Republican Fortes Joins At-Large Council Race

Robert Fortes of Dorchester, an MBTA executive and former executive director of the State Office of Minority and Womens Business Assistant, appears to be planning a run for Boston City Council, seeking one of the four at-large seats.

Fortes opened a campaign account yesterday with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance; I had been told by two people recently that he was seriously considering it.

Fortes, an African-American, is a Republican who worked for Mitt Romney's campaign. His father, Robert L. Fortes, was a well-known activist, and the namesake of an elderly housing building in Lower Roxbury.

Bear in mind that Carlo Basile, essentially a Republican running as a Democrat, was able to get elected state rep. in East Boston. With so many candidates to split the vote multiple ways, Fortes could make a solid showing if he can rally the city's Republicans and conservative African-Americans to him. To my knowledge, the only other Republican in the race is Doug Bennett, whose viability as a candidate is still yet to be determined.

Fortes is, by my count, the 12th candidate in the crowded, diverse race: Felix G. Arroyo, Bennett, incumbent John Connolly, Ego Ezedi, Fortes, Tomas Gonzalez, Marty Hogan, Andrew Kenneally, incumbent Steve Murphy, Hiep Nguyen, Jean-Claude Sanon, and Scotland Willis.

Still no women. Get in with the boys, ladies!!!