mayor

The Globe reports on support for mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie among people like state Reps. Michael Moran (Allston/Brighton) and Aaron Michlewitz (North End).

Mike Ball comes away impressed from Rob Consalvo's kickoff rally in JP, although he says he needs to flesh out his proposed agenda:

So far, no one in the race has advanced either a brilliant slogan or a revolutionary platform. Rob's catchphrase Making Boston Better is more than adequate. He simply has to convince enough voters that he can pull that off, that he can harden up his kind of spongy goals and achieve each one. Last evening was promising.

Some people try to visit all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Others vow to eat at every single burger place in Boston. Googiebaba has decided to try to meet all 24 people running for mayor of Boston. She starts with DA Dan Conley, whom she met one rainy Saturday while she and her two kids were on the side of the West Roxbury Parkway, victims of a flat tire:

A black SUV pulled up, and there was a gentleman talking to the police officer. I actually thought I might be in trouble when I saw him. He had that air of authority about him. For those not in Boston, Dan is our District Attorney. He introduced himself, and then asked me if I wanted him to take the kids home. This continues to amuse me. My children are gorgeous. They are bright, shiny stars. But they are also beastly. I keep imagining what would have happened if I had said yes, and put my two kids in the back of his beautiful SUV. ...

Reuben Kantor, who worked for Ross when Ross served as city council president, sent out e-mail today announcing he'll be working as Bill Walczak's campaign manager:

The Herald talks to Dan Conley and John Barros. Currently, only East Boston is slated to vote on the proposed Suffolk Downs casino.

Thousands of local peace activists marched in support of peace and anti-violence this morning at the 17th Annual Mother's Day Walk for Peace. The event took place in Dorchester on 5/12/13. This raw video footage is near the end of the march on Geneva Avenue as peace activists marched towards the conclusion of the march at Fields Corner. District Attorney and 2013 Mayoral Candidate Dan Conley is seen marching in the peace march.

According to www.justicewithpeace.org:

"The Mother's Day Walk for Peace began in 1996 for families who had lost their children to violence. On a day that we celebrate mothers and children, the Walk became a place for families and friends to feel support and love with thousands of others who pledge their commitment to peace. Through the years, it has become a way for thousands of people to financially support the work of the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute."

Our newest candidate for mayor is John Laing of Hyde Park, who quickly found his newest supporter in Mister Malcolm the Dorchester Dancer.

Ed. note: If Laing wins, he will not only be Boston's first black mayor, he will be the first mayor to have graduated Brandeis.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette reports on a gathering of nine mayoral candidates at a forum sponsored by the West Roxbury Courthouse Neighborhood Association.

The candidates were mostly non-specific in their answers regarding plans for improving the city, sticking to generalities like "bringing people together," "broadening opportunities" and "improving schools," though Arroyo brought up his proposed "Invest in Boston" bill, which would invest Boston’s money in banks that invest in Boston to help promote economic development.

Felix Arroyo's campaign seems to have "Si Se Puede" as its theme song. Well, if his campaign can have one, maybe other mayoral campaigns could come up with one, too. But campaign staffers likely have other work on their minds, so what follows are just a few ideas.

Let's see if we can have fun with this. Got one to offer? If you decide to pitch in, please follow this format:

Candidate, Song Title, Performer
--Connection to Candidate or Campaign

So for Arroyo, we have:

Felix Arroyo, "Si Se Puede", Linda Allen
--Chanted by his supporters shortly before his formal announcement.

Anyway, here are my ideas:

Above is the "Volunteer" page on Rob Consalvo's new campaign Web site, as viewed on my Acer laptop with a 15-inch screen. Below is the "News" page on the site:

Hassan Williams of Roxbury, a one-time Democrat who now considers himself a Republican, has filed papers with the state for a campaign committee to run for mayor this fall.

Williams ran as a Democrat against state Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz in the 2011 primary.

John Barros, who has served on the School Committee for three years, will announce his candidacy for mayor tomorrow morning at the Haley House in Roxbury.

Barros is also executive director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative.

Ed. conflict of interest note: I've done Web work for DSNI.

The Dorchester Reporter gets the scoop on the Dorchester resident who is a former state rep and aide to the current mayor.

The Globe's Andrew Ryan tweets that the first person to take out papers for mayor today was Althea Garrison. She now needs to collect 3,000 signatures to get on the preliminary ballot.

Surgery tomorrow, the Herald reports.

The Globe reports Charlotte Golar Richie of Dorchester is thinking of running for mayor because, well, why not?

If elected, she would be our first black woman mayor from Brooklyn. If she runs, she'll be competing against, among others, Mike Ross, who would be our first Jewish mayor, Will Dorcena, who would be our first Haitian-American mayor, Felix Arroyo, who would be our first Hispanic mayor, Bill Walczak, who would be our first Polish-American mayor, Charles Clemons, who would be our first mayor to own an unlicensed radio station, Rob Consalvo, who would be our first Italian-American mayor to succeed another Italian-American mayor, and John Connolly, Dan Conley and Marty Walsh, any of whom would be our first Irish-American mayor in 20 years. Also thinking about a run: Ayanna Pressley, who would be our first black woman mayor from Chicago.

City Councilor Mike Ross, who almost fled to Newton, today jumped into the race for mayor of Boston:

State Rep. Marty Walsh of Dorchester today finally officially announced his bid for mayor in the fall elections. His campaign says he already has $200,000 in the bank, with commitments for $400,000 more in donations.

His press release:

John Laing of Hyde Park, who co-founded Touch FM with Charles Clemons, has filed papers with the state for a committee to run for mayor. Clemons has also filed papers to run for mayor. They'd still have to collect 3,000 signatures to get on the ballot this fall.

Michael Jonas tweets he formally announce at the offices of SEIU 615, where he was an organizer before getting elected a city councilor.

The Globe reports that Bill Walczak, co-founder of the Codman Square Health Center and former head of Carney Hospital, decided yesterday to run for mayor.

He becomes the seventh person to say he is running for the city's top elected job this fall.