For Wu, despite speculation, being mayor is what’s next

Big Pharma has a new scheme that will make them even more money: undermining patients' bargaining power and blaming anyone who gets in their way. If we want to solve the Rx cost crisis, we need to hold Big Pharma accountable. To find out how, go to saveourbenefitsma.org.

“Everybody’s bored already?” That was Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s response to reporters in 2023, after she stepped out of a Mission Hill restaurant, where she stood with a candidate she just helped elect to the City Council in an off-year election.

The questions had been about her future. Despite all signs pointing to a reelection campaign, she still had not formally announced. 

Two years later, after she beat challenger Josh Kraft by 49 points, it’s deja vu. The suburban readership of the Boston Globe was treated to a 3,800-word story headlined, “Michelle Wu crushed foes in D.C. and at home. What’s next for the mayor?” Whoever subscribes to the Herald saw a more succinct query in a column that asked, “What is ambitious Michelle Wu up to?”

But here the answer may be a relatively boring one, if speculation about a run for U.S. Senate is what gets your heart racing. "If you're looking at what she does next, it's [being] mayor,” said one political insider in the Wu camp.

For reporters and insiders, there is an understandable obsession with who’s on which rung of the ladder. It helps keep the boredom at bay in one of the least politically competitive states in the country, where waiting-your-turn is pervasive. 

Wu allies and close watchers of the mayor point to her hands-on management style and the appeal of getting things done, suggesting a preference for executive roles. Kevin White, who served as Boston mayor for 16 years, was known to say the only political jobs worth having were president, governor and mayor.

While governors get a nice corner office, they can find themselves at the mercy of House and Senate leaders, as Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick learned after leaving the private sector for Beacon Hill. Gov. Charlie Baker, mentored by Bill Weld, was already well aware of the dynamic. (In D.C., when Capitol Hill similarly wants to be an aggressive counterbalance to the White House, it can be.)

Boston mayors benefit from an incredible amount of concentrated executive power, and a weak council down the hall, compared with other city leaders across and the country. And the position offers a birds-eye view of the political landscape, with actionable intelligence flowing in from above and below, while everyone else peers out of watchtowers.

As Wu geared up for her 2013 City Council run, she relayed to some that she had her eye on running for mayor. When she won in 2021, a top aide said it was the culmination of an eight-year plan. At a reelection fundraiser two years ago, Wu answered a question about the state of Boston schools by asking for time, more than a single four-year term. On GBH’s “Boston Public Radio,” she’s joked about running for a tenth term. (She would be in her 70s around then.)

Asked about the interest in her future, Wu wrote it off as people looking to get excited about the November election. While things may seem like they’re slowing down, “this has actually been the opposite at this moment and in this city, because there is so much to do, there is so much to address, a lot of it to fight back on, a lot of it to move forward on,” she said. “And if getting things done sparks political speculation, then so be it.”

When Deval Patrick was governor, reporters, myself included, badgered him with questions about D.C. posts and a Supreme Court nomination, since he was close to President Obama. We’re incorrigible, and sometimes wrong. What do you think is next for the mayor? Drop me a line: [email protected].

Jobs continue below the fold — post a job

10:00 | Gov. Maura Healey holds an event to address President Trump’s decision to allow SNAP benefits to lapse during the federal government shutdown, which the governor's office said will affect more than a million Bay Staters in November. | Nubian Markets, 2565 Washington St., Roxbury

11:30 | Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley join food bank leaders for a press conference to highlight efforts to support communities impacted by the federal government shutdown. | Project Bread, 145 Border St., Level 2, Boston

12:00 | Boston’s Michelle Wu appears on the "Ask the Mayor" segment on GBH Radio's "Boston Public Radio.” | Boston Public Library, Copley Sq., Boston | GBH 89.7 FM

1:00 | Gov. Maura Healey attends the 15th annual Boston Irish Honors luncheon. This year’s honorees include former Ambassador Claire Cronin, UMass President Marty Meehan and Dr. James O’Connell of the Boston Health Care for Homeless Program. | Artists for Humanity, 100 W 2nd St., Boston

_{-Sponsored by BlueHub Capital-}

Findings from the multi-decade analysis show how $147 million in investments resulted in 3,225 units of housing, 756 early childcare slots, $6.95M in home equity for a group of homeowners at the brink of foreclosure — LEARN MORE

A new super PAC has formed as voting in Boston City Council elections gets underway. Kathryn Burton, ex-mayor Marty Walsh’s former chief of staff in City Hall, is listed on the paperwork filed with campaign finance regulators as the chair.

Burton, who helped out Josh Kraft’s campaign for mayor before he dropped out, did not respond to a request for comment about the PAC, which is called “A Balanced and Better Boston.” The treasurer is Ellis Brewster, who is a consultant for a firm that Walsh’s still-active campaign committee has paid for finance compliance work.

