask a question, feel
free encourage him or tell him that that you'll love
(21:29):
more Healy and that there's no need for change six
one seven either way anyway six one seven, two thirty
six one seven, nine, three thirty back on night Side.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
Right after this.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZY, Boston's news radio.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
All right, let's keep rolling here.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
I want to get to phone calls, Peter, and we
can we can work in some of your your criticisms
of the Healy administration. And I think that that the
MBTA Communities Act. I assume that's something that you're not
a big supporter of.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Am I correct on that, Yeah, you know, the MBTA
Communities Act. I think what I would have liked to
have seen is the implementation of this lot. It should
have been more along the lines of the community compacts
that the Baker administration have done, which is to say,
more carrot less stick. Say we understand, you know, we
need to build more housing. We'd like you to increase
(22:30):
your stock. If you agree to do so, we'll give
you will help you out with some grants and things
of that nature. Instead, it's been do this or else,
and I just don't think that's the way to go
about it.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
It also takes away from communities. And again, there's no
question here. I just want to make people understand there's
no question have some sort of you know, constitutional issue
where some community is keeping certain people out of the town,
where there's constitutional issues. Now, these are communities who enjoy
what their community is. Some some of the more rural,
(23:03):
some and more suburban, some are more urban or whatever.
And zoning has always been the precinct of the most
local leaders. Communities decide on how their community is going
to be zoned. If they don't want liquor stores, or
they don't want bowling alleys or drive in theaters, they
(23:24):
don't the government can't force that down their throat. But
the government is forcing this down people's throats and it's
really undercutting I think the most fundamental obligation that a
local community has to itself to itself.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
I mean, I mean to your point, Cities and towns
get to decide how it is that they want to grow,
and exactly right through zoning, through their select board or
city councils. They get to decide, this is what we
want to do, this is how we want to grow.
They manage their growth. Instead, what the NBTA communities that
just did was it just came along and say, you know,
(24:00):
you have to do this and you know, some of
those towns and some of my towns are affected by this.
But some of those towns said, you know briefly, so
they said, well, we don't want to do that. And
if you're not going to give us grants, that's fine.
We don't want your grants, but we're not going to
do that. And it turned into again this this punitive
do this, or will sue you, and it really just
(24:21):
handled very very poorly.
Speaker 4 (24:23):
I mean, the only next card that they could that
the administration could play would be threatened jailing to the
select and the aldermen in these communities, and I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
And the other thing is all of the Democrats on
in authority and power, they use that authority and power
to basically force communities to do what instinctively they don't
want to do. But they're not willing to use that
force and power and authority to tell the legislature, hey,
comply with the law that was passed last fall, which
(24:59):
will which mandate that the state auditor audits the legislature.
And it's interesting when they want to use power they do.
When they choose not to use power, which in effect
is a use of power, they choose not to. Let's
get to phone calls, Peter. Let me go to Steve
and Cambridge. He's not a constituent, but I suspect he's
going to be a fan.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
Steve.
Speaker 7 (25:19):
You and I live in the state of Massachusetts, so
I could be a constituent.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Yes, yes, yes, that's that's sure. Peter likes to hear that.
Gored ahead Row State Senator Peter Durrect Peter.
Speaker 7 (25:32):
I think the consensus is that Kamala Harris lost to
Trump in part because of the Democrats, let's say, emphasis
on abortion, DEI, LGBTQ matters, in other words, social issues.
(25:56):
How would that figure into a possible full campaign on
your part? Would you take that into account or would
you simply stay fiscal.
Speaker 5 (26:08):
No.
Speaker 3 (26:08):
I think we have to, you know, it's I think
we have to stay grounded in fiscal responsibility here. I
think that a big part of this your law, the
loss from the Democrats is exactly that, uh they went in.
It was a lot of lecturing and telling people why
they're wrong and that you're a bad person, and that
you have to do all of these things. I think
(26:29):
government asking it back to the basics and do what
it is that you're supposed to do, which is boring things.
Keep people safe, educate your kids, right, these are these
are kind of boring thing, but it's just we need
to we need to do these things. We need to
be fiscally responsible and handle our checkbook more appropriately.
Speaker 7 (26:50):
Well, Peter, I certainly hope you consider running. And I'm
not a complete uh. I think more Healy has handled
yourself reasonably well. But I certainly would like to see
someone who would concentrate more on fiscal matters and stop
lecturing the public on what they should be thinking and
(27:11):
whom they should be associating with, et cetera.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
I agree. You know, one of the things I've always
said to Steve is, you know, the the American dream
right is different for everybody, and and people just want
to live that. They just want to They just want
to be left alone to go about and make their
way in life, whatever way works best for them.
