Walsh demures on mayoral reign, re-election
Mayor Martin J. Walsh, seen as the heavy favorite in his first re-election battle, insists he isn’t even thinking about how many terms he might serve — and whether he sees multiple terms like the late Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
“I focus my life one day at a time,” Walsh told the Herald yesterday. “Who knows what the situations will be. Where I’m focusing on — running the city right now and getting re-elected.”
Both Walsh and his mayoral rival, City Councilor Tito Jackson, attended yesterday’s Greek Independence Day Parade that kicked off on Boylston Street.
Menino was mayor for more than two decades. No mayor has lost a re-election bid in the city in more than six decades.
Walsh, who has more than $4 million in his campaign coffers, compared with Jackson, who has raised about $100,000, didn’t answer directly when asked if he takes his opponent seriously.
Walsh said he’ll have to see how many candidates throw their hats in the ring.
Tomorrow is when the city’s Election Department begins distributing nomination papers.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what the field is, and once the field is set, we’ll really focus on the campaign,” Walsh said. “I take the duties of being mayor of the city of Boston extremely serious. I’m going to continue to work very hard.”
Although pundits are calling Jackson a longshot underdog, the city councilor yesterday said he’s not listening to them.
“The most important person in this election is the voter. And they will decide,” Jackson said. “It won’t be a bank account. It won’t be a poll or pollster, the people of the city of Boston will decide this election.”
Jackson said he’s learned a lot from groups such as No Boston 2024, which helped derail Walsh’s bid to bring the Olympics to the city.
“I consider the people who stood up for the city of Boston as actually pro-Boston and not anti-Olympic.
“There is something to learn from the No Boston and No Boston 2024 movement. They actually showed us a very important lesson that I think is something I can use in my campaign.
“They beat an organization that had $15 million dollars,” Jackson said, noting that groups that opposed a city bid for the Olympics barely scratched $10,000.