John Connolly is currently an at-large city councillor and chair of the council's Education Committee. A West Roxbury resident, he was the first major candidate to enter the race, a month before Mayor Thomas Menino said he would not run for reelection. Other candidates quickly jumped in, including one with a similar-sounding name. “Out of an abundance of clarity, I am John Connolly,” the councillor quipped at a recent fundraiser, noting that his name has two N’s and two L’s. “It takes a little bit more to get the job done.” At his kick-off, he said, "We need to focus more on transit-oriented development, more on workforce housing that prioritizes middle market 3-bedroom units for young families and affordable lofts for young artists and young professionals." His campaign manager is Nathaniel Stinnett, a local attorney and classically trained opera singer.

His responses to the Dorchester Reporter questionnaire are available here.