Annissa Essaibi George
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Annissa Essaibi George
| image = File:Annissa Essaibi George (FrM7aUbWAAcO4eM) (1) (adjusted).jpg
| caption = Essaibi George in 2023
| office = Member of the Boston City Council
at-large
| predecessor = Stephen J. Murphy
| successor = Ruthzee Louijeune
| term_start = January 4, 2016
| term_end = January 3, 2022
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|12|12}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
| birth_name = Anissa Essaibi
| party = Democratic
| education = Bentley College
Boston University (BA)
University of Massachusetts, Boston (MEd)
| signature = Annissa Essaibi George transparent signature.png
| website = {{URL|annissaforboston.com|Campaign website}}
| module = {{listen|filename=Annissa Essaibi George Salutes Dorchester on Groundhog Day.flac|embed=yes|type=speech|title=Essaibi George's voice|description=Recorded February 2, 2018; first published February 7}}
}}
Annissa Essaibi George{{efn|Some sources use a hyphen in her name; Annissa Essaibi-George. However, neither her own website nor her profile page at Boston.gov use a hyphen; Annissa Essaibi George.}} (born December 12, 1973){{cite web |last1=Barge |first1=Nathalie |title=Une fille d'immigrant tunisien candidate à la mairie de Boston |url=https://www.voaafrique.com/amp/une-fille-d-immigrant-tunisien-candidate-%C3%A0-la-mairie-de-boston/6227345.html |publisher=Voice of America Afrique |access-date=1 July 2023 |date=September 14, 2021}} is an American politician who served as an at-large member of the Boston City Council. First elected in 2015, she served on the council from 2016 to 2022. She was a candidate in the 2021 Boston mayoral election. She placed second in the nonpartisan primary, but was defeated in the general election by fellow city councilor Michelle Wu. Since November 2022, Essaibi George has served as the president of the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization Big Sister Boston.
Born and raised in Boston, Essaibi George began her career as a student services liaison at the Boston Private Industry Council. After receiving a master's in education, she later entered the field of education and worked as a social studies teacher at East Boston High School. A Democrat, Essaibi George entered electoral politics by running unsuccessfully for an at-large seat on the Boston City Council in 2013. Two years later, she won election to an at-large seat in the 2015 Boston City Council election. She was reelected to the Boston City Council in both 2017 and 2019. On the Boston City Council, she was regarded to be an ally of Mayor Marty Walsh, who had been an acquaintance of Essaibi George dating back to their childhoods. Having been first elected on a social services-centered platform, Essaibi George undertook work in that realm. She founded the Boston City Council's Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery Committee in 2016, which was later disestablished by in 2020 during the council presidency of Kim Janey to the disagreement of Essaibi George. Essaibi George organized needle clean-up drives. She opposed the idea of the city establishing supervised consumption sites (in the mold of supervised injection sites) as a response to public safety concerns regarding drug use. Martin J. Valencia of The Boston Globe partially credited Essaibi George's advocacy as a city councilor as contributing to the city acting to supply each of the city's public schools with a full-time social worker and a full-time nurse.
In January 2021, Essaibi George announced her candidacy in that year's election for mayor of Boston. Her candidacy was considered centrist in comparison to that of the other leading candidates. She placed second in the election's nonpartisan primary, outperforming then-acting mayor Kim Janey and other candidates including Andrea Campbell and John Barros. She faced Michelle Wu in the general election, and was defeated by Wu by a landslide.
Early life
Annissa Essaibi George was born on December 12, 1973, in Boston, Massachusetts. Her parents met while studying in Paris. Her mother was born to Polish parents in a displaced persons camp in Germany but grew up in Boston. Her father, Ezzeddine, was from Tunisia. They relocated to the United States in 1972, settling in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. Essaibi George and her three siblings were raised Catholic while her father was a practicing Muslim.{{cite news|url=https://www.bu.edu/bostonia/winter-spring17/a-teachers-voice/|title=A Teacher's Voice|accessdate=8 October 2019|publisher=Bostonia|issue=Winter Spring 2017}}
After graduating from Boston Technical High School (now the John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science), Essaibi George attended Bentley College, a business school in Waltham, Mass., for two years, before transferring to Boston University, where she was a political science major.[LinkedIn profile for Annissa Essaibi George https://www.linkedin.com/in/annissa-essaibi-george-2a0a7746/] While in college, she interned in the Washington, D.C., office of Max Baucus. After graduating from B.U., she worked as the student services liaison at the Boston Private Industry Council.{{cite web |title=ANNISSA ESSAIBI GEORGE |url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/annissa-essaibi-george |website=City of Boston |date=7 March 2016 |accessdate=8 October 2019}} She continued her education by earning a master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, later teaching social studies electives at East Boston High School from 2001 to 2014.
