Overview

• Days before the Sept. 9 vote, the Justice Department sued Mayor Michelle Wu, the City of Boston and its police department over the Boston Trust Act limiting civil immigration cooperation.
• A federal enforcement push known as Operation Patriot 2.0 is underway in the city, targeting undocumented immigrants recently released from local custody, and Wu has signaled readiness to take legal action if laws are violated.
• Polling from Emerson College on Sept. 5 shows Wu leading Josh Kraft by more than 50 points, and both are widely expected to advance to November over Robert Cappucci and Domingos DaRosa.
• Kraft has outspent Wu $5.5 million to about $1.1 million, largely through more than $5 million in personal loans, while Wu entered the final stretch with more cash on hand, $2.4 million to Kraft’s $1.3 million.
• Wu’s standing has been reinforced by high-profile Democratic endorsements and her defense of Boston’s policies against the Trump administration, while Kraft has struggled to land a resonant message.