Without mayoral rivals, Lynn’s Nicholson could be a contender for Congress

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Before he became the mayor of Lynn, Jared Nicholson was in history’s passenger seat.

He interned for Deval Patrick, who became the state’s first Black governor in 2006. Nicholson then went to work for McKinsey in New York, getting an up-close view of the crumbling of the financial institutions in 2008.

He’s now in the driver’s seat as the North Shore city’s chief executive, coasting to a second term and unopposed on November’s ballot. But he also has his eye on a run for Congress, as Seth Moulton weighs a campaign against U.S. Sen. Ed Markey.

When we sat down in his City Hall office, facing one wall festooned with small flags representing the more than 50 languages spoken in Lynn’s public schools, Nicholson acknowledged his interest while emphasizing that Moulton hasn’t yet made the decision.

He also noted that Lynn (population: 103,000) is the biggest city in the district, which also includes Salem, Newburyport and Andover. “This attack on cities has it totally backward that we're seeing from Washington. Cities are actually where the true opportunity for people to transform their lives takes place,” Nicholson said.

The absence of a mayoral opponent has also freed up time for Nicholson to knock doors for Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill, who has a challenger. Beverly, of course, is also in the Congressional district.

If he goes for Congress, Nicholson will likely face heavy competition. Dan Koh, a former Biden official with close ties to former Boston mayor Marty Walsh, will run and quickly raise $4 million if Moulton opts for Senate, a source close to him says. (The list of potential candidates extends to state Rep. Tram Nguyen, Sen. Brendan Crighton, former John Tierney aide Drew Russo, and Moulton chief of staff Rick Jakious, according to POLITICO.)

In our interview, Nicholson hastened to add he still loves being mayor. “I don't have a commute. It's a ton of work, and there's always events, but I'm able to come home and help at bedtime. I drop my youngest son at school every day. And that's really important.”

Nicholson, 39, grew up in Sudbury and moved to Lynn after Harvard Law School. He ran for school committee in 2015, and then the mayor’s office in 2021, when Thomas McGee opted against another term.

More than 30 percent of Lynn residents are foreign-born and nearly half of students are English learners. Diversity is a “source of pride,” Nicholson said. Dominicans and Guatemalans make up the biggest Latino groups. Nicholson speaks Spanish, thanks to a year spent in Mexico City while working for McKinsey.

His pitch for what’s happened in Lynn seemed to offer a potential preview for a results-oriented Congressional campaign platform: A market-rate and affordable housing pipeline after a zoning overhaul, and the purchase of Eastern Bank’s former headquarters that allowed the city to add school capacity and set up a high school to early college pipeline.

He eschewed the term “technocrat” when talking about governance style. “Delivering results, I think, is one of the most important and effective things that we can do, so if that’s the connotation that you have in mind, that certainly has been our focus,” he said.

As a South Shore native, I bring my passport whenever I travel to the North Shore. How do you see this potential Sixth Congressional race playing out? Let me know: [email protected].

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POLITICAL INTEL

The chairman of the Republican National Committee is headlining a MassGOP fundraiser next week in Dedham. Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, an early supporter of Donald Trump who became RNC chairman in August, will be the top draw at an Oct. 14 fundraiser that will also double as a “Massachusetts First” rally, according to an invite. His bio notes that he is a descendant of the chief tentmaker for Ringling Bros. Circus….

….GOP gubernatorial candidate Michael Minogue, in his first Sunday TV sit-down, talked about the differences between him and the two other contenders (Mike Kennealy and Brian Shortsleeve), abortion rights and overreach by federal immigration officials, who “didn’t execute well.” "I was a public company CEO for 19 years, and that means that I developed and dealt with the government,” he told WBZ’s Jon Keller in an interview airing this Sunday at 8:30 am, referring to time as CEO of medical device company Abiomed. “I hired people, I made decisions on budgets.” Asked about abortion rights, he said he is pro-life. “I will follow the law and I will focus on things that most people are worried about, jobs, health care and the economy"....

…The Kartal lounge in Boston’s South End was packed with top politicos and operatives on a recent Wednesday night, celebrating 10 years of the communications shop run by Matt Wilder. The Wilder Strategies party drew names and faces from the State House and City Hall. (Wilder worked for Deval Patrick’s education secretariat and for Mayor Tom Menino.) The guest list included Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman Steve Kerrigan, City Councilors Ruthzee Louijeune and Sharon Durkan, Cape & Islands Sen. Julian Cyr, South End Rep. John Moran and Boston School Committee members Rachel Skerritt and Brandon Cardet-Hernandez. Others included Dot Joyce and other Team Menino alums, GBH senior politics editor Azita Ghahramani, WCVB’s Rhondella Richardson, Fenway Sports Group comms chief Zineb Curran, political strategies Katie Prisco-Buxbaum and Kevin Ready, and freelance writer extraordinaire Megan Johnson.

FROM BEACON HILL

ON THE MOVE: The Senate plans to tackle bills next week that would regulate ingredient disclosures for menstrual products and make the products available for free in public schools, correctional facilities and shelters. — State House News Service

ANXIETY RIDDEN: Thousands of federal workers in Massachusetts continue to grapple with the ongoing government shutdown, as they won't be paid until it ends and they receive back pay. — GBH

NEWS NEXT DOOR

LOST KIDS OF MASS: A Globe investigation found that 600 children go missing from state care each year, illustrating that the strained child welfare system in Massachusetts may be exacerbating the state's struggles with kids running from group homes or other placements. — Boston Globe

FIRST AI CURRICULUM: Hadley and Granby Public Schools will help develop and pilot the first AI curriculum for middle and high school students meant to address the history, development and testing of AI as well as the implications of its use in society. — Daily Hampshire Gazette

CHIEF RESIGNS: Haverhill Police Chief Robert Pistone Jr. has resigned after being placed on leave just days following Lawrence and Haverhill police unions shared an anonymous letter condemning his leadership. — Boston Herald | Boston Globe

NOT SHIELDED FROM BUYOUTS: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts is offering voluntary buyouts to around 750 employees after a major operating loss last year and in anticipation of continued losses throughout 2025 and 2026. — Boston Business Journal

HOUSING AUTHORITY RESIGNATION: The chair of the Board of Commissioners for the Northampton Housing Authority, Maureen Carney, resigned in the midst of an investigation into a complaint about the authority's executive director. — Daily Hampshire Gazette

RIP GREENWELL: Former Red Sox left fielder Mike Greenwell died this week at the age of 62, months after he was diagnosed with cancer. Greenwell, who was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame, served as county commissioner of Lee County, Florida. — Boston Globe

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THE SUNDAY SHOWS

KELLER AT LARGE: 8:30 a.m., WBZ-TV. Political analyst Jon Keller's guest is GOP candidate for governor Michael Minogue.

@ ISSUE SIT DOWN: 9:30 a.m., NBC 10. Reporter Matt Prichard interviews Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria, who discusses the soccer stadium, a city audit and federal immigration enforcement.

ON THE RECORD: 11 a.m., WCVB. The guest is Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo.

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