Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson Announces Run for Mayor

Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson announced Thursday that he is running for mayor this year.

Jackson, 41, will challenge Mayor Marty Walsh, who has already said he will seek a second term this fall.

"It's time we have a mayor who spends as much time uptown as he does downtown," Jackson said at his press conference, criticizing Walsh for working harder for those with means than those without.

He said the city gave money to GE to build a bridge, but couldn't come up with money to build a bridge to Long Island, which housed the city's largest homeless shelter.

Jackson also stressed the need to invest in public education, and to combat the recent uptick in violent incidents and shootings.

"The best days are ahead of us - not just for some of us," he said.

A website titled titojacksonformayor.com is already live, and Jackson's team recently brought on board Bill Hyers, the campaign manager for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Jackson is a lifelong resident of Roxbury and has served on the city council since 2011. As the District 7 councilor, he represents all of Roxbury and parts of the South End, Dorchester and Fenway neighborhoods.

He is the chair of the city council’s Committee on Education and the Special Committee on the Status of Black and Latino Men and Boys. He serves as vice chair of the Committee on Healthy Women, Families, Communities.

Prior to his election to the city council, Jackson spent more than 10 years in the healthcare and technology sectors.

Walsh said Jackson told him about his candidacy on the phone, yesterday.

"We're friends. I respect the councilor. He's done some great work as a member of the council," Walsh said. "I asked him, let's keep this race clean and remember at the end of the day, Boston is the best city in the world and we want to keep it that way."      

Walsh, 49, a native of Dorchester, was first elected mayor back in 2014. Before that, he served as a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Contact Us