Josh Kraft took a big step towards running for mayor of Boston on Monday, opening an account with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance to be able to raise funds for what could be a challenge to Mayor Michelle Wu.

The son of the New England Patriots owner, Kraft is president of the New England Patriots Foundation and is responsible for the family philanthropic initiatives such as the Patriots Foundation, the Revolution Charitable Foundation, and the Kraft Center for Community Health. He previously spent 30 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston.

On Monday, the Battery Wharf resident who has been working with a politically wired local firm for months organized his committee with OCPF, listing “Mayoral, Boston” as the office he intends to seek. He lists his party affiliation as Democratic, though mayoral contests in Boston do not involve party primaries. The paperwork shows that Kraft signed it Friday. The Boston Globe cited sources on Jan. 21 in reporting that Kraft will run.

Kraft has previously donated to Democrats and Republicans, including Gov. Maura Healey, former Gov. Charlie Baker, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, Rep. Russell Holmes, Sen. Nick Collins, Rep. Dylan Fernandes, Rep. Brandy Fluker Oakley, and Plymouth County DA Tim Cruz, according to OCPF records.

Kraft’s filing indicates that he is working with CFO Compliance, a Providence firm whose says it has worked with unnamed U.S. representative candidates and political action committees in New England, as well as other clients around the country. Allison Murray, a partner at the firm, is listed as campaign chair and treasurer.

Wu was elected mayor in 2021 with about 64 percent of the vote and has said she intends to seek reelection this year but has not formally kicked off her campaign. Councilor Ed Flynn of South Boston had been considered a potential mayoral contender, but said this month he plans to instead seek reelection to the City Council.

“I think we will, I’ll see how things unfold. What I’ll say is this: I’m now honored, blessed, to be in my twelfth year serving the city in a public capacity … and so knowing the city, knowing how much residents care about every little issue — whether it’s a parking garage or a zoning plan or a tax bill, Boston residents expect you to know what’s happening, have clear positions, get right in there and very clearly explain how you’re going to make things better,” Wu said Monday when asked about Kraft’s candidacy on GBH Radio. She said she looked forward to engaging in that process on the campaign trail.

Kraft also serves on the boards of Brandeis University, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Herren Project, and is a co-chair of the Hate Crimes Task Force for Massachusetts, according to his bio on The Kraft Group’s website.

(Copyright (c) 2024 State House News Service.

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