2025 Boston Mayoral Election

The 2021 Boston Mayoral Preliminary Election, a contest mainly between Businessman & Son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft: Josh Kraft and Incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu resulted in a commanding lead for Wu in the first of two rounds to select Boston’s mayor.

Winning every neighborhood in part because of her existing popularity good campaign, and in part because of Kraft’s disastrous one — Wu was able to tie Kraft to unpopular president Donald Trump due to the large amounts of donors both campaigns share; emphasizing that Boston “can’t be bought”

Beyond this, the repeated attacks by the Trump administration on Boston allowed for Wu to convert her popularity into that of a local hero; standing up for Boston’s interests against the unpopular president.

Further, Wu noted on the campaign trail her support for policies to make housing affordable, as well as her successes in fighting climate change, and tackling Crime

Still, conservatives were unhappy with Wu, believing she was a spendthrift who hasn’t sufficiently addressed addiction in Boston, rising rents (with Kraft attacking her support for Rent control) and education

In doing so, resulting her doing worst in Trump’s best areas in 2024 — as well as doing worse vs Harris’ margins with Black voters due to a concerted effort — while improving most on Harris’ Margins with Asian and Hispanic voters specifically.

In the end, while this preliminary election isn’t final, it sets Wu up for a commanding victory in November — handing the Popular Boston mayor four more years in the job she currently holds.

Sources