Boston Mayor Michelle Wu reaffirmed her decision to seek reelection in 2025 this week, saying that she plans to formally announce after her baby is born in January, as two potential challengers are still weighing whether to jump into the race.
Wu, who first stated her intention to run for a second term alongside her pregnancy announcement in July, shed light on when her official campaign launch would come in an interview for WCVB’s “On the Record,” set to air in its entirety on Sunday.
“I am running,” Wu said in a pre-published snippet of the interview accompanied by a tweet from WCVB that said the mayor plans to launch her reelection campaign after the birth of her third child “early next year.”
Her office would not confirm that timeline, which was not stated by Wu in the short clip.
Wu, a 39-year-old progressive in a liberal city, has touted Boston’s low homicide rate as evidence that it is the safest major city in the country. She is also boosted by her incumbency in Boston, where no sitting mayor has been defeated since 1949.
She has been described by some political observers as vulnerable on certain issues like White Stadium that she’s been seen as pushing through over the objections of communities of color, and to a potential challenge from a candidate of color who’s willing to run center-left or a candidate with name recognition and resources.
This month’s election, where Republican Donald Trump trounced Vice President Kamala Harris, also has pundits speculating whether the country’s rightward shift may benefit the two candidates who are considering challenging Mayor Wu.
Josh Kraft, son of the billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head of his family’s philanthropic arm, has reportedly been testing the waters after the election, but “is still considering running for mayor,” a spokesperson told the Herald Friday.
City Councilor Ed Flynn, the son of former Mayor Ray Flynn and a moderate Democrat who has opposed several of Wu’s major policies in recent months, previously told the Herald he is considering a bid for mayor, but gave a more vague statement on Saturday.
“As a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a probation officer in Superior Court, youth sports coach and city councilor, I want to continue to provide positive leadership throughout Boston and address neighborhood services and quality of life issues,” Flynn said. “I love this city. Boston works best when we listen to each other and work together.”
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