Following months of extensive campaigning, residents voted Annissa Essaibi George into the Boston City Council as an at-large member in Tuesday’s municipal elections, pushing incumbent Stephen Murphy out of his position.
Approximately 18 percent of the vote went to Essaibi George and about 15 percent went to Murphy. Incumbent Ayanna Pressley received the nearly a quarter of all the votes with Michelle Wu and Michael Flaherty following with approximately 22 and 20 percent respectively.
Essaibi George, a business owner and teacher, invited supporters to her home in Dorchester to await poll results and later celebrate her victory.
“I’m so incredibly proud and I’m so incredibly humbled that they picked me,” Essaibi George said. “I’m so ready to get to work. We’re going to work to improve our schools. We’re going to work to talk about what’s great in our schools. We’re going to improve our small business districts and strengthen our small business districts … We’re going to do it. We’re going to work every day.”
Meanwhile, across town at Doyle’s Cafe in Jamaica Plain, Murphy reflected on the bittersweet eighteen years he’s had in the council and how he looks forward to new challenges.
“I can simply say that I had a very high honor bestowed on me for almost 20 years to represent the entire city of Boston on the City Council,” Murphy said. “It’s a job I took seriously and I loved it and I did it to the best of my ability at every minute and tonight, it’s ending and there will be new challenges moving forward and I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
Edward Jesser, 73, of West Roxbury, expressed discontent that Murphy lost his spot.
“He served with distinction throughout his entire career,” he said. “It’s sad that people of his era and his time who work hard, primarily for the constituency and not for their own furtherance are no longer rewarded in politics. It’s sad, it’s depressing, but he spent an honorable and excellent career.
Before Murphy’s concession, Bernie O’Donnell, 62, of South Boston, expressed appreciation for his lifelong friend in Murphy.
“I’ve known him all my life. He’s been a friend of mine,” O’Donnell said. “He’s more moderate than any of the councilors. He really works on issues of public safety, the elderly, you know, the tax payers, but overall I think he’s just a great guy.”
In the 2013 At-Large election, Essaibi George came in fifth place with 9.19 percent of the vote, behind Murphy, who received 13.54 percent.
Essaibi George met with and hugged attendees, and everyone kept up excitement and celebration throughout the night.
“Education will be a big part of the work I’ll do when I’m part of City Council. It’s where I’ve spent my professional career,” she said. “That work is very important to me and I’d like to be able to transition that from classroom practice to political practice and government practice. I’ve got quite a bit to add in that realm, and I look forward to doing that work.”
City Councilor Matt O’Malley, who represents District 6 and ran unopposed, was present at Essaibi George’s gathering.
Jonathan Boyar, 49, of Dorchester, said he was delighted to see a new face in office at City Council.
“Her credentials speak for herself. She’s not pretending she’s something she’s not. She’s a real person,” he said. “We’ve kind of turned the page. [Boston Mayor] Martin Walsh has brought in a new level of excitement. You can look around town and see a lot of things happening … For a long time, we were stagnant and I think some fresh blood and new ideas is exactly what this city needs.”
Shelley Leahy, 65, of West Roxbury, talked about Essaibi George’s work in the public school system.
“I just have a feeling that Boston is sick of the same old, same old. I just know how hard she’s worked and how hard she’s campaigned,” she said. “I’m looking forward to her impact in the Boston Public Schools as both a teacher and as a parent. Having grandchildren in Boston Public Schools and living in Boston, it’s huge with me.”
Shortly after 9 p.m., Flaherty greeted supporters at the Venezia Restaurant in Dorchester. He thanked members of the community for their help and said that his reelection was a testament to their support.
“All those constituencies that make up Boston, the Latino community, the Vietnamese community, the Chinese community, the Russian community, the LGBT community, all communities that have we have spent a tremendous amount of time building those relationships with, they showed up today as well,” Flaherty said to the crowd.
Flaherty’s goals include focusing on reducing crime and opioid addiction as well as improving education and job opportunities.
John O’Connor, 35, of West Roxbury, said he has continued to support Flaherty since he was 18 years old.
“I just really appreciate him, he’s a great guy. He’s someone I’ve been able to lean on in the past,” he said. “When I was younger it was because my dad told me, and as I’ve gotten older, to me, it’s been the sense of community, really. He loves his family, he loves his neighborhood, and he loves all of his friends.”
At the Seven Star Street Bistro in Roslindale, Wu met with supporters and received a congratulatory call from Walsh.
Wu said she looks forward to taking “immediate action” on issues like housing, education and mental health.
“We can just figure out what works, identify what solutions are already being supported in our neighborhoods and then try to replicate that or try something completely new and pilot it in a small scale,” Wu said.
Richard Murch, 78, of Roslindale, said he was surprised that Wu came in second in the polls despite all the good work she has done with the council.
“Of course, the voters have had an opportunity to see what she has done over the past two years and obviously she’s done quite a job. She has a nice way about her. She’s easy to talk to, she’s very impressive, [and] she’s a good mother,” he said. “ … She’s going to have a very, very fine future if she stays with politics. She’s certainly one of the bright, young stars of the political world and she composes herself very well.”
Pressley and supporters gathered at the Sea Breeze Mexican Grill in Dorchester. After declaring victory, she said she felt humbled by the “incredible affirming … [and] continued confidence of voters” since her election in 2007.
This election, Pressley said, was different because she has a record to run on.
“It feels really good that we are proven and have earned the continued confidence of voters to deliver on this agenda that I believe stands to uplift and benefit the entire city fighting for women and girls, to break cycles of violence and reduce traumas in our communities,” Pressley said.
Kenny Jarvis, 45, of South Boston, said he looks forward to the good work Pressley will continue to do.
“She really represents so many fragments of society that need a strong force on the municipal and bigger levels and she’s just a great advocate for women, the poor, the disenfranchised, and always fights for them.”
Kennedy Davis, Samantha Gross and Carolyn Hoffman contributed to the reporting of
this article.
