JOSH KRAFT, the head of the New England Patriots Foundation who has maneuvered toward a mayoral run over the last year, on Tuesday launched his campaign to unseat Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
The campaign kick-off, held inside Prince Hall Grand Lodge in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, sets up what’s likely to be an expensive battle for the top job in City Hall. Kraft, who characterized it as an “uphill fight,” is a son of the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, Robert Kraft, and Wu has $1.8 million in her campaign account.
The face-off between Kraft, whose last name and family wealth make him a serious contender, and Wu, who took office in 2021 after becoming the first woman of color to win the seat, has no precedent in modern Boston politics. Tom Menino, who held the office for 20 years, did not field a challenger when he was running for a second term in 1997, while Marty Walsh easily dispatched a challenge from a city councilor in 2017.
Kraft, who had also been encouraged by some to run in 2024 against Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Wu’s mentor, has been laying the groundwork for a mayoral campaign, meeting with potential donors and supporters across the city. A limited liability company tied to the Kraft family bought the multimillion dollar North End condo that he lives in, and he registered to vote as a Democrat at that address in late 2023.
He has also courted Wu critics inside City Hall, donating to liberal City Councilor Julia Mejia, and conservative-leaning City Councilor Ed Flynn. Kraft introduced Flynn at a year-end fundraiser for the councilor, held inside the warehouse full of classic cars owned by New Balance chairman Jim Davis, who has opposed Wu in previous election cycles.
At his campaign launch, Kraft, 57, acknowledged his famous last name and his family’s wealth, but sought to highlight his philanthropic work in the nonprofit sector over several decades. “Look, I’ve been very fortunate. I wasn’t just born on third base, I was born on home plate,” he said. “But I chose a career of community service, and along the way I met so many remarkable and resilient people who call Boston home.”
Kraft took direct aim at the mayor in his speech, saying she alarmingly increased budget spending while failing to deliver on her pledges from the 2021 campaign, ranging from fare-free public transit to fixing the public school system and reinstating rent control, a proposal that died on Beacon Hill. “When it comes to the mayor’s big campaign promises to make the MBTA free for Boston residents, to put in place a rent control program and to launch a Green New Deal for Boston schools, she’s 0 for 3,” he said.
Kraft proposed capping rent increases over 10 years through City Hall providing a cut in real estate taxes for building owners. The proposal would exclude luxury rentals. “Renters deserve to be protected from massive year-over-year increases and this plan will do that,” he said.
He also criticized the Wu administration’s installation of bus and bike lanes, which he said have led to less available parking and increased traffic congestion.
Speaking with reporters inside a community health center around the corner from the Kraft kickoff, Wu took aim at Kraft’s recent move into Boston. “Frankly, I’m a little surprised that someone who hasn’t even voted for mayor or City Council in the city thinks that he is ready to lead the city, but I look forward to getting into the details and there’s so much to talk about, what Bostonians need but also the great work that’s happening every single day,” Wu said.
Responding to Kraft’s “0 for 3” remark, Wu said city officials have taken steps towards delivering but in some cases hit “roadblocks” at different levels of government. “On those three issues in particular, I think I would welcome any suggestions on how to advance the conversation in a different way at the state level or in other places,” she said. “We have taken the steps that could put specific proposals on the table and also worked with community members to make a difference in all of the areas that matter in people’s lives.”
Asked why run for mayor of Boston, and not in neighboring Newton, where there is an open race for mayor, Kraft told reporters, “Because I live in Boston.” He acknowledged he grew up in Newton, but added, “I know the people of Boston pretty well. I spent 30 years, 35 years, meeting them, talking to them, understanding their needs and their concerns.”
Reporters also asked Kraft about his father Robert’s relationship with President Donald Trump. The elder Kraft has donated to Trump, though he recently distanced himself from the president, citing the January 6 insurrection. Josh Kraft said he voted for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. “I’ve never voted for Donald Trump nor have I given him a cent. I think he’s unfit to be president due to his character and lack of emotional control,” Kraft said. “That being said, I love my dad, we agree on a lot of things. Donald Trump, we disagree on.”
He said he plans to fundraise for his mayoral campaign, and when asked how much of his own he plans to put in, Kraft said, “We’ll see how the fundraising goes.”
Kraft has been working with Keyser Public Strategies, whose clients have included Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and the top Democrat in the state Senate, Karen Spilka. Eileen O’Connor, a partner at the firm, is a member of the board of MassINC, the nonprofit that publishes CommonWealth Beacon. She is taking a leave of absence from her role as chair of the board.
The crowd at Prince Hall was a mix of alumni from Gov. Baker’s administration and law enforcement. Former police commissioner William Gross and Jose Ruiz, who was a member of former mayor Walsh’s police detail, mingled with other Kraft supporters. Security at Kraft’s kickoff was provided by sharply dressed guards who typically work at Gillette Stadium, the home of the Patriots.
In the 2021 election, Gross was part of a super PAC, funded by New Balance’s Davis, who boosted Wu’s opponent, Annissa Essaibi George. Gross said he is not getting involved in another super PAC in this cycle. “I’m retired, I have grandkids,” he said. “That took a lot of time.”
Gross, the city’s first Black police commissioner, said he remains plugged into the city’s political scene and he’s heard from seniors who complain about bike lanes. “I’m like, I’m retired, go to your politicians. And they feel as though no one’s listening to them,” he said.
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