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Sen. Ed Markey Throws His Weight Behind Michelle Wu ’07 in Boston Mayoral Race

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Senator Ed J. Markey (D-Mass.) has officially announced his support for Boston Mayor Michelle Wu ’07 in her mayoral run, adding to a growing list of endorsements for her reelection campaign.

Markey announced his endorsement at a Monday press conference, celebrating the climate initiatives that Wu has spearheaded in Boston throughout her mayoral term.

“As mayor, Michelle Wu has been fighting for a livable future – one where everyone in Boston has access to clean air, safe and affordable housing, nutritious food, resilient infrastructure, clean energy, and accessible and affordable public transportation,” Markey wrote in a statement to The Crimson.

The press conference, held in Jamaica Plain in Boston, also featured Boston City Councilor Henry Santana and Matt O’Malley, board chair of the Environmental League of MA Action Fund, a climate non-profit that has also endorsed Wu. Also present was Jonathan Cohn, Political Committee Secretary of the Sierra Club, an environmental organization also backing her re-election.

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Wu has emphasized climate policy throughout her term as mayor, most notably with her 43-page Green New Deal, outlining climate justice policies like decarbonization, improvements to stormwater infrastructure, and food justice.

“From green job training, to lowering energy costs, to fare-free transit, she is delivering for the families of Boston,” Markey wrote.

Several aspects of the plan — finalized in August 2020 — have already been implemented, according to Wu’s campaign website, including a city-wide ban on single-use plastic bags, a resolution calling for Massachusetts to divest from fossil fuels, and expanding protections for natural resource areas.

Markey wrote in his statement that “Mayor Wu is Boston’s climate commander-in-chief” and backed these policies in a post on X after the press conference

“Mayor Wu is leading Boston toward a livable, green-powered future — with fare-free transit, climate resilience, and green jobs that work for working people,” he wrote in his post on X.

Markey has been vocal about his own re-election campaign, as he has announced that he will run for his third term as senator in 2026.

Another key Massachusetts lawmaker, Representative Ayanna S. Pressley, also endorsed Wu several months ago, continuing her long-time support of the mayor.

“We find ourselves at an unprecedented inflection point in our city and country that requires bold, steady, and compassionate leadership,” Pressley said in a statement. “Mayor Wu has demonstrated that she understands the urgency this moment demands.”

Wu — the city's first woman and person of color elected mayor — has been thrown into the national spotlight since her Congressional appearance in March, where she defended Boston’s sanctuary city policies in front of the Oversight Committee.

Joshua Kraft, long-time Boston philanthropist and son of billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, has also announced his mayoral run and is Wu’s main opponent in the race.

Wu has also received widespread praise for her stance against the Trump administration, continuously expressing her disapproval with the federal government.

Markey joins 22 elected officials that have expressed their support for Wu’s re-election, along with including Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden.


—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen.

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