Speaker 7 (27:33):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
You know, some people like to start businesses, others like
to just you know, I have a job and start
a family. And everybody's got these differences. I don't think
that it's government's responsibility to be telling you how to
how to be a moral person or what you should
think in how you should, uh, you know, how you
(27:54):
should feel about some of these some of these issues.
So I agree. I think at the next governor needs
to focus on on physical responsibility and leave the social
stuff alone.
Speaker 7 (28:05):
Okay, thank you very much, Dan, thank you, Peter.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Thanks Steve, thank you. Great night.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
All right, we take a quick break here six one, seven, two, five,
four ten thirty one line there also six one seven,
nine three one, ten thirty. We try to get everyone in.
Stay there.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
We have a.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Constituent coming up Tony and Gardner Paul in Boston, and
room for you coming back with State Senator Peter Durant.
He's a Republican from central Massachusetts and has been asked
by many people about potentially running for governor in twenty
twenty six as a Republican obviously, and has said that
he would consider it and he would make a decision
(28:40):
at some point.
Speaker 4 (28:41):
And I just thought I would.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Give you an opportunity to listen to him tonight, So
when you read about him or see him on television,
you're gonna have an opportunity to yourself to say, hey,
listen to him.
Speaker 4 (28:51):
And maybe even I spoke with him back on night
Side right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
Now, back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on w News Radio.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
My guest is Massachusetts State Senator Peter Durant. He's a
Republican from central Massachusetts. He's been on the phone on
the on the show before, and he has been quoted
in a couple of news articles that I saw in
the last couple of days that he is at least
considering the possibility of running for governor in twenty twenty
six against more Heali, let's go to Tony and Gardner.
(29:25):
Tony would be a constituent of yours.
Speaker 5 (29:27):
Peter.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
I assume Tony, welcome, you're next time, I side with
your state Senator Peter Durant.
Speaker 4 (29:31):
Go ahead, right, go.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
Ahead, Tony, Tony, Hi, Dan, Hi, Peter.
Speaker 5 (29:35):
Thank you very much. And I voted Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
He's a he's a great state senator out here.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
Thank Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:42):
I want to you welcome.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
Peter.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
I wanted to ask you have you given any thought
to maybe extending the Fitchburgh cronkered line for the west
towards Gardner. I think if we had a commuter line
out here, it would really help the city.
Speaker 2 (30:00):
You know.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
We yeah, we we have had some talks about that,
and I know that that there's been a kind of
a concern and something that could go out to Gardener
to help that situation out. You know, one of the
things that I've said is that we talk a lot
about the East West Rail, which is of course down
in the southern part of the state through southern Winster County,
(30:24):
and one of the things that I have said in
the past is, you know, we need to kind of
get our house in order at the MBTA first before
we can expand out. But what does make sense between
the Fitchburg and Gardener rail is is that's a corridor,
a natural corridor for that rail that comes through. And
so that's something that we actually are talking about in
(30:45):
the state level and trying to trying to figure that out.
I think that given the amount of money and it's
going to cost and things of that nature, I'd be
hard pressed to say that it's something that's going to
happen real soon. But I do know that. But we've
been pushing forward with it with a lot of the
reps out in that area as well as some of
(31:06):
the other senators up there. It is a quarter that
is of interest to us.
Speaker 5 (31:11):
Great well.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
You know, it sounds promising because we have a freight
train that comes out here, so we could get the
commuter rail.
Speaker 5 (31:19):
I think it would be great. Thank you, Peter. Thanks Dan.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
All right, Tony, great, claud great question.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
That's what a constituent does ask at paul political leader
a question and maybe you got the answer you need.
Speaker 4 (31:31):
Thanks Tony, appreciate it. Next up is Paul in Boston.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
Paul, you were next on nice Ioway State Senator Peter
durank A right, hit Paul, all right again.
Speaker 5 (31:38):
Are you and getting Senative Sena my contunity boss. A
little bit about your education and work experience in the
private sector. What had gone downe on the past?
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Yeah, so quick, So I guess I'm going to try
to go backwards. Prior to becoming a state center, which
was back in November twenty three, I was a state representative.
I got elected in twenty eleven. Prior to that, I
worked in the construction industry. I was a national project
manager for a temperature controls company out of Atlanta, and
(32:18):
that was from about two thousand or so to about
two thousand and eleven. There was a couple of companies
in there. And prior to that, in the eighties and nineties,
I had my own temperature controls company in the Wister
area that I then sold. So I had some business
a business experience through owning my own contracting company. Education wise,
(32:41):
I started out of high school. A lot of people
don't know this, but I started out of high school.
