Michelle Wu, Boston’s first female and first Asian American mayor, will officially stroll into her second four-year term.
A progressive Democrat whose national profile climbed as she criticized the Trump administration’s claims about violent crime in Boston and its blitz to arrest immigrants, Wu ran unopposed for the top ticket in Tuesday’s sleepy election. She trounced her main opponent, nonprofit leader Josh Kraft, in the September preliminary election.
The 40-year-old mother of three is expected to celebrate her victory alongside family, several political allies and hundreds of supporters in the Seaport at the restaurant Grace by Nia.
Wu’s commanding victory comes as Boston faces a fresh set of challenges, both at home and at the federal level. As President Trump continues to rail against cities with Democratic mayors, Wu must both defend city policies and manage shrinking city revenues.
Back in March, Wu received plaudits after tangling with a Republican-led House panel over Boston’s “Trust Act,” which limits how local police work with federal immigration authorities.
Meanwhile, she’s under pressure to tackle the city’s affordability and housing crisis; the rising costs of White Stadium; a controversial bike lane rollout; and the ongoing addiction and homelessness epidemic linked to the city’s Mass. and Cass area.
The mayor was set to appear Tuesday night with Ruthzee Louijuene and Henry Santana, whose campaigns for at-large city councilor seats were backed by Wu. Boston election officials were not expected to release vote counts in the council races until early Wednesday.
This story will be updated.
