‘I am back’: Former Boston City Councilor Frank Baker announces run for at-large seat

Frank Baker, a former Boston City Councilor who represented most of Dorchester, is running to return to the body as an at-large city councilor. 

Baker, a lifelong Dorchester resident, represented District 3 for 12 years and was part of the council’s conservative wing. Before his time on the council, he worked for the City of Boston Printing Department and was a union member, according to his city bio.

Baker announced his candidacy on X Thursday afternoon after the Boston Herald first reported rumblings that he was considering pursuing a reelection bid. 

“Since I stepped back from my role on the City Council, I have heard a steady beat of Bostonians urging me to step back in and get involved. After much deliberation and discussion, I have decided to answer the call and do just that,” Baker wrote on X, promising to be “a strong independent voice for the people of Boston.”

Larry DiCara, a former council president familiar with Boston politics, said Baker spoke to him about considering a run, saying he had been thinking about it “for a long time.” 

“I expect that he believes John FitzGerald is doing a great job, which I think most people do,” DiCara said, referring to the new District 3 representative. “When (Baker) was on the council, he probably asked the toughest questions, and it will probably increase the volume of the council race, and I think it’s good for democracy.”

Boston City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Councilors Erin Murphy, Julia Mejia, and Henry Santana are the current at-large city councilors. DiCara predicts that Louijeune and Murphy “should be in very good shape.” Santana was first elected in 2023 after Baker declined to run for reelection, while Mejia was first elected in 2019.

Councilor Ed Flynn, who is running for reelection to his District 2 seat, and Murphy are sometimes a team of dissenters against Mayor Michelle Wu and her many allies on the council, including Louijeune. The pair filed a formal communication in November to voice their concerns about Louijeune’s “conduct in meetings” and “perceived bias.”

When Baker, a registered Democrat, chose to step away from his role as District 3 councilor, Boston.com reported on some of his past votes, including opposing rent control, regulating the short-term rental industry, a tax on luxury real estate deals, and a fare-free MBTA.

FitzGerald, Mejia, Murphy, and Santana didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.