It's official! As of January, state representative Marty Walsh will be the 48th mayor of Boston, and the 20-plus year tenure of Thomas Menino will come to an end. According to WBUR, Walsh defeated fellow candidate John Connolly by a margin of 52 to 48 percent.

The Mayor

Here's a little bit about our new mayor: 46 years old, Walsh was raised by Irish immigrants in the Savin Hill neighborhood of Dorchester, and survived a bout of childhood cancer (Burkitt's lymphoma); he was in full recovery by age 11.

He graduated from Newman Prep in the Back Bay, and attended both Quincy College and Suffolk University, although he did not initially complete his studies. He is a recovering alcoholic, sober since 1995.

Walsh, a Democrat, was elected as a state representative in 1997, and shortly thereafter became a champion of unions, particularly the construction and building trades. Since 2005, he has been president of Laborers Local 223. He returned to college and in 2009 received a bachelor's degree from Boston College. From 2011 until this past April (when he announced his mayoral campaign), Walsh was the general agent of the Boston Building Trades Council.

He continues to live in Savin Hill and is in a long-term relationship with Lorrie Higgins, also of Dorchester. 

The Election

The neighborhoods of South Boston and Dorchester, in addition to Boston's minority communities such as Mattapan and Roxbury, overwhelmingly voted for Walsh, who ran on a working-class platform. Walsh's campaign messages promised to strengthen Boston's middle class through improved schools (especially at the pre-K and high school levels), overhaul the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and create a more inclusive and diverse City Hall that better represents the citizenry of Boston.

Approximately 40 percent of registered voters participated in the municipal election.

On a fun note, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz received the most write-in votes for mayor. (It seems like it is his f***ing city, indeed.)

Looking Ahead

Walsh has already announced his mayoral transition team, which includes former candidates (and rivals) Felix Arroyo, John Barros, and Charlotte Golar Richie. Also working to ensure a smooth transition from the Menino to Walsh administration will be Katherine Craven of University of Massachusetts Building Authority; Joyce Linehan, public relations executive; and Samuel Tyler of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau.

Walsh told WBUR that education will be his "top policy priority", particularly the choice of Boston's new superintendent of schools. Expect to also hear major decisions and plans regarding the city's police force (particularly the replacement for outgoing Commissioner Edward Davis), the fate of casinos in greater Boston, and current/ongoing development and construction projects.

Finally, Mayor Menino penned an open letter to Walsh in the Boston Globe, saying "the greatest strength of this city is our people … I am proud to know that Walsh will have the best residents, business leaders, and civic advocates helping him, and I know Boston’s best days are still to come."

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Photo courtesy Rappaport Center via Flickr Creative Commons