Politics

Former Mayor Marty Walsh endorses Alexandra Valdez in at-large City Council race

Walsh's endorsement could give a boost to Valdez, who has ground to make up before the Nov. 4 election.

Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

October 23, 2025

3 minutes to read

Former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is endorsing Alexandra Valdez for an at-large spot on the Boston City Council. Walsh’s endorsement comes just under two weeks before the city’s general election on Nov. 4.

The endorsement could shake up the race in the home stretch. Voters will choose four candidates for at-large City Council seats. Valdez was among the top eight vote-getters during last month’s preliminary election, ensuring that she would move on to the general.

But Valdez only came in sixth place out of 10 candidates in the primary. She was outpaced by popular incumbents like Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, Erin Murphy, and Julia Mejia. Former District 3 councilor Frank Baker, who is hoping to return to City Council as an at-large candidate, also received more votes than Valdez. Walsh is also endorsing Baker.

With Walsh’s endorsement, Valdez now has the support of the current mayor and the former mayor. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has said that she voted for Valdez in the preliminary election. As a City Council member herself, Wu often clashed with the Walsh administration, but Valdez appears to have united the two.

Valdez addressed the endorsement in a Facebook post Wednesday, recounting how she began working for Walsh in 2016 as the citywide Latino Liaison. Working in City Hall during the Walsh administration was a dream come true, she said.

“Since then, I’ve had the privilege of leading city departments and growing not just professionally but personally. Through it all, Marty has been a mentor, a supporter, and someone who always picks up when I need a voice of reason,” Valdez said. “I’m so grateful to have the support of such an incredible leader who has believed in me at such a young age.”

Walsh, who went on to serve as U.S. labor secretary in the Biden administration, is now the head of the National Hockey League Players’ Association. He praised Valdez’s work ethic in an interview with The Boston Globe.

“She’s somebody who I respect and admire and really like a lot,” Walsh told the paper. “She did some great work in City Hall, in all the roles she has. She’s going to be a strong advocate for the people of Boston, a strong voice for the constituents of Boston.”

Valdez, a Dominican immigrant and first-time candidate, currently works as the director of the mayor’s office of cultural affairs. Her campaign platform highlights topics like housing and education. Valdez says she wants to strengthen tenant protections and prevent displacements while also “fostering community-based development.” She has an interest in expanding early childhood education, championing multilingual education, and ensuring equity across the city’s school system.

Valdez has picked up a number of other notable endorsements from current and former elected officials. She has the support of current Councilors Enrique Pepén, John FitzGerald, and Gabriela Coletta Zapata, state Senator Lydia Edwards, and state Representatives Bill MacGregor, Sam Montaño, and Russell Holmes.

With her reelection bid secured, Wu is riding high. But the upcoming election could usher in an era where she does not have quite as much support on City Council. The current crop of councilors have faced criticism for being too deferential to the mayor, and many of them share her progressive ideology.

During his 12 years on City Council, Baker grew a reputation as one of the more conservative and outspoken councilors. Walsh told the Globe that seeing Valdez and Baker elected would provide a much needed balance to the body. He echoed concerns about the lack of pushback Wu has faced in recent years.

“This last legislative body, there was very little pushback on the mayor,” Walsh told the Globe. “None of us like pushback, but it makes us really think about what we’re doing and how we move forward and making sure we have everyone at the table when we make decisions.”