Even though Mayor Michelle Wu of Boston will not be on the ballot for the municipal elections in November, the day of the election still presents an opportunity for her to increase her power in the city because three of her closest allies are running for seats on the City Council.
If any of these three candidates were to win their races, it would provide Mayor Wu with the opportunity to work with a city council that is more likely to be supportive of the goals of her administration. This would be a welcome change for Wu, who has been challenged by both progressives and moderates at various points over the course of the past two years.
Even though there are a number of open seats on the Boston City Council, Wu has only endorsed three candidates so far: Enrique José Pepén in District 5, which includes Hyde Park, Mattapan, and Roslindale, where Wu lives; Sharon Durkan in District 8, which includes Beacon Hill and Back Bay; and Henry Santana, who is competing for one of four at-large seats. (Councillors elected at large are responsible for representing the entire city.) Wu has employed all three of them at some point.
