Boston politics usually feels like a contact sport. It’s loud, it’s expensive, and it’s deeply tribal. But the most recent mayor of boston race was... quiet. Kinda weirdly quiet, honestly.
For the first time since Tom Menino cruised to victory in 1997, an incumbent mayor ran completely unopposed in the general election. Michelle Wu didn't just win a second term on November 4, 2025; she essentially cleared the field before the first snowflake of winter even hit the Common.
How the field cleared out
You’ve probably heard the name Kraft around town. Josh Kraft, son of Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former head of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, was supposed to be the "big" challenger. He had the name ID. He had the potential for an almost bottomless campaign chest. Basically, he was the moderate, business-friendly foil to Wu’s progressive "Green New Deal" agenda.
But then the September preliminary happened.
In Boston’s nonpartisan system, the top two finishers in the primary move on to the general. Wu absolutely crushed it. She took 72% of the vote. Kraft trailed way behind with just 23%. Other challengers, like Domingos DaRosa and Robert Cappucci, barely registered a blip with roughly 2% each.
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Three days later, Kraft dropped out. He looked at the numbers and realized there was no path. He literally told the press that the city had spoken. It was a stunning surrender in a city known for political brawls.
Why nobody wanted to jump in
Running against an incumbent in Boston is a nightmare. Historically, you have to go back to 1949 to find a sitting mayor who lost a re-election bid. That was James Michael Curley, and he had just spent time in federal prison for mail fraud. Unless you’re a literal felon, you're usually safe.
Wu entered the race with a 66% approval rating according to Emerson College Polling. That's hard to beat. You've got a mayor who is young, incredibly organized, and has successfully nationalized herself as a foil to the Trump administration. For a lot of Boston voters, that’s a winning combo.
The big fights that stayed on the table
Even though the mayor of boston race lacked a competitive finale, the issues were still spicy. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.
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- Rent Control: This is the big one. Wu wants it. The state legislature is skeptical. Kraft argued her policies were actually blocking 26,000 housing units from being built.
- Bike Lanes: If you want to start a fight in West Roxbury or Dorchester, just say the words "bike lane." About 48% of voters think there are too many. Wu is leaning into them; Kraft wanted an audit and a pause.
- White Stadium: The plan to renovate Franklin Park's stadium for a pro women’s soccer team split the city. Wu saw it as a win for Black and Brown communities. Critics saw it as a giveaway to private interests.
The Emerson data showed a fascinating racial divide on some of these. For instance, the "Boston Trust Act"—which stops local police from cooperating with ICE—saw 65% support from Hispanic voters and 79% support from Black voters. White voters? They were split right down the middle, 44% to 40%. Wu’s ability to hold those different coalitions together is basically her "secret sauce."
What 93% support actually means
When the general election rolled around in November, Wu took 93.2% of the vote. That is the highest share for a Boston mayor since 1874.
Let that sink in.
It sounds like a mandate, and in many ways, it is. But when you run unopposed, the "other" votes tell a story too. About 6.7% of voters wrote someone else in. In a city of nearly 700,000 people, only about 84,000 bothered to vote in the mayoral race. That’s low. Like, historically low.
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It suggests that while people might like Wu—or at least tolerate her—there’s a massive amount of "voter fatigue" or a sense that the outcome is so certain it’s not worth the trip to the polls.
The City Council context
You can’t look at the mayor of boston race in a vacuum. Wu’s allies on the council, like Ruthzee Louijeune and Henry Santana, also had big nights. Louijeune topped the at-large ticket with over 19% of the vote. This means Wu doesn't just have the corner office; she has a friendly board of directors.
What to expect in Wu’s second term
Now that the dust has settled, what’s actually going to happen? Wu has been pretty clear about her "Hub of the Universe" vision.
She's doubling down on the fare-free bus lines. She's pushing for more BPS (Boston Public Schools) facilities—claiming she’s built more in four years than the city did in the previous 40 combined. There's also the constant looming shadow of the federal government. With the current administration in D.C. frequently clashing with "sanctuary cities," Wu is positioning Boston as the "resistance" capital of the Northeast.
If you’re a resident, keep an eye on your neighborhood's potholes and speed humps. Wu’s team bragged about filling 18,000 potholes and installing more speed humps in two years than the previous six combined. It’s that "boring" stuff that usually keeps mayors in power, even when the big-picture politics get loud.
Actionable insights for Boston residents
- Check the Zoning: If you’re worried about housing costs, keep an eye on the BPDA (Boston Planning & Development Agency) board meetings. With no political opposition, Wu has a green light to overhaul how things get built.
- BPS Sundays: If you have kids in the school system, take advantage of the expanded "BPS Sundays" program. It makes nine major museums, including the MFA and the Science Museum, free for students and their families.
- Stay Local: The real "opposition" to the mayor’s agenda now lives in the City Council’s moderate wing (Flynn, Murphy, FitzGerald). If you disagree with the city's direction, your neighborhood councilor is now your primary point of contact.
- Participate in the Audit: Though Kraft lost, his call for an audit of bike lanes resonated with nearly half the city. Watch for public comment periods on new "Slow Streets" projects to make your voice heard.
The 2025 cycle proved that, for now, the Wu train has no brakes. Whether that leads to a greener, more affordable Boston or a city gridlocked by its own ambitions is the story of the next four years.