As the Boston mayoral race heats up, outside spending is ramping up with the launch of a new television advertisement by a super PAC supporting Mayor Michelle Wu.
The ad aims to showcase Wu’s leadership qualities while targeting her chief rival, Josh Kraft.
The 30-second campaign spot, titled “Stand Up,” will be broadcasted across TV and streaming platforms over the next ten days, with a hefty budget of $225,000 allocated by the Bold Boston Independent Expenditure PAC.
According to the PAC’s news release, the ad emphasizes Wu’s defiance against the Trump administration while portraying Kraft as someone attempting to use his financial resources to buy the election.
A voiceover in the advertisement states, “Kraft and his MAGA friends are attacking Michelle Wu to try to buy the election. But Michelle Wu will always stand up to Trump and the MAGA Republicans who are attacking our city.”
The advertisement concludes with a defiant message: “Michelle Wu — experience money can’t buy.”
This messaging aligns closely with the narrative that Wu and her supporters have been promoting throughout the campaign — that Kraft’s financial power gives him an unfair advantage in this political contest, while linking him to Republicans who are generally unpopular in Boston.
Kraft has made efforts to present an independent image, distancing himself from the political implications of his wealthy background and his father, billionaire Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has connections with President Donald Trump.
He noted in a recent press conference that his significant financial contributions to his campaign are a necessity, given the challenges of running against an incumbent.
Although Bold Boston’s $225,000 ad expenditure is substantial, it pales in comparison to the spending by the super PAC supporting Kraft, called Your City, Your Future, which has reported a staggering $2.4 million on advertisements attacking Wu’s record so early in the race.
This unprecedented spending underscores a significant escalation in what is poised to be Boston’s most expensive mayoral election to date.
The race has become increasingly hostile, reflecting deep divisions over campaign financing, fiscal policy, and the candidates’ respective wealth, which dominate discussions alongside critical issues such as housing and education.
In terms of fundraising dynamics, super PACs like Your City, Your Future are allowed to amass and deploy unlimited sums of money and are also permitted to accept direct donations from businesses.
However, regulations prohibit them from coordinating efforts with the candidates or their campaigns directly.
Kraft’s super PAC has attracted several high-profile donors, including New Balance chairman Jim Davis and billionaire businessman Michael Rubin, each contributing $1 million.
Davis, noted for his longstanding support of Republican candidates, previously invested in efforts designed to defeat Wu in the 2021 mayoral election, while Rubin has established ties to Robert Kraft.
On the flip side, the Bold Boston PAC boasts a roster of supporters predominantly comprised of environmental groups and labor unions, according to reviewed campaign finance records.
Recently, it secured a $175,000 donation from the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund Independent Expenditure PAC, empowered largely by a previous $150,000 infusion from billionaire Amos Hostetter, a cofounder of the Barr Foundation and a known supporter of Wu’s initiatives as mayor.
As both candidates ramp up their efforts and the spending floodgates open wider, the Boston mayor’s race is set for a compelling showdown that reflects not just political ambitions but also the intricate dance of money, power, and civic responsibility.
image source from：https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/11/metro/michelle-wu-super-pac-ad-boston-mayors-race/
