Following the announcement that Boston Mayor Martin Walsh accepted President-Elect Joe Biden’s nomination to serve as Secretary of Labor, City Councilor Michelle Wu announced a crucial endorsement from Sen. Elizabeth Warren in her bid for Mayor of Boston.
Wu was the first candidate to announce she would run for mayor. She was soon followed by fellow Councilor Andrea Campbell. Wu and Campbell made their announcements before Walsh’s nomination to Biden’s cabinet and the two candidates hoped to unseat the incumbent Walsh in November.
Now that Walsh will head to Washington DC more candidates are lining up to take a shot at the mayoral seat. Once Walsh leaves, Council President Kim Janey will become acting mayor and may become a contender. State Senator Nick Collins from South Boston; at-large Boston City Councilor Annissa Essabi George; State Rep. Jon Santiago; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross have all been named as candidates that can possibly make announcements this week.”
Launching her campaign early has been tough for Wu. Taking on an incumbent mayor and the ongoing COVID-19 crisis made fundraising for her bid to unseat Walsh a little rocky and the Councilor was not meeting fundraising goals over the summer according to emails her campaign sent to possible donors.
Now that Walsh is leaving, donors may feel a little more comfortable donating to Wu’s campaign or the campaigns of other potential candidates.
It remains unclear what impact this or Warren’s endorsement of Wu will have on the outcome of what is sure to be a hotly contested mayoral race. Warren finished third in her home state of Massachusetts during the Presidential Primary during her short-lived bid for President. Once a political powerhouse in Massachusetts and on the national stage, Warren’s finish behind President-Elect Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders during the primary had political pundits wondering if there was a decrease in her political clout.
In her endorsement of Wu, Warren said she feels the young councillor will make a difference in the lives of Boston residents.
“When I first met Michelle as my student at Harvard Law, I knew there was something special about her,” said Warren. “What I learned over time is that she is not just a woman full of good ideas and a passionate heart, she is a woman who gets out and does the work that needs to be done to make a difference in people’s lives. Michelle has always been a fighter — as one of my students, as a Boston city councilor, and now as a candidate for Mayor. She is a mom, a daughter of immigrants, and she knows first-hand the daily challenges that so many of our families face. I am honored to call Michelle a dear friend and a partner.”
Warren said over the past seven years, Wu has carried her life experiences to City Hall as a tireless advocate for women, working families, and communities who feel unseen and unheard.
“As our country and our Commonwealth face tough challenges — a pandemic burning out of control, an economy that is being squeezed to its breaking point, and profound racial injustice that can no longer be denied — Bostonians can count on Michelle’s bold, progressive leadership to tackle our biggest challenges, such as recovering from the pandemic, dismantling systemic racism, prioritizing housing justice, revitalizing our transportation infrastructure, and addressing the climate crisis,” said Warren. “Boston must be a city of opportunity not just for some of our children, but for all of our children. Michelle will fight for a Boston that our families can afford, fight for our kids, and fight for a system that works for everyone. Michelle understands the importance of big, structural change and her leadership will keep Boston moving forward. I am so glad to have the opportunity to endorse her for Mayor of Boston.
In response to her endorsement, Wu called Warren a champion of working families in the city.
“Senator Warren is a champion for working families in Boston and around the country, and is a personal hero and friend of mine,” said Wu. “As we face some of our toughest challenges as a city—the destruction of the pandemic, an economy that leaves so many behind, and deeply rooted educational inequities and racial injustice— I am profoundly grateful for Senator Warren’s partnership and honored to have her support.”