Sullivan to Support Former Colleague Marty Walsh at Inauguration

Mayor Joseph Sullivan spent seven years in the state legislature with Marty Walsh, and on Monday they will again hold similar jobs when Walsh is sworn-in as the 54th Mayor of Boston.

“He loves Boston as equally as I love Braintree," Sullivan said. "This job, as mayor, you need to have a lot of emotion, in terms of trying to move the town forward. I know Marty has a deep emotional commitment to Boston. That will carry him through tough days."

Sullivan will attend Walsh's inauguration ceremony Monday at Boston College’s Conte Forum and also his celebration Monday night at the Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center.

Walsh, a state representative from the 13th Suffolk District since 1997, defeated Boston City Councilor John Connolly on Nov. 5 with 52 percent of the vote. He will be the first new Boston mayor since Thomas Menino took office in 1993.

Walsh has been a longtime union member and official, and served as the secretary-treasurer and general agent of the Boston Metropolitan District Building Trades Council for three years.

While serving with Walsh on Beacon Hill, Sullivan said he learned a lot from the Dorchester native on understanding labor's perspective on issues. 

Sullivan, who served for six years as Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, also worked with Walsh on improvements to MBTA stations at Savin Hill and Ashmont, and on the Commuter Rail extension.

Braintree changed its form of government from a Board of Selectmen style to a Mayor and Town Council in 2007. In November 2007, Sullivan was elected as the first Mayor of Braintree and four years later he was re-elected with 85 percent of the vote.

Taking on the position of mayor, and the ongoing municipal issues that come with it such as an active budget and existing collective bargaining agreements, will be difficult, Sullivan said, but he believes Walsh is up for the job.

"He’s a solid individual and will make a great mayor," Sullivan said.