T
homas O'Brien, a prominent real estate developer and founding partner of HYM Investment Group, has decided to run for mayor of Boston. He plans to formally launch his campaign next week in East Boston alongside his family, ahead of Mayor Michelle Wu's reelection campaign launch scheduled for the following Saturday.

    O'Brien, 61, has a long history of involvement in major redevelopment projects in Boston, including the Government Center Garage and Suffolk Downs in East Boston. His decision to run comes as he joins Josh Kraft, son of billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, as prominent candidates vying to oust Wu from office.

    While the city's municipal elections are non-partisan, O'Brien is expected to run as a Democrat, like Kraft. Community activist Domingos DaRosa has also announced his intention to run for mayor. If more than two candidates enter the race, a preliminary election will be held on September 9, narrowing the field to two candidates who will appear on the final ballot for the November 4 municipal election.

    O'Brien's interest in running for mayor was first reported by Politico Massachusetts, and he has been mentioned as a potential candidate by the Boston Globe. His decision to run comes after weeks of speculation and follows a poll testing his chances against Kraft and Wu in a mayoral race.

    As a developer, O'Brien has supported some of Mayor Wu's policies, but he may now seek to capitalize on frustration within the real estate industry with her commercial tax rate proposal and other initiatives. Wu has faced criticism from developers over her efforts to increase affordability requirements for new building construction and speed up net-zero emission requirements.

    O'Brien is a well-known figure in Boston's real estate scene, having led the Boston Redevelopment Authority as its director and chief of staff from 1993 to 1999. He joins Kraft in seeking to challenge Wu, who has garnered national attention for her defense of the city's immigration protections and her appearance on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."