Kraft Officially Launches Boston Mayoral Campaign

Philanthropist Joshua Kraft officially announced his candidacy for Boston mayor on Tuesday — and lost no time criticizing Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 for a lack of results on her campaign promises.

Kraft — the son of billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft— announced his campaign after filing for candidacy on Jan. 24. While he has no past political experience, Kraft criticized Wu as a “leader that just does not listen” in his campaign announcement speech in Dorchester.

“Right now, we face some serious, serious challenges — challenges that Mayor Wu has not risen to,” Kraft said.

In response, Wu said she was “surprised that someone who hasn’t even voted for mayor or City Council thinks that he’s ready to lead the city,” according to The Boston Herald.

Kraft has been criticized for recently purchasing a home in Boston — a choice which some speculate was only done to enable his mayoral run. In a statement from her office, Wu pointed to Kraft’s recent move to Boston.

“I welcome Josh Kraft to the city,” the statement read. “I think he’ll find that Bostonians are passionate about their neighborhoods and don’t always agree.”

While Wu has expressed interest in running for re-election, she has not officially announced her candidacy. Wu is the first Asian American woman to serve as a city councilor and mayor — and recently, made history as Boston’s first mayor to give birth while in office.

In addition to gearing up for her mayoral run, Wu announced yesterday that she will testify on Boston’s status as a sanctuary city before Congress.

In his announcement speech, Kraft recognized that he has been “fortunate in his life,” but asked that Boston residents “set aside any ideas they may have about me based on my last name.”

“I spent my entire career in the neighborhoods of Boston, from Roslindale to East Boston, from Mattapan to Charlestown, from South Boston to Roxbury,” he said.

Kraft previously spent 35 years with the social services organization the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and now serves as president of the New England Patriots Foundation — a non-profit established by his family that supports youth and family aid programs. Kraft is also the chair of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, a civil rights group based in Roxbury.

“Serving Boston has been my passion and a great source of joy and purpose in my life, but I also know there’s more for me to give this city,” he said. “And that’s why today, because I love this city and its people, I’m excited to declare my candidacy to be the next mayor of Boston.”

Kraft highlighted Wu’s “big campaign promises” — including rent control, revamping Boston Public School facilities, and eliminating MBTA fees for Boston residents — that the mayor has yet to fulfill.

“She’s zero for three.” he said.

Wu told Boston Herald reporters that she is “proud of the progress we’ve made,” adding that her administration has worked on “specific proposals” to “make a difference in all of the areas that matter in people’s lives.”

Kraft recognized that he is an “underdog” in his attempt to unseat an incumbent — but said he was ready for the challenge in his speech.

“I know that this is going to be an uphill fight,” he said. “But I’m excited for the challenge — excited for the opportunity to listen and learn from the people of Boston.”

—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen.

—Staff writer Frances Y. Yong can be reached at frances.yong@thecrimson.com.