Latest news with #BoldBoston
Boston Globe
12-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
How can Boston mayoral candidates reach voters during the summer slump? Take to the airwaves.
It's also yet another indication that in this Ads aren't a silver bullet for winning a campaign. But at this point in the summer, 'it's all you can do, really,' said Cam Charbonnier, a Boston political consultant who ran a mayoral campaign in 2021. 'People aren't really making a decision at this point, and a lot of people aren't totally focused on it,' he added. 'But by the time they start to think about it, you don't want it to be the first time they're hearing about your candidate. You want them to have an idea that's formed.' Related : Advertisement New ads are launching this week and next on behalf of both Advertisement The Kraft campaign on Friday launched its first television advertisements, a series of at least six 30-second spots that feature people Kraft has worked with or for during his years as a nonprofit leader in Boston. While Kraft only spent three decades at the Boys & Girls Club of Boston, including 12 years as its head. One of the new ads features Jonte Joseph, who met Kraft at the Charlestown Boys & Girls Club when Joseph was only 9 years old. Kraft, Joseph said, saw him through difficult moments, understanding that 'people sometimes need help to get back on track.' 'Josh helped change my life,' Joseph says in the Other commercials highlight other friends and former colleagues who praise Kraft for everything from helping the Muslim community in Hyde Park find a The positive ads present a contrast with the commercials put forward earlier this year by a super PAC aligned with Kraft. The PAC has A spokesperson for the campaign did not say how much Kraft's team will spend on the new television commercials. But the commercials are a notable flex of the campaign's ample finances — boosted in recent months by a $2 million cash infusion from Kraft himself. Conventional campaign wisdom dictates that once advertisements go up on air, they should not come down, suggesting Kraft's team may be preparing to keep the ads running for months. Related : Advertisement On Monday, a Wu-aligned super PAC, Bold Boston, is launching a 60-second radio ad that takes aim at Kraft for his past support for Republican political candidates. The commercial aims to tie Kraft to President Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' which is expected to 'You know, Josh Kraft donated to Republicans who got the law passed,' says one voice in the commercial. Kraft, who is now a registered Democrat but has also voted for Republicans over the years, has donated in the past to some The Wu-aligned PAC also has not said how much it will spend to air the ads. In-person events have slowed down somewhat for the summer, though both Wu and Kraft are expected to appear Tuesday evening at an event Campaigns also spend the slow summer months lining up endorsements, organizing volunteers, and launching canvasses. Wu's campaign has canvasses planned this weekend in East Boston, Mattapan, Charlestown, and half a dozen other neighborhoods. The mayor rolled out an endorsement this week from the Boston Teachers Union. Advertisement For his part, Kraft on Thursday held a press conference to announce a He said his campaign is not slowing down during the summer stretch. 'I'm gonna keep doing what we're doing — showing up everywhere and anywhere,' Kraft said Thursday. 'Just showing up and listening to people.' DaRosa, one of the 'The majority of my community doesn't have the luxury to take off for the summer,' he said. He sees indications that voters remain engaged, and said he is working to meet residents in person at supermarkets and train stops. 'There's more interest than is being projected out there,' he said. 'Folks are not interested in a lot of the BS that's going on between Michelle and Kraft, the back and forth bickering over whose bank account is bigger. Folks are more interested in the solutions and how we're gonna go about moving the city forward.' Globe correspondent Jade Lozada contributed to this report. Emma Platoff can be reached at
Politico
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Politico
Boston mayor's race hits the waves
CHANNEL SURFING — Boston's mayoral race is shaping up to be the sound of the summer thanks to new ads hitting the airwaves in the next few days. Josh Kraft's campaign is readying a television ad blitz with a series of 30-second spots featuring Bostonians he worked with during his more than two decades at the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. The clips feature residents from an array of backgrounds across the city – like Jonte Joseph of Charlestown, who met the mayoral hopeful at the Charlestown Boys and Girls Club when he was 9 years old, according to the campaign, and Bob Monahan, a longtime South Boston nonprofit leader who hired Kraft in the 1990s. The series addresses one of the criticisms Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has levelled against Kraft – that he's new to the city — by touting support from those who first worked with him in Boston decades ago. The campaign declined to share how much money they're putting behind the series, which is coming to broadcast television, streaming sites and digital platforms starting today. On the other side, the Bold Boston super PAC that's backing Wu is gearing up to launch a radio ad Monday that looks to tie Kraft to President Donald Trump and the recently passed congressional budget reconciliation package. The 60-second radio hit features two people talking about potential negative impacts from the congressional package, before yoking Kraft to Republicans who backed the bill. 