I went down to Florida a college called Florida Tech,
where I actually became a commercial diver. I did that
for a very short period of time, and then came
back up to Massachusetts where I started my company shortly
thereafter a couple of years after that, and and I
(33:01):
earned my bachelor's degree during that time from Northeastern University
and political science. That's the kind of Nickel tour, the
quick thirty second Nickel tour of my life.
Speaker 4 (33:10):
So'd you grew up in Massachusetts, Peter? Are you a native?
Speaker 2 (33:13):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (33:14):
Yeah, I am. I grew up in I've lived in
Spencer all my life. In fact, yeah, the house I
live in is next door to the house I grew
up in. When my parents at a piece of land
and they separated them office as us kids got older,
and we have a little what we call the Durant
compound out here.
Speaker 4 (33:33):
So you wanted to become a diver, a diver, a
marine diver. Is that what you were looking to be
in for a while.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yeah, yeah, commercial diver. I want to work in a
short stint out in Louisiana, and but it didn't really
didn't enjoy it as much as I had had hoped
and decided that I would come back up to Massachusetts.
It's a it's a tough life.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yeah, interesting background, Paul, those are great questions. I had
never thought to ask those questions. Thank you.
Speaker 5 (34:02):
Good management experience.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah sounds great, Paul, appreciate that experience. Yeah, all right,
thanks again. Let me get one more call in for
State Senator Peter Durant. Let me go to Rick, who
is joining us from North Reading. Rick, you're on night
side with State Senator Peter Durant, Right.
Speaker 8 (34:20):
Ahead, Rick, Hey, senator called, So if if you actually
answer this question, I apologize our guess. My question is
what is the number one priority you want to go
on do elector? And why that ad?
Speaker 5 (34:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Easy affordability. We need to make Massachusetts more affordable. We
have fifty thousand people every year that leave Massachusetts in
search of greener pastures, and they're middle class families that
that just can't afford to stay here anymore, their kids
coming out of college. We've got a great brain trust
that comes out of college. They can't afford to stay here.
(35:01):
They can't afford to raise a family and buy houses.
So we need to make Massachusetts affordable. And there's so
many different things that we can do to get there.
We talked earlier about the electricity prices. It's simple things
like that. I say simple, you know, simple in concept.
They're a little bit more complicated to get done. But
we have to bring down the cost of living here,
(35:22):
otherwise we're just going backwards in this state we have.
We're coming into a position right now in Massachusetts where
our middle class is leaving, so we're left with two
classes of people in a wide income disparity. We need
to correct that.
Speaker 8 (35:39):
Gosha just just want to ask a little bit of
an operating question. By you're talking about affordability, are you
subseifically referring to housing price or overall everything?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Well, housing is there's a lot of different facets to it. Again,
we talked about energy. Housing is an enormous thing we
have to build. I think we're short about two hundred
thousand units right now. So that's an enormous amount and
we get there. The MBTA Communities that looks to solve
that problem, but it doesn't do it efficiently and it
(36:13):
doesn't do it in a very good way, especially when
you have so many towns rebelling against it. But we can.
We did some work with the Housing Bond Bill last
year where we made accessory dwelling units by right, so
now you can put up some more units. We need
to really aggressively go after these commercial buildings that are
(36:33):
that are sitting empty now because of you know, more
of a remote work type the atmosphere. A lot of
those can be converted to housing, as well as old
mills and things of that nature. So we have a
lot of building that we need to do, and quite frankly,
out in western and central Massachusetts there's more land to build.
So I think housing is an enormous issue here in
(36:54):
Massachusetts that we have to solve, and we have to
solve that as quick as possible.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Those are great question, flat out at time. Thanks Rick,
Senator Durant, thank you very much. I appreciate your time
tonight and keep us posted as you go through the
decision making process. And I happen to think that you
would be a wonderful candidate to run for governor.
Speaker 4 (37:19):
You've been there for a while, and I think it
would be a very interesting race. So let's keep in touch, okay,
Peter Durant.
Speaker 5 (37:25):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (37:26):
If folks want to get in touch with you, what's
the easiest way.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
The easiest way to go is to reach out to
me at Senator Durant dot com. We'd love to say
I love to have you all.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
One word, Senator Durant du r A n T dot
com sounds great.
Speaker 3 (37:43):
You got it, Peter.
Speaker 4 (37:44):
Thanks, we'll be in touch.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
Thank you so much when we when we get back
on to talk about a phone call that we don't
know a whole lot about. But today President's Trump and
Putin had a conversation about ninety minutes. Love to know
what you think. If you think there's a possible ability
that peace might break out in Ukraine, we'll talk about
that on the other side of the ten o'clock news.
(38:06):
Here on a Tuesday night, my name's Dan Ray, and
you're listening to Nightside
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