Report: Patriots Owner Robert Kraft's Son Josh Considering Run for Boston Mayor

Rumors are increasing that Josh Kraft, president of the New England Patriots Foundation and son of team owner Robert Kraft, is considering running for mayor of Boston in 2025, Niki Griswold reported for the Boston Globe.

Kraft would be challenging incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu, who was elected in 2021.

When asked about his potential mayoral ambitions by the Boston Globe, Kraft did not rule out the possibility of running next year, Griswold reported.

Kraft, 57, has spent decades establishing himself as a philanthropic leader in Boston. He spent 30 years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston before taking a full-time role as president of Kraft Family Philanthropies.

Wu has not yet announced her plans to run for a second term, but has previously said the odds of her seeking reelection are "very, very high," Grace Zokovitch reported for the Boston Herald.

If she does, the former eight-year city council member will present a steep challenge for any new candidates. A sitting Boston mayor has not lost a reelection bid since 1949, per Danny McDonald of the Boston Globe.

Despite those odds, political insiders say Kraft is "actively considering" joining the 2025 race, Griswold reported.

A report from Gintautas Dumcius, Jennifer Smith, Bruce Mohl and Michael Jonas for the CommonWealth Beacon previously tied Kraft to the mayoral race in December.

The CommonWealth Beacon reporters noted that Kraft in October purchased a condo in Boston's North End under an LLC that listed the Patriots' Gillette Stadium as its business address. The neighborhood is located less than half a mile away from Boston's City Hall.

Kraft's social media presence, which Griswold described as a "highly active" and "curated" feed of images from his nonprofit and philanthropic work, has further fed rumors that he is setting the stage for a political candidacy.

This is not the first time Kraft has been tied with rumors of political ambitions. Matt Stout and Emma Platoff reported for the Boston Globe in 2021 that his name had been connected to the following year's Massachusetts gubernatorial race, while Joe Battenfeld of the Boston Herald mentioned Kraft as a possible challenger for Democratic Representative Ayanna Pressley in 2023.

Kraft has so far been involved with politics through donations to former Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker as well as Democratic politicians, the CommonWealth Beacon reporters noted.

He also backed several candidates for the Boston City Council last fall, although none won against Wu-endorsed candidates, Battenfield reported.

Battenfield wrote in November that Wu's clean sweep "showed how tough it will be to knock off Wu in a low turnout race dominated by activists and liberals." If Kraft does decide to run, he will have to hope his wealth, family name recognition and establishment as a figurehead of Boston-area nonprofits can help him challenge the incumbent.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story said Charlie Baker is a Democrat. He is a Republican. We regret the error.