Why this state senate race is seen as a major test of Wu’s sway in Boston

As primary day approaches, an election in Boston is set to become a referendum on Mayor Michelle Wu’s political power. Wu has taken a prominent role in recent municipal elections, helping boost allies on the City Council. Now, she is attempting to wield her influence to shape the power dynamics on Beacon Hill. 

That dynamic is on full display in the Democratic primary for the First Suffolk district, where incumbent state Sen. Nick Collins is running against the Wu-backed political newcomer Latoya Gayle and former city of Boston youth worker Juwan Skeens. Collins and Gayle hold a wide fundraising lead on Skeens, who lost to Collins in 2024. 

The district includes South Boston, Chinatown, Dorchester, the South End, Bay Village, and parts of Mattapan, Roxbury and the Back Bay.

Here’s what to know about the race, and why it is seen as a proxy war between Wu and Collins. 

Tax proposal tensions

To many observers, Wu’s interest in unseating Collins can be traced back to 2024. That year, Wu introduced a proposal to temporarily shift the city’s property tax burden onto commercial real estate in order to give homeowners relief. 

Boston is heavily reliant on property taxes. When office vacancy rates increased during the pandemic, commercial property values fell and residential real estate values rose. Warning that homeowners were set to see a spike in their property taxes to make up the difference, Wu sought the authority to temporarily increase property taxes on commercial real estate. 

Versions of the plan made it through the City Council and the House of Representatives twice before stalling in the Senate. As the plan died in late 2024, Collins used procedural moves to block votes on the measure and blamed Wu for stoking a “campaign of fear and manipulation.” 

Collins explained his rationale in an opinion piece in The Boston Globe. Updated valuation data showed that the “sky was not falling,” Collins wrote, adding that Wu’s plan risked “cratering the Boston economy.” 

About a year later, riding high after a dominant reelection campaign, Wu renewed her push for a similar proposal. The mayor called out Collins directly, leading to more heated rhetoric. Wu’s plan was once again rejected in the Senate. 

The current race

Wu has a strong group of allies in the House, but has faced a more hostile landscape in the Senate. She is working to shake up that chamber through two key endorsements this year. Sen. Will Brownsberger, who joined Collins in opposing Wu’s tax plan, is facing a challenge from Wu’s former aide Daniel Lander. Wu is campaigning on behalf of Lander, arguing that he will better champion affordable housing while forging a stronger partnership between the city and the State House. 

Wu’s other major Senate endorsement is for Gayle, who is running against Collins as a progressive. Gayle is a seasoned community activist who currently works for a nonprofit, Neighborhood Villages, which advocates for child care policy reform. She is running because she believes Collins is too conservative on issues like rent stabilization, the Globe reported. On Gayle’s website, one of the first priorities listed is her support for Wu’s property tax shift proposal. 

In announcing her endorsement of Gayle, Wu denounced the Senate for “blocking solutions” that come from City Hall. Earlier this month, Wu used an interview with NBC10 Boston to again call out Collins directly. 

“Senator Collins and I just see things very differently when it comes to policy and also the role of government,” she said. “I don’t think it’s acceptable to have incumbents who see their job as outsourcing decision making to the real estate industry or other interests, and that’s not how our democratically-elected government should work.”

Collins, meanwhile, is touting his work supporting “the largest tax relief package in state history” in 2024 and securing hundreds of millions in state aid for the city of Boston. 

Collins remains the frontrunner in the race, with endorsements from Gov. Maura Healey and a slew of labor unions. The editorial staff of the Boston Herald recently endorsed Collins, praising him for seeing the “big picture” in the fight over Wu’s tax plan. 

Last month, he introduced and helped pass a property tax proposal that “triples the property tax exemption for seniors, triples the personal property tax exemption for small businesses, and authorizes the use of surplus funds for direct homeowner rebates.” Collins appealed to Wu directly in a letter, asking her to put aside “personal differences” and publicly support the legislation. 

Wu declined to hop on board, saying that Collins was “disconnected from the facts” and that it would be irresponsible for the city to use reserve funds in the way Collins suggested, per WBUR. 

Collins, Gayle, and Skeens met last week for an hourlong candidate forum, where they were asked what the proper relationship should be between someone representing the First Suffolk district and City Hall. Gayle said that collaboration was paramount. 

“This work has to be high impact and low ego. It’s not about how you feel, it’s about what your constituents need and you should do everything possible to work with everybody who’s in positions to get that done,” Gayle said. 

Collins spoke about the importance of being “an advocate for the people” as a whole, instead of one person in particular. 

“Sometimes it’s in lockstep, and sometimes it’s with a debate,” he said. 

WBUR reporter Eve Zuckoff, who moderated the forum, followed up by asking Gayle to name an area where she disagrees with Wu. Gayle declined to name any specific areas of disagreements, saying she was aligned with the mayor and had not had the chance to work with her yet. 

When asked to name an issue where he did agree with Wu, Collins spoke about affordable housing legislation, efforts to expand liquor licenses in the city, and a Boston program that allows students to visit museums and other cultural institutions for free. 

“Sometimes you have debates, and you have differences on issues that are based on data, and that’s what we’ve had in the past,” Collins said. “Not many, but we know the big one.”