WAITING FOR RIGHT ‘TIME’
Walsh won’t rule out run for gov office
Mayor Martin J. Walsh isn’t ruling out a run for governor, telling the Herald “when the time is right” he’ll make his decision about his political future.
“I’m not ruling anything out,” Walsh said when asked about a possible run for the Corner Office.
“This is a great job. I love my job. It’s a hard job,” Walsh said of his post as mayor. “When the time is right, I’ll make my decision.”
The Dorchester-born Democrat, whose second term is underway, said he still has a lot to accomplish as mayor. He included pushing for affordable housing, improving public safety, fostering development in the city and helping the homeless.
But his political aspirations, he stressed during an exclusive interview with the Herald’s editorial board Thursday, is a work in progress.
“I think the job of governor and the job of mayor are two different jobs,” Walsh said. “I think the job of mayor is administrative, but it’s also on the ground, handson, meaning that … your emotions roll with what happens. A young person gets shot on the street, you’re on the street, you’re responsible for it.”
Governors, he added, have to take a statewide approach to legislation.
“Governor, you know, it’s similar, but you’re working with 351 cities and towns, so you have people that run those cities and towns, so you’re offering them assistance and helping them and you’re thinking on bigger policies, ‘How does what happened in Holyoke affect Boston and how Plymouth affects Middleboro or North Adams?’ ” Walsh added.
Walsh’s term ends in 2021, with Gov. Charlie Baker’s term ending a year later.
Walsh said he’s also preparing to flex his political clout in the 2020 presidential race, but who he’ll support remains to be seen.
He said he’s talked with U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden — whom he called “a friend” — along with a few other Democrats. He wouldn’t yet say who he’s backing.
“I’m a proud Democrat and I always will be a proud Democrat,” Walsh said. “There are whole different views in the Democratic Party, some of the issues that have come up over time that I’ve evolved on as a person, as a human being and part of that lines up with the party.”
When asked if Warren could challenge President Trump in a general election, Walsh said, “Anything could happen.” He says he hasn’t talked to Warren since she announced her candidacy for president, and for now, he’s just going to be the mayor of Boston.
“That’s why you have a primary so you can’t get too far ahead,” Walsh said. “When Donald Trump got in the presidential race, I didn’t think he could win. I didn’t think he necessarily wanted to win. I thought Jeb Bush was going to make the primary final and then things happen.”
Walsh said once he does decide which Democrat to back, he’s “all in.”