Uphill Fight - Potential Challenger Takes Boston's Longest - Serving Mayor

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Boston area councilor plus training suggest became this first customer to be able to introduction his plan for mayor this kind of year, potentially establishing difficult for the longest-serving mayor in city history, Thomas Menino.

The challenger, John Connolly, is usually your former college instructor who would likely face an uphill combat in case Menino, 70, opts to seek a sixth term from the business he possesses held considering 1993. Both are generally Democrats.

Menino hasn't however stated whether or not he can function for a second time after a new month-long hospitalization past due a year ago in connection with some sort of malware he contracted while upon family vacation inside Italy.

Connolly, 39, mentioned in a posting on his Web site that his concentration since mayor could be seeking to improve the city's institution system.

"Mayor Menino is a good man," Connolly said. "I've been effective along with your ex boyfriend and I respect the pup greatly although adjusting some of our universities requires innovative ideas, fresh energy and also a daring want to bust the particular standing quo."

Incumbent mayors throughout Boston rarely get rid of re-election bids. Menino's predecessor, Raymond Flynn, walked straight down when President Bill Clinton called your ex boyfriend ambassador for the Vatican.

In the city's 2009 mayoral election, Menino's nearly all critical nightmare originated in then-city councilor Michael Flaherty, who's considering kept politics along with eliminated straight into private lawful practice.

(Reporting By Scott Malone; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Nick Zieminski)