'You know, Josh Kraft donated to Republicans who got the law passed?' one of the narrators says. 'That's right. He donated thousands to Trump-backing Republicans who want to ban abortion and cut Medicaid,' says the second narrator. It's an apparent reference to donations Kraft made a few years ago to Republicans like Reps. Glenn Grothmann of Wisconsin, Buddy Carter of Georgia and Mike Bost of Illinois. Kraft's campaign has said he made donations to those politicians solely because of their support for Israel. A spokesperson for the PAC declined to specify how much money the group plans to put behind the ad. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. A little less than two months to go before the preliminary! Tips, scoops, catch any of the ads in action? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll have no public events. THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Jim McGovern is on WBZ's 'Keller @ Large' at 8:30 a.m. Sunday. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is on WCVB's 'On the Record' at 11 a.m. Sunday. DATELINE BEACON HILL RULE BREAKERS — Progressive groups that have been pushing for more transparency on Beacon Hill are calling out state lawmakers for bypassing the internal rules they put in place that were supposed to shed some more light on the legislative process. Progress Mass and Act on Mass say legislators are already violating rules implementing new deadlines and making testimony public. Their call is here. FROM THE HUB — Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden's office threw out disgraced prosecutor Rachael Rollins' do-not-prosecute list by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said his office seeks to divert, rather than prosecute, certain low-level shoplifting offenders but bristled when asked whether he still operates under his disgraced predecessor Rachael Rollins' do-not-prosecute list. During a Thursday press conference on an initiative his office spearheaded that aims to deter shoplifting, Hayden outlined how the DA's office aims to prosecute repeat retail theft offenders while giving a pass to first-time non-violent offenders — provided the newbie bandits take part in a voluntary diversion program.' — Stats show shoplifting spike in Boston, officials say they're working on it by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: 'According to the Boston Police Department's Part One Crime tracking data for the first six month of 2025, 'Other Larceny,' an offense that includes shoplifting and other crimes, totaled 4,185 incidents so far this year – up nearly 23% past the city's five-year average. The Boston Police Department did not immediately clarify what portion of those 'Other Larceny' incidents are shoplifting, but did say through a spokesperson 'So far this year, reports have increased 15% over last year at this time.' Asked about the figures, Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox said mid-year statistics are difficult to discuss and attributed the rise to increased calls to police.' MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — ICE report revealed in court shows the agency used Canary Mission information to target Rümeysa Öztürk by Giulia McDonnell Nieto del Rio and Shelley Murphy, The Boston Globe: 'An immigration official disclosed Thursday that the agency relied heavily on a pro-Israel website to identify international students who protested the war in Gaza, including Tufts PhD candidate Rümeysa Öztürk, as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on the pro-Palestinian movement on college campuses. Under questioning in federal court in Boston, the official from Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not point to any other grounds for Öztürk's detention beyond her inclusion in the blacklist from the website, known as Canary Mission, or her coauthoring of an op-ed in the student newspaper calling on Tufts to divest from companies with ties to Israel.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — Donahue no longer seeking reelection in Ward 2 City Council race by Matt Petry, The Newburyport Daily News: 'After four years serving as the Ward 2 city councilor, Jennie Donahue announced Thursday she will not seek reelection. Elected in 2021, Donahue made Thursday's announcement via Facebook, linking to an article she wrote.' — Josh Kraft unveils reentry after prison plan in bid for Boston mayor by Jade Lozada and Emma Platoff, The Boston Globe: 'Josh Kraft on Thursday unveiled a plan to support individuals returning from prison, a new plank in his policy platform as he seeks to unseat incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu in this fall's election. Kraft made the announcement at a press conference in South Boston, where he was surrounded by about 10 supporters, some of whom were formerly incarcerated and said Kraft has been an immense source of support. His proposal includes a 90-day countdown reentry plan to help individuals find housing, job opportunities, and mental health