Walsh, who has called for balance on the City Council, endorsed two at-large candidates: Longtime friend Frank Baker, and Alexandra Valdez, who worked for him. (Mayor Wu is supporting incumbent Henry Santana, as well as Valdez, who has worked for Wu as director of the office of cultural affairs.)

Reached for comment, Walsh said he had heard there was a PAC in the works but declined further comment.

Another super PAC, called Boston Voice, formed earlier this month, but it’s unclear who is behind it. Wu told MASSterList this week she is not involved in any super PACs as the City Council elections draw near. 

A third super PAC, We Are Different, has already been spending thousands of dollars on digital advertising in support of incumbents Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia and Santana. Its top donor is SEIU Local 509.

Two of the nation’s best hospitals—Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital—are uniting as one team to deliver the most powerful kind of cancer care. One team that performs the most surgeries and has the most specialists in New England. One team turning discovery into hope. We’re one against cancer. Discover more

…The New England Joint Board of UNITE HERE has endorsed Sen. Ed Markey for reelection over Democratic primary challenger Seth Moulton. The union represents workers in the textile, garment, manufacturing, laundry, human service and hospitality sectors. “Senator Markey understands that good, family-sustaining jobs are the foundation of strong communities, and he’s never wavered in fighting for fairness, dignity, and respect for workers across Massachusetts and beyond,” Warren Pepicelli, Joint Board Manager of UNITE HERE, said in a statement….

…Mark Steffen, who signed up as the MassGOP’s political director, has jumped to Mike Kennealy’s campaign for governor, with the same title. Before spending four months at the party, Steffen worked as the campaign manager for U.S. Senate candidate John Deaton’s 2024 run against Elizabeth Warren, and the manager auditor candidate Anthony Amore’s 2022 run….

…The City Convenience store across from the State House has stopped selling paper copies of the Boston Globe and Herald. The newsstand has been replaced by a bitcoin ATM and a tall fridge offering Red Bull cans.

SUPP BUDGET: Senators approved their version of a $2.3 billion spending package that includes money for MassHealth and financial aid at public colleges and universities. The legislation also holds back some money for county sheriffs, as Beacon Hill leaders seek an investigation into their spending. One amendment, passed unanimously, seeks to protect federal workers and Armed Forces service members from eviction or foreclosure during the federal government shutdown. – State House News Service

DEATH AND TAXES: Business leaders, including Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce CEO Jim Rooney, are lobbying state lawmakers to eliminate the estate tax. – Boston Globe

O CANADA: Rebecca Tepper, Gov. Maura Healey’s energy and environment chief, trekked to Nova Scotia last month to meet with Canadian officials about Canadian offshore wind, as the state is about tap into hydropower from Quebec. – CommonWealth Beacon

EDIFICE COMPLEX: A conservative law firm which was behind the Hobby Lobby court case has stepped in to help Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch fight the ACLU of Massachusetts over placing statues of religious figures on the new public safety headquarters. – Patriot Ledger

SALEM SEAL: A task force voted to recommend that the Salem City Council change the city’s 186-year-old seal, which depicts a Sumatran spice trade merchant on an island with palm trees. – Salem News

TAX PLAN: Boston City Councilor Brian Worrell has proposed upping the tax rate on large apartment buildings in order to help lower tax bills for homeowners and small landlords. – Boston Herald

PITTSFIELD SPECIAL ED: Pittsfield’s special education department is currently rated as “needs intervention,” just above the lowest tier, and officials are “scrambling” to address the concerns of state officials. – Berkshire Eagle

OPPORTUNITY ZONES: Some businesspeople are getting excited about Congress’s renewal of a Trump administration tax incentive program for development, even though Opportunity Zone programs have received mixed reviews for effectiveness in helping low-income neighborhoods. – Boston Business Journal

Cambridge could see more 15-story buildings

Three former Celtics players arrested in sports betting scheme

Civil trial underway over 2020 firing of Springfield’s mayoral aide who posted ‘grab the rifles’

KELLER AT LARGE: 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV. Political analyst Jon Keller's guest is Rep. Seth Moulton. They discuss age and term limits for politicians, as well as the Middle East ceasefire and his run for Senate.

@ ISSUE SIT DOWN: 9:30 a.m., NBC 10. Reporter Matt Prichard interviews Attorney General Andrea Campbell, who launched her reelection campaign this week.

ON THE RECORD: 11 a.m., WCVB. The guest is Rep. Jake Auchincloss.

Do you have an open job you'd like to feature here? Click here to place a job board order, or email Dylan Rossiter at [email protected].

Regional Chief, Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General

Advocacy Director, Association to Preserve Cape Cod

Regional Organizing Director, Ed Markey for U.S. Senate

Philanthropic Advisor (New England), Movement Voter Project

Port Project Manager, Save the Harbor / Save the Bay

Chief Administrative Officer, Cape Light Compact

Massachusetts State Director, Reproductive Equity Now

Director of Finance, City of Boston (Planning Department)

VIEW ALL JOBS