Kraft raises over $71,000 in first days of mayoral campaign

Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft raised just over $71,000 from more than 100 donors in the first days of his campaign, according to state campaign finance data.

The first-time candidate is pulling in money from family members, financial executives and real estate developers as he looks to oust incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu.

The newly filed reports show Kraft received the maximum contribution of $1,000 from several family members, including his father, New England Patriots owner and billionaire Robert Kraft.

The list of donors also includes representatives of the real estate and finance industries — who have been critical of Wu's leadership.

A spokesperson for the Kraft campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Kraft is pitching himself as a pragmatic alternative to the mayor, who he says "puts politics and ideology ahead of impact." Kraft opposes many of Wu's signature programs, from new bike and bus lanes to a stadium renovation in Franklin Park for a professional women's soccer team.

An experienced fundraiser for local nonprofits, Kraft collected the $71,000 in less than 10 days. By comparison, Wu raised nearly $140,000 in Sept. 2020, the month she announced her run for mayor.

Wu so far has a big cash advantage, with over $1.7 million in her campaign account.

But Kraft could gain an edge if he chooses to self-finance. It's expected that outside Super PACs, which can spend unlimited amounts of money, will also throw their support into the race.

These dark money groups are increasingly active in Boston politics, following the Supreme Court's Citizen's United decision, spending millions of dollars in the last mayoral election and even shelling out for down-ballot city council seats.