Unsuccessful 2013 city council campaign
File:Stephen Lynch and Annissa Essaibi George CJ-dIHBVEAAQ-XO.jpg in 2015]]
Essaibi George is affiliated with the Democratic Party.{{cite web |title=Annissa Essaibi George |url=https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/annissa-essaibi-george |website=Boston.gov |accessdate=25 November 2019 |date=7 March 2016}} She first ran unsuccessfully for Boston City Council in the 2013 election for at-large seats.
The editorial board of The Boston Globe opted not to endorse her 2013 candidacy, instead endorsing incumbent councilor Ayanna Pressley, former councilor Michael F. Flaherty, and first-time candidates Michelle Wu and Jack Kelly. The editorial board opined on her, {{blockquote|Essaibi-George has been an effective Dorchester neighborhood activist. She enjoys ample support from organized labor. But her all-or-nothing approach to issues suggest she would be a reflxtive and potentiall even divisive councilor.{{cite web |title=Pressley, Wu, Flaherty, Kelly for At-Large City Council |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/444290848 |via=Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription |publisher=The Boston Globe |access-date=15 November 2024 |language=en |date=October 3, 2013}}}}
City council tenure
Essaibi George became an at-large member of the Boston City Council in January 2016 after she was elected in the 2015 election. She was re-elected in both November 2017 and November 2019.{{cite news |last1=Connolly |first1=Brynne |title=Boston city council election comes down to 10 vote spread for 4th place cutoff |url=https://whdh.com/news/boston-city-council-election-comes-down-to-10-vote-spread-for-4th-place-cutoff/ |accessdate=6 November 2019 |publisher=WHDH-TV |date=November 5, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.jamaicaplainnews.com/2019/11/06/council-to-be-woman-majority-wu-flaherty-essaibi-george-re-elected-mejia-wins-at-large-seat/175694|title=Council To Be Woman-Majority: Wu, Flaherty, Essaibi-George Re-Elected, Mejia Wins At-Large Seat|last=Ertischek|first=David|website=Jamaica Plain News|date=6 November 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-07}}
While on the City Council, Essaibi George was considered an ally of then-Mayor Marty Walsh, whom she has known since childhood.{{cite web |last1=Trojano |first1=Katie |title=Wu, Campbell lead parade of hopefuls for mayor's chair |url=https://www.dotnews.com/2021/wu-campbell-lead-parade-hopefuls-mayors-chair |website=Dorchester Reporter |access-date=11 February 2021 |language=en |date=13 January 2021}}
Essaibi George chaired committees, including both the Committee on Education and the Committee on Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery.{{cite news |last1=Dearing |first1=Tiziana |title=Why Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George Isn't Thrilled About Supervised Consumption Sites |url=https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2019/08/29/essaibi-george-safe-consumption-sites |accessdate=8 October 2019 |publisher=WBUR |date=August 29, 2019}}
Essaibi George's successful 2015 campaign, which first elected her to the Boston City Council, focused on social services, including mental health counseling and services for the homeless. In 2016, she established the council's Homelessness, Mental Health, and Recovery committee. She was critical of Kim Janey's move in 2020, as city council president, to disestablish this committee.{{cite web |title=Boston City Council homelessness, addiction committee reorganization receives pushback |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/01/29/boston-city-council-homelessness-addiction-committee-reorganization-receives-pushback/ |website=Boston Herald |access-date=3 October 2021 |date=30 January 2020}} For several years, Essaibi George proposed ordinances requiring pharmacies to provide safe sharps waste disposal.Multiple sources:
- {{cite web |last1=Valencia |first1=Milton J. |title=Pharmacies could collect used needles under council proposal |url=https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2017/08/17/pharmacies-could-collect-used-needles-under-council-proposal/ |website=www.boston.com |publisher=The Boston Globe |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=August 17, 2017}}
- {{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Sara |title=Councilor Wants Pharmacies to Help With Safe Needle Disposal – NorthEndWaterfront.com |url=https://northendwaterfront.com/2019/05/councilor-wants-pharmacies-to-help-with-safe-needle-disposal/ |website=northendwaterfront.com |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=May 2, 2019}}{{cite web |title=Pharmacies must provide safe sharps disposal, City Council orders – The Daily Free Press |url=https://dailyfreepress.com/2020/10/28/pharmacies-must-provide-safe-sharps-disposal-city-council-orders/ |last1=Velasco |first1=Aaron |last2=Jezak |first2=Katarzyna |website=The Daily Free Press |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=October 28, 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Gavin |first1=Christopher |title=Boston pharmacies will now have to provide sharps disposal, under law passed by city council |url=https://www.boston.com/news/policy/2020/10/23/boston-pharmacies-sharps-disposal-city-council-law/ |website=www.boston.com |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=October 23, 2020}} An ordinance sponsored by Essaibi George that requires pharmacy chains with more than three locations in the city to do so was passed unanimously by the City Council in October 2020. Essaibi George also organized needle clean-up drives.