support before they leave prison. ENDORSEMENT ALERT — The Boston Teachers Union has endorsed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for reelection, per the Boston Herald. TRUMPACHUSETTS — UMass Chan Medical School faces shortfall of tens of millions of dollars in NIH funding by Lynn Jolicoeur, WBUR: 'Leaders of UMass Chan Medical School say they've tallied the shortfall in federal funding to the school's scientists since President Trump took office. According to Chancellor Michael Collins, it's enough to imperil research across the institution. The math shows UMass Chan hasn't received nearly $42 million in expected grants from the National Institutes of Health for the school's fiscal year that just ended. That includes grants for studies and related costs that were deemed 'fundable' in the NIH review process but then stalled, Collins said.' FROM THE 413 — Easthampton council president mulls interim mayor post in wake of LaChapelle resignation by Sam Ferland, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'In the wake of Mayor Nicole LaChapelle's resignation, city councilors met Wednesday night to discuss paths forward to find an interim mayor, leaving the City Council president with a decision to make. According to the city charter, if a vacancy in the office of mayor occurs in the last nine months of their term, the president of the City Council shall become the mayor. With an election scheduled for Nov. 4, City Council President Salem Derby has not made a decision to accept the position as interim mayor.' —— Turmoil on Northampton reparations panel as council ponders future by Alexander MacDougall, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'The city has fired an administrative assistant of the Northampton Reparations Study Commission and the chair of the commission has resigned ahead of a City Council meeting where it will be determined whether or not to continue the commission's work on its final report. Anthony Arena-DeRosa, who served the commission in a staff support role, received a letter from Human Resources Director Charles Dunham on June 30, saying that the city intended to terminate his employment effective immediately. The cause of Arena-DeRosa's termination, according to the letter shared with the Gazette, was an email he sent June 17, using a city email address, to approximately 130 residents to advocate for a public hearing before the city accepted a final report put out by the commission.' — Hasbro's tariff response? In part it is to increase toy production in this WMass town by Jim Kinney, The Springfield Republican: 'Toymaker Hasbro is stepping up board game production at a manufacturing partner's plant in East Longmeadow, in part to maneuver around the Trump administration's tariffs. Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks described the move as a reaction to the administration's import policies Thursday morning in a broadcast segment with CNN's Audie Cornish. But Cocks said reshoring the company's products can only do so much.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Lowell steps onto world stage as Frontrunner City by Melanie Gilbert, The Lowell Sun: 'This week, Lowell was the epicenter for a pilot program that could be transformative for the future of the city. Political, educational, business and community-based leadership welcomed a delegation from Canada that leads up the innovative Frontrunner City Initiative. 'The goal today is to look at the future of Lowell tomorrow,' City Manager Tom Golden said during a presentation at City Hall announcing the partnership with the Urban Economy Forum.' — A veterans housing project almost fell through amid funding cuts and tariffs by Sam Turken, GBH News. — Meet the designer behind Newton's new city seal by Amanda Beland, WBUR. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE TRAIL MARKERS — Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is headed to New Hampshire today to stump for Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas, a move that's stoking some 2028 speculation for the former presidential candidate. HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Gintautas Dumcius will be the new editor of MASSterList. He's an alum of several Boston-area outlets and most recently was a reporter at CommonWealth Beacon. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Sen. Ed Markey, WBUR alum Jack Lepiarz, Maximos Nikitas, Angus Abercrombie, Chris Maloney, a partner at the Black Rock Group and a Mitt Romney alum, and to Noa Burke-Schlossberg. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to state Rep. Dan Ryan, Daily Hampshire Gazette reporter Scott Merzbach, Gregorio Gomez, Arlene Remz and Madeline Saunders, who celebrate Saturday, and to Sunday birthday-ers Amanda Hunter, executive director of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, Nick Newburger and Barry Posen.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Super PACs flood Boston mayor's race with cash: Who's spending what
