Josh Kraft touts Boston mayoral endorsement from disgraced ex-pol Dianne Wilkerson on eve of election

Boston mayoral candidate Josh Kraft touted the endorsement of disgraced former state Sen. Dianne Wilkerson on the eve of the Tuesday preliminary election. In a statement Monday, Kraft said he welcomed the endorsement, while calling Wilkerson, whose political career ended after she was busted by the feds for taking a bribe, a “trailblazer” for her decades of advocacy for the Black community. “Senator Wilkerson has been a trailblazer in the fight for justice, representation, and opportunity,” Kraft said. “I am deeply honored to have her support and partnership as we work to build a Boston that works for everyone, not just a privileged few.” Wilkerson resigned from the state Senate in 2008 and spent more than two years in jail after agreeing to plead guilty to charges tied to a federal corruption bust. She was infamously shown stuffing $1,000 in cash bribes into her bra in a photo that was released by the feds. She first took office in 1993, as the first Black woman elected to the State Senate. In making her endorsement, Wilkerson said “Kraft has dedicated his life to opening doors for young people who are too often left behind.” Related Articles Boston mayor, City Council races on the ballot in Tuesday’s preliminary election Annissa Essaibi George, beat by Michelle Wu for Boston mayor in 2021, backs Josh Kraft Wu: Boston ‘prepared to take legal action’ if ICE deportation surge violates laws Disgraced ex-prosecutor Rachael Rollins advises Boston’s White Stadium opponents to keep up the pressure Battenfeld: Josh Kraft faces gaping 50-point deficit to Michelle Wu heading into preliminary election “From his work leading the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston to his advocacy on education, housing and neighborhood investment, he has consistently stood with our communities,” Wilkerson said in a statement. “He listens. Boston is at a crossroads and we need a leader who not only understands the challenges we face, but has the courage, vision and track record to meet them.” Wilkerson’s endorsement comes at a time when the latest Emerson polling suggests that Kraft is 50 points behind Mayor Michelle Wu in the mayoral race. But he is widely expected to join Wu as the two candidates who will advance to the Nov. 4 general election.