WCAC

Duane Champagne, WHS Class of 1985, wants to be mayor. 

“I think it’s time for a change,” the longtime Waltham resident said this week.

He criticized the overdevelopment of the city under Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, who plans to seek an unprecedented sixth term.

“All she wants is condos, condos, condos,” he said. “We need the old neighborhoods back.”

The divorced, self-employed father of two grew up on the South Side, where he still lives. 

Champagne said he worked at the former Met State grounds, at Mount Feake Cemetery and for a private cemetery in Newton.

He was impressed with the city’s rail trail project, but criticized the amount of money spent on improvements happening at Leary Field.

After pulling papers last week, Champagne is collecting signatures for his campaign.

If he, mayor McCarthy and Ward 9 city councilor Jonathan Paz all submit the relevant paperwork, the three-way race would force a preliminary election on September 12 to narrow the field to two.

That election could determine how much support Paz has heading into the November 7 election. He was first elected in 2019, upsetting multi-term Ward 9 councilor Robert Logan, who plans to run for his former seat with Paz seeking the corner office.

After a surprise early campaign kickoff in March, Paz has raised more than $12,000 for his campaign. 

But the mayor has easily defeated well-backed candidates before—including other city councilors with more citywide recognition.