Findings from the first public poll of the 2025 mayoral election cycle show incumbent Mayor Wu with a sizeable lead over her high-profile challenger, Josh Kraft, with roughly six-and-half months to go until the preliminary election.

The Emerson College Polling Center poll has Wu leading Kraft, 43-29 percent with roughly 24 percent undecided. The survey was conducted Feb. 24-26 through text messages with more than 600 respondents, all described as potential Boston voters.

The poll’s question that asked respondents to describe their attitudes about the direction of the city showed a majority with a favorable impression of Wu and what she is doing.

“Wu starts strong in the first pre-election poll of the year, with 57 percent of voters thinking the city is headed in the right direction, and 57 percent holding a favorable view of the mayor,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Wu’s support is strongest among Hispanic voters, at 54 percent, and Asian voters, at 58 percent, while Kraft splits the white vote with Wu 39 percent to 37 percent.”

The mayor’s job approval rating— distinct from her personal favorability— is lower at 41 percent, with 38 percent stating they disapprove and 21 percent neutral on her job performance. Wu is most popular among voters under 30 and over 70, according to Kimball’s analysis.

Only 13 percent of respondents to the Emerson poll said they had never heard of Josh Kraft, despite the fact that he has not sought public office before. Kraft’s favorability rating in the poll was 27 percent with 24 percent “unfavorable” and 36 percent unsure.

The poll showed just 2 percent support for North End restaurant owner Jorge Mendoza-Iturralde, who has stated that he will run for mayor.

The Emerson survey also included questions about hot-button issues, including the renovation of Franklin Park’s White Stadium, immigration enforcement, housing affordability, and bike lanes.

According to Kimball, “68 percent of voters who support Mayor Wu for re-election also support the redevelopment of White Stadium, while Kraft supporters are more split: 38 percent oppose the redevelopment, while 35 percent support it.” 

The polls found that a small majority of respondents support the Boston Trust Act, which limits the scope of Boston Police coordination with federal immigration enforcement. The city ordinance is supported by 52 percent of respondents. Similarly, 51 percent of those polled think Boston should accommodate migrants seeking sanctuary. 

When it comes to housing, 38 percent said Wu is the better leader to make costs more affordable while 25 percent believe Kraft is a better choice, with 31 percent saying neither candidate will.

The sharpest contrast is on the controversial issue of bike lanes. According to the poll, 69 percent of Kraft supporters said there are too many bike lanes in Boston while 29 percent of Wu voters said there are not enough. 

The poll findings also suggest that more people think the City of Boston and the MBTA are heading in the right direction while Boston Public Schools are on the wrong track. 

On Thursday morning, Commonwealth Magazine’s Gintautas Dumcius posted on social media about an internal Wu campaign poll that he reports is even more favorable for the incumbent mayor. The poll— which Dumcius says was conducted by a Wu campaign-funded consultant GBAO Strategies – shows the mayor ahead of Kraft 65-25 percent. The phone poll of “possible voters”— conducted between Feb. 13-17— showed Wu winning 72 percent of Black voters and 73 percent of Latino voters, according to Dumcius’s post.