Boston's Big Spenders: The Battle for Mayor Heats Up

The race for Boston's mayoral seat is heating up, with a significant chunk of money pouring in from a group called "Your City, Your Future. " This group, backing Josh Kraft, has decided to spend an extra $989, 000 on ads. This brings their total spending on negative ads against the current mayor, Michelle Wu, to a whopping $2. 4 million. This is a lot of money, especially this early in the race. This group has already spent $1. 4 million on ads, billboards, and text messages criticizing Wu. They've also spent $125, 000 supporting Kraft, who is seen as Wu's main competitor. The group's latest TV ad, "She Ignored Us, " criticizes Wu's policies on various issues, like White Stadium and bike lanes. The ad suggests that voting against Wu is a way to send her a message. The group behind these ads is a super PAC, which stands for political action committee. These groups can spend unlimited amounts of money on campaigns, and they can take donations directly from businesses. This is different from candidates, who have spending limits and can't take donations from businesses. Super PACs often support candidates' positions and messages, even though they're not allowed to coordinate with the campaigns. The group has received large donations from several wealthy individuals and businesses. For example, New Balance chairman Jim Davis and businessman Michael Rubin have each donated $1 million. Other big donors include construction company executives and a real estate trust. This isn't the first time super PACs have played a big role in Boston's mayoral races. In 2013, outside groups spent nearly $4 million. In 2021, groups spent $1. 9 million supporting one candidate and $1. 3 million supporting another. These groups can have a significant impact on the outcome of the race, and they're often backed by wealthy individuals or businesses with a stake in the city's politics.