If Michelle Wu was trying to script her reelection race, she couldn’t do significantly better than run in opposition to a wealthy white man from tony Chestnut Hill backed by the disgruntled enterprise neighborhood.
Anyone like Josh Kraft, son of Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft, if he decides to problem the favored progressive Boston mayor.
Kraft is being urged by the enterprise neighborhood to problem Wu, however a wealthy man attempting to purchase the seat has by no means labored in Boston and doubtless gained’t once more. Kraft could also be in for a impolite actuality examine. He might not be the bigfoot folks suppose he could be as a candidate.
Wu gained 64% of the vote three years in the past and whereas she has her offended opponents like North Finish restaurant house owners, they don’t have the facility to unseat her.
Then there’s the small drawback of Kraft donating $1,000 to Wu’s mayoral marketing campaign a number of years in the past, plus greater than $33,000 in donations to different principally liberal pols like Legal professional Basic Andrea Pleasure Campbell, based on data reviewed by the Herald.
Kraft lists his present deal with in marketing campaign finance data as each Beresford Street in Chestnut Hill – which isn’t in Boston – and Battery Wharf within the North Finish.
This 12 months alone, Kraft has donated $1,000 to Campbell, $1,000 to Suffolk County District Legal professional Kevin Hayden and $1,000 to Boston State Rep. Christopher Worrell.
In 2023 Kraft gave $500 to Boston Metropolis Councilor Ed Flynn, one other potential Wu opponent, in addition to quite a few different Democrats and one Republican, Plymouth County District Legal professional Timothy Cruz.
Kraft actually has loads of cash to throw at politicians. And he works with a number of charities that do nice work within the internal metropolis. However can the son of a billionaire actually perceive the actual issues of individuals within the metropolis, individuals who can’t afford gasoline or groceries some weeks?
That may be the foremost query that would stumble Kraft, who’s head of the Kraft household philanthropies. Josh Kraft could be painted by Wu as out of contact with the town’s actual wants like inexpensive housing and low price well being care.
Plus, there’s the problem of his father, Robert, who was embroiled in scandal a number of years in the past for allegedly paying for intercourse at a therapeutic massage parlor in Florida as a part of an investigation into human trafficking. The cost of soliciting prostitution was finally dropped by prosecutors.
Kraft issued an apology for his actions however pleaded not responsible.
“I am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard,” Kraft mentioned.
Josh Kraft had nothing to do with the scandal however many citizens solely know the Kraft title due to Robert, and it’s a possible blemish on the Kraft model. It might probably loom within the minds of girls voters who aren’t sports activities followers.
Most Boston voters have by no means heard Kraft converse, so he must go on a whirlwind tour to introduce himself ought to he determine to run.
The second he declares he should show himself and the query is, is he as much as difficult the Wu powerhouse?
Will he present aggressiveness or dynamic management to problem Wu?
Will he be daring sufficient to name out her failures?
Can he be one other Mitt Romney, who overcame his wealth and out of contact with common folks baggage to be elected governor of Massachusetts?
Kraft will likely be backed by wealthy builders, and pigeonholed by Wu because the candidate of wealth and the elite.
You couldn’t consider a greater optics for the primary time period Boston mayor – a mom of two who made historical past as the primary non-white male to be elected mayor of Boston.
Wu has $1.4 million in marketing campaign money, which isn’t rather a lot for an incumbent mayor, so she would most likely be outspent by Kraft. However that always issues little to voters.
