Brian Lairn on WNYC, and yes, it's mayoral election day, really primary day in Boston with the

heavy overhang of President Trump about to target Boston next, he says,

for immigration enforcement like he's been talking about Chicago, partly because he doesn't

like the incumbent, Mayor Michelle Wu. It's a nonpartisan primary election, a process that will

narrow the field of candidates from four to two. Remember, New York

City's Charter Revision Commission just debated putting a similar nonpartisan open primary on our

ballots this year, but that proposal was canned after members couldn't reach a consensus. You may

remember this came as a relief to the Working Families Party in particular. They threatened to sue over

concerns that a nonpartisan election would harm the system of fusion voting, as it's called,

in the New York State Constitution, the impact of parties that are not the Democrats or the Republicans.

And there's more than just procedural issues that are relevant here.

Throughout New York City's race, as you know, candidates around Mamdani has pointed to Boston's

incumbent mayor, or maybe you don't know, that Mamdani has pointed to Mayor Michelle Wu

as an elected official he seeks to emulate.

And in the first debate in this year's primary,

Mamdani chose Mayor Wu when he was asked as the most effective democratic politician in the country. Michelle Wu's rival is also drawing comparisons to Mamdani's rival, Andrew Cuomo, particularly when it

comes to family, name, and wealth. Josh Kraft, that's Kraft with a K, a longtime leader of a

nonprofit, an heir to the New England Patriots, is running to unseat the incumbent mayor and pouring

money from his own pockets into this campaign.

So to make the obligatory sports rivalry reference, there are things here that Jets fans

will be able to learn from Patriots fans and Yankees fans will be able to learn from Red Sox fans

after today, I think.

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