Local News
Wu and Kraft, predictably, will move on to the general election in November after the field narrowed Tuesday night.
As expected, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu handily earned the most votes in Tuesday’s preliminary election for mayor, advancing the contest between the popular incumbent and philanthropist Josh Kraft to November’s general election.
Wu, who entered Tuesday’s preliminary polling 50 points ahead of Kraft, topped the ticket, according to unofficial results released by the City of Boston after polls closed at 8 p.m.
With nearly 70 percent of precincts reporting, Wu was leading Kraft by more than 45 percentage points, about 26,400 votes, as of 11:50 p.m.
“Tonight’s results are a testament to the strength of Mayor Wu’s people-powered campaign and the coalition she’s built,” Rep. Ayanna Pressley said in a statement. “I’m grateful to call her my friend and I’m proud to call her my mayor – and I look forward to working with her to get out the victory in November.”
Kraft, flanked by his father, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and brother Jonathan, took the stage at Ironworkers Local 7 Hall in South Boston. The loss to Wu was significant, but he plans to keep going “harder, louder, and stronger than ever.”
“Let me be clear: we are still in this race,” Kraft said at the campaign event, according to prepared remarks shared by his campaign. “The road ahead won’t be easy, but neither is life in Boston right now for too many families. That’s why I’m in this. Despite what has been reported in the pages of the media – it’s clear that the only poll that matters is the one in November.”
Along with her top polling numbers, history indicates Wu will be difficult to topple. In Boston, an incumbent mayor hasn’t been unseated since 1949.
Perennial candidate Robert Cappucci, a former Boston police officer, and community activist Domingos DaRosa both won’t move on to the General Election. Neither candidate returned requests for comments Tuesday night.
As of 6 p.m., more than 75,000 ballots were cast for a nearly 18 percent turnout, the Boston Elections Department said. The 2017 preliminary election was the most recent with an incumbent mayor facing a challenger. About 109,000 were cast then, with a 27.8 percent turnout.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as results are confirmed.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
