Josh Kraft running for mayor against Wu? Maybe, some insiders say
just the sort of occasion an aspiring candidate would seek out to shake hands, show interest in the community, and take the temperature of the crowd, so to speak.
mayor michelle Wu hasn’t formally announced her intention to run for reelection next year. but the parlor game over who might challenge her is already intense, with a particular focus on the younger kraft, who insiders say is actively considering making a run. though the potential matchup is more than a year and a half out, the speculation has led to questions of whether a candidate like kraft — a rich political neophyte — could capitalize on the dissatisfaction with Wu among certain constituencies, and build a coalition to mount a legitimate challenge.
fueling the rumor mill, kraft, who lives outside boston in chestnut Hill, purchased a condo in october in the north end — a convenient commute away from city Hall — for more than $2 million. Suffolk county property records show an llc listing its address as the Patriots’ home field, Gillette Stadium, purchased the unit. Josh kraft also provided the north end condo as his home address in an april campaign contribution to Suffolk District attorney kevin Hayden.
When asked at the Roxbury event on Sunday whether he is mulling a run for mayor, kraft deployed a well-worn political dodge: He did not explicitly rule it out.
“i’m looking at a lot of opportunities now, and i have nothing to report,” kraft said as he tried to make his way to the exit to head to a family celebration for his nephew’s graduation. it took him more than 10 minutes to extricate himself from the crowd, as community leaders, advocates for various causes, and two city councilors — Henry Santana and Julia mejia — sought his attention.
answers like that are fueling discussions around town about kraft’s intentions, as does his highly active, curated social media presence. in recent months, kraft has posted nearly every day from his instagram account, highlighting his nonprofit work and frequent public appearances.
“He would be a formidable candidate,” said Joyce ferriabough bolling, a veteran boston political strategist. “He’s done quite a bit in communities of color. . . . [the krafts] don’t just talk the talk and just write a check, they’re actively involved.”
kraft, president of the new england Patriots foundation, has spearheaded numerous philanthropic endeavors on behalf of his family, working with the boys and Girls clubs of boston for more than 30 years, including 12 as its president and chief executive. He is the current chair of the Urban league of eastern massachusetts, a historic civil rights organization based in Roxbury.
kraft would also have vast resources at his disposal to fund a campaign, and benefit from his recognizable last name. but Jacquetta Van Zandt, a longtime boston political strategist, said kraft would need a clear pitch and platform to overcome his lack of political experience.
“People in the community respect him, they respect him aside from his family, they respect his intentionality of being on the front line,” Van Zandt said. but “people will want to know, outside of the boys and
Girls club, what have you done? Where are you going to take the city?. . . What are you going to do differently from [Wu]?”
challenging Wu would be an uphill battle in a city where, historically, unseating an incumbent mayor has proven close to impossible. Wu, 39, who made history as the first woman and person of color elected to lead the city, also remains politically popular, said matt o’malley, a former boston city councilor.
“She’s really executed a strong administration and the city is in a really good position right now. Streets are clean, crime is down, the economy is thriving,” o’malley said. While more work needs to be done, “she’s got a record that she can point to of success, and that will certainly translate well should she run for reelection.”
nonetheless, Wu has faced criticism from several quarters, including communities of color, over several policies she’s attempted to roll out, which could present an opportunity for a candidate like kraft to carve a lane to run in, political insiders said. a spokesperson for the mayor’s office declined to comment on the rumors of a potential kraft challenge.
in recent months, for instance, Wu received significant pushback over her plan to move the John D. o’bryant School, the most diverse exam school, from its location in a historically black neighborhood to the largely white neighborhood of West Roxbury. the ensuing uproar led Wu to ultimately reverse her decision.
the city is also facing a lawsuit from residents and a local environmental group over Wu’s plan to redevelop White Stadium in partnership with a private company for the benefit of boston Public Schools athletes and also to provide a home for a new professional women’s soccer team.
“What people want more than anything, what voters want is transparency,” said Van Zandt. “they want to know that they felt like they were having a seat at the table, and . . . it oftentimes felt like [Wu’s administration] excluded people from those conversations, and i think that that’s gonna play a part.”
backlash from the business community over Wu’s proposal to temporarily increase the commercial property tax rate, as well as the perception that the mayor is far less friendly to corporate interests than her predecessors, also poses an opportunity for kraft to peel off the support of influential real estate and business groups, observers said.
but it remains to be seen whether anger over some of Wu’s less popular initiatives leaves her vulnerable, said cameron charbonnier, a political consultant who worked for former mayor martin J. Walsh for seven years and was also annissa essaibi George’s campaign manager for her run against Wu.
With more than a year, and a presidential race, to go before the 2025 election, plenty could still change.
“it’s hard to tell exactly what the dynamics [will be],” said charbonnier. “taking on an incumbent mayor of boston is always going to be an uphill path, and i think it gives people a lot of pause when deciding whether or not to do so.”