Last week, Peggy Davis-Mullen, the Boston City Council four-term veteran turned mayoral candidate, was — there’s no polite way to put this — trounced in her bid to unseat Mayor Tom Menino. The final margin of victory (72 percent to 23 percent) was a record in Boston politics.

By running, however, Davis-Mullen gave the city something it hasn’t had in eight years: a mayoral race (Menino ran unopposed four years ago). To be sure, it was a lopsided race — Menino started out with over $1 million in his campaign war chest; Davis-Mullen started with something like $20,000 — but it was a race nonetheless.

The Phoenix recently spoke with Davis-Mullen.

Q: Any regrets?

A: Nope.

Q: Were you surprised at Menino’s final margin of victory?

A: Honestly, a little bit. Yes.

Q: Anything you’d do differently?

A: I think it was all about money and being able to raise money. That was a lot of it. That’s unfortunate. But I also think it illustrates why we need campaign-finance reform at the municipal level. Because it shouldn’t just be about money. You would hope it would be about ideas.

Q: What do you see happening in the city in next four years?

A: Well, I think the mayor’s job would be a different job no matter who won because the economy is changing. Certainly the world is changing. Public safety is a far bigger issue than we’ve ever had to worry about before.

Q: What’s your take on the city-council results?

A: I was very happy that Felix [Arroyo] came in fifth. I would have liked to see him win, but given the fact that there could be change on the council — if [Mike] Flaherty becomes [Suffolk County] DA — I’d like to see Felix on the council. I was happy to see Maura win. I think that’s great. I’m happy to see a woman remain in that slot.

Q: What’s next for you?

A: I honestly don’t know. I’m going to take some time to spend with my family and evaluate things as they happen. But I don’t have any immediate, definite plans.

Issue Date: November 15 - 22, 2001

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