Just in time for the weather to warm up, super PACs backing Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and main challenger Josh Kraft are turning up the heat in the race for City Hall. All told, independent expenditure groups on either side of the already tense mayoral campaign recently have poured nearly $1 million into the contest, state records show. The pro-Wu super PAC Bold Boston reported raising $743,000 between Jan. 1 and June 12, according to a report filed with the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance. The group reported spending $256,114. The money underwrote a campaign commercial highlighting supporters of President Donald who donated to a pro-Kraft super PAC. Two big donors to that super PAC included the political arms of the Environmental League of Massachusetts and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, who respectively donated $175,000 and $50,000, records showed. The pro-Kraft Your City, Your Future, meanwhile, reported raising $230,100 between May 30 and June 18, state filings show. That comes on top of the $2.4 million the super PAC raised in the opening months of the race. Read More: Boston Mayor Wu slams Kraft over claims White Stadium cost secretly spiked On Friday, Wu's reelection campaign went on the attack, singling out John Paulson, a supporter of President Donald Trump, who made a $100,000 contribution to the pro-Kraft super PAC earlier this month. Paulson is the president of the New York City-based hedge fund firm Paulson & Co. A report by Forbes put the investor's net worth at $3.8 billion. He made his money by 'betting against subprime mortgages at the peak of the 2007 credit bubble,' according to Forbes. Last year, Paulson notably threatened to pull his money from the market if former Vice President Kamala Harris prevailed over Trump, according to Vanity Fair. 'Every single day, Donald Trump and his administration attack Boston and everything that makes our city the greatest in the world. It's not enough that Trump and his minions attack our community; now they are trying to buy the city too,' Wu's campaign said in a statement. Under state law, campaigns and independent expenditure groups are forbidden from coordinating with each other. Kraft has previously dismissed accusations that he's trying to buy the race. 'The power of incumbency is a real thing,' Kraft said in a Friday statement to The Boston Herald. 'While Mayor Wu appears to be running her campaign out of City Hall, I have a fully staffed campaign team, including a campaign headquarters in Nubian Square.' Read More: Out-of-town money floods Boston mayor's race Through Friday, Wu's campaign was sitting on $2.3 million in cash on hand, state filings showed. Kraft, who injected $2 million of his own money into his campaign, was just behind at $1.95 million, state filings showed. Boston Mayor Wu slams Kraft over claims White Stadium cost secretly spiked Kraft and Wu clash over cost of White Stadium project Boston NAACP calls for pause on White Stadium renovation Read the original article on MassLive.
Boston Globe
19-06-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Make that another $1 million: Dueling Super PACs in Boston mayor's race rake in more cash
A separate super PAC backing Kraft remained busy, too. 'Your City, Your Future,' which has already dropped Taken together, the outside groups reported pulling in $973,101 between their newly filed reports. The contributions pushed the total raised by the two super PACs to more than $3.9 million through mid-June, with 'Your City, Your Future' — and its $3.16 million in contributions — accounting for the vast majority of that. Advertisement The 'Bold Boston' super PAC first formed in 2023, when it spent nearly $100,000 supporting a trio of Wu allies in their successful bids for city council. Advertisement It effectively re-emerged in mid-March, roughly a month after Kraft Mike Firestone has worked under Wu since she took the mayor's office in 2021. Karen Firestone has been a longtime contributor to Wu, whom she first donated to in 2013, and other state Democrats, including Governor Maura Healey, campaign finance records show. Efforts to reach Karen Firestone were not immediately successful Thursday. Spokespeople for 'Bold Boston' and Wu's campaign also didn't immediately comment. 'Bold Boston' also received $175,000 in early June from the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund Independent Expenditure PAC, whose only donation so far this year was $150,000 in March from billionaire A slate of labor-aligned groups also donated heavily to the Wu-aligned group, including the 1199 SEIU MA PAC, which gave $100,000, and the Unite Here Tip State and Local Fund, which gave $150,000. The Green Advocacy Project, a Bay Area-based 501c(4) organization that gives heavily to The group took a variety of smaller donations, too, including $10,000 from Barbara Lee, a Cambridge philanthropist who's worked for decades helping get women elected office, and $25,000 from William Lee, a partner at WilmerHale, which Super PACs are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, and, unlike candidates themselves, they can take donations directly from businesses. They are barred, however, from coordinating with any candidates or their campaigns. Advertisement The attacks 'Bold Boston' has launched against Kraft echo the arguments Wu and her allies have made on the campaign trail: that Kraft, the son of Kraft, a longtime nonprofit leader, is loaning his campaign $2 million from his own wallet. The Kraft-aligned 'Your City, Your Future' super PAC has taken $1 million from New Balance chair and billionaire Jim Davis, as well as billionaire businessman Paulson, who gave $100,000 Matt Stout can be reached at
