I guess we’re at the point in the campaign where pundits and consultants make excuses as to why their candidate is losing. 🧵 Westneat points to Trump and his fawning billionaires:

Horsey, meantime, blames the imprudent youth:

There’s no doubt that Trump’s election and an out-of-touch Democratic party establishment are factors in this race, and also that young voters aren’t enchanted by Harrell. But far and away the issues with the most “heat” in this campaign are affordability, homelessness, and public safety.

Yes, I talk about progressive revenue on the campaign trail. But I haven’t been shouting about taxing billionaires. Rather, I talk about how we can address the City’s massive structural budget deficit, which has widened as Harrell repeatedly kicks the can down the road and adds one-time spending.

Yes, younger voters overwhelmingly support my campaign, and sure, the youth are the repository of idealism. But you know what else? They’re the ones who feel the affordability crisis in their bones, who can’t imagine building a life here because rent, food, childcare, everything costs so much.

If this was primarily a backlash election against incumbents in deep blue cities, Michelle Wu in Boston would be fighting for her political life, too. But she’s coasting to reelection. Why? Because she’s seen as a fighter for affordability, and Boston is one of the safest big cities in the country.

Unsheltered homelessness in Boston is WAY lower than in Seattle: “Only 6 percent of the region’s homeless population is unsheltered, far below the national average of 40 percent.” Meantime, a whopping 58% of the Seattle area’s homeless population is unsheltered. That’s the highest in the country.