‘Leader that just does not listen’: Josh Kraft says Mayor Wu is falling short at campaign launch

Josh Kraft, the son of Patriots owner and billionaire Robert Kraft, made his campaign for Mayor of Boston official Tuesday.

Boston 25′s Kerry Kavanaugh was there as the Democrat laid out his vision for the city and came out swinging. He then spoke one-on-one with Boston 25 about why he believes Boston is leaving some residents behind.

“I enter this race as an underdog and I know this is going to be an uphill fight, but I’m excited for the challenge,” Kraft said.

Kraft told a small crowd of supporters in Boston’s “Grove Hall” neighborhood he thinks Boston is heading in the wrong direction, pinning the blame on his opponent, incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu.

“We have a leader that just does not listen,” Kraft said. “Too often, the mayor acts as if she alone has all the answers.”

Kraft said Mayor Wu is falling short on new housing starts, school transportation. He added he wants to add elected members to the boston school committee, implement a rent control plan and relieve Boston’s congested streets.

“And that starts with an immediate pause for all new bike lane construction,” Kraft said to a round of applause.

But in a one-on-one interview with Boston 25, Kraft said it all starts with housing.

“I know that there’s 20 to 23,000 units of permanent housing ready to go, but they’re stuck and we were stuck due to regulations. We would work with folks, incentivize builders to get the projects going in the ground,” Kraft detailed.

“When we talked about that regulation is a little pie in the sky, do think you could just move through it?” Kavanaugh asked of Kraft.

“I’m not naive enough to think we’re just going to walk in and things change,” Kraft said. “But you got to work with people. You got to listen to people. You got to understand both sides to make movement happen.”

Boston resident Bernadette Adonis told Boston 25 she’s supporting Kraft because she wants more action on schools.

“The Haitian community doesn’t have the services in BPS,” said Adonis. “And we met with the mayor many times and there’s nothing ever done for us.”

Another supporter of note at the rally was former Boston Police Commissioner William Gross.

“You can’t come in in the fourth quarter after the points have been scored and say you won the Super Bowl,” said Gross. “Crime is down because of our communities. And for the decades that Boston Police Department has built and built and built.”

“You said in your speech today you are an underdog. Do you think you stand a serious chance in this race?” Kavanaugh asked Kraft.

“Yes, I’m definitely an underdog, and I definitely think we have a chance to win this race. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t,” Kraft said.

Kraft has spent much of his life in the non-profit sector. He was the CEO of the Boston Boys and Girls Club for 12 years, serves on the board of the Urban League Eastern Massachusetts and is president of the Patriots Foundation.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was asked about her opponent Tuesday and his claims that Boston is falling short.

“You know I am a little surprised that someone who’s never even voted for mayor or city councilor in Boston feels like he’s ready to lead the city,” said Wu. “But we will get into more of that as we go and I’m eager to engage on all the city needs and represents.”

Neither Wu nor Kraft grew up in Boston. Wu was born and raised in the Chicago area before moving to the Boston area for college.

Mayor Wu says she will seek a second term. She is the first woman and person of color to be elected as Boston’s mayor.

If Kraft were to win, he would become the first Jewish person to win the Boston mayoral election.

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