North End’s Aaron Michlewitz to Endorse Charlotte Golar Richie in Race for Mayor

A high profile pre-endorsement article in Friday’s Boston Globe disclosed that State Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-North End) is throwing his support behind Charlotte Golar Richie to be the next Mayor of Boston. Michlewitz joins Brighton’s State Rep. Michael Moran and Charlestown brothers Edward and Dennis Callahan in backing the former State Rep. from Dorchester.

Moran, Michlewitz, and the Callahans had been unsure they could settle on one candidate, each having his own coterie of supporters who needed to vet names, Michlewitz said. They perked up when Richie’s name was floated in mid-April, exchanging text messages to gauge interest. Three days after the Boston Marathon bombing, they met at Hillstone, near Faneuil Hall, to discuss a group of about four candidates who had sparked their interest. Nine days later, they met again, this time at Sullivan’s Pub in Charlestown. Over beers, they started coalescing around Richie.

Read the Boston Globe article.

The race to follow Mayor Thomas M. Menino has created a fractious divide among neighborhood political leaders. Michlewitz’s support for Richie goes counter to that of State Senator Anthony Petruccelli, who has endorsed City Councilor Rob Consalvo of Hyde Park. The North End’s City Councilor Sal LaMattina has yet to endorse a candidate. But, his former aid, lifelong neighborhood resident and President of the North End / Waterfront Neighborhood Council, Stephen Passacantilli, is working for Marty Walsh’s bid in the mayoral election.

Rep. Michlewitz said on Facebook that he is “eager to announce” his endorsement for Richie and spent time on Friday collecting signatures for Richie at Casa Maria.