{{cite web |title=Michelle Wu for mayor - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/22/opinion/michelle-wu-mayor |website=BostonGlobe.com |access-date=23 October 2021 |date=October 22, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Councilor Essaibi-George Organizes Inaugural 'needle Take Back Day' for the City of Boston – East Boston Times-Free Press |url=https://eastietimes.com/2019/04/26/councilor-essaibi-george-organizes-inaugural-needle-take-back-day-for-the-city-of-boston/ |website=The Eastie Times |access-date=23 October 2021 |date=April 26, 2019}} In 2019, Essaibi George expressed her disapproval for the prospect of creating supervised consumption sites (in the mold of supervised injection sites) in response to drug use in the city.{{cite web |last1=Dearing |first1=Tiziana |last2=Wuthmann |first2=Walter |title=Why Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George Isn't Thrilled About Supervised Consumption Sites |url=https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2019/08/29/essaibi-george-safe-consumption-sites |website=WBUR |access-date=28 September 2021 |language=en |date=August 29, 2019}} In 2019, Essaibi George advocated for the city to place a full-time social worker and a full-time nurse in every public school.{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Sara |title=Boston City Council Wants More Social Workers in Schools – NorthEndWaterfront.com |url=https://northendwaterfront.com/2019/04/boston-city-council-wants-more-social-workers-in-schools/ |website=northendwaterfront.com |access-date=3 October 2021 |date=April 7, 2019}} The city, ultimately, implemented this, with Martin J. Valencia of The Boston Globe later attributing this, in part, to her advocacy on the matter.{{cite web |last1=Valencia |first1=Milton J. |title=Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George had far different approaches as councilors, hinting at how they might govern as mayor - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/10/02/metro/michelle-wu-annissa-essaibi-george-had-far-different-approaches-councilors-hinting-how-they-might-govern-mayor/ |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=3 October 2021 |date=October 2, 2021}}
In 2016, Essaibi George pressed the city to lessen the amount of geese in city parks, expressing concern over the amount of feces geese were leaving.Multiple sources
- {{cite web |last1=Mitchell |first1=Zoë |title=City Council Addresses Abortion Access and Goose Poop |url=https://bunewsservice.com/city-council-addresses-abortion-access-and-goose-poop/ |website=Boston University News Service |access-date=18 April 2023 |date=29 September 2016}}
- {{cite web |last1=Daniel |first1=Seth |title=George Looks to Get the Upper Honk on Problem Geese in Local Open Spaces – Beacon Hill Times |url=https://beaconhilltimes.com/2016/07/30/george-looks-to-get-the-upper-honk-on-problem-geese-in-local-open-spaces/ |website=beaconhilltimes.com |publisher=Beacon Hill Times |access-date=18 April 2023 |date=July 30, 2016}}
- {{cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Boston looks to fix goose poop problem in parks, playgrounds |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/weird-news/2016/10/12/boston-looks-to-fix-goose/23778465007/ |website=The Columbus Dispatch |access-date=18 April 2023 |date=October 12, 2016}}
File:Annissa Essaibi George 2018 03.png
Essaibi George was an early supporter of Ayanna Pressley's successful 2018 Democratic primary election challenge to incumbent U.S. Congressman Mike Capuano.{{cite web |last1=Tiernan |first1=Erin |title=Annissa Essaibi-George rejects ties to Trump via super PAC |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/09/26/annissa-essaibi-george-eschews-ties-to-trump/ |website=Boston Herald |access-date=30 September 2021 |date=September 27, 2021}} During the Democratic primary election of Massachusetts' 2020 United States Senate election, Essaibi George endorsed incumbent Ed Markey's ultimately successful reelection campaign over the candidacy of challenger Joe Kennedy III.{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Stephanie |title=MARKEY's new endorsement — New England reacts to CORONAVIRUS — Is BOSTON's middle class DOOMED? |url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/massachusetts-playbook/2020/01/30/markeys-new-endorsement-new-england-reacts-to-coronavirus-is-bostons-middle-class-doomed-488192 |website=POLITICO |access-date=28 September 2021 |language=en |date=January 30, 2020}}
Essaibi George was involved in efforts to have the city hire additional licensed social workers to work alongside first responders in addressing 911 calls related to mental health problems and similar matters.{{cite web |last1=McDonald |first1=Danny |title=Boston to Add 15 More Clinicians to Help Police With Mental Health Calls |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/04/metro/boston-add-15-more-clinicians-help-police-with-mental-health-calls |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=8 November 2024 |date=September 4, 2020}} In 2021, she voted against legislation that was passed by the City Council to restrict the use of rubber bullets, tear gas, and pepper spray by the Boston Police Department.{{cite web |title=Boston City Council passes tear gas, rubber bullet limits on second attempt |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/04/28/boston-city-council-passes-tear-gas-rubber-bullet-limits-in-second-attempt/ |website=Boston Herald |access-date=4 October 2021 |date=28 April 2021}}
In early 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, she partnered with fellow city councilor Michelle Wu to propose a measure that would provide paid leave to municipal employees that feel ill after receiving the vaccine.{{cite web |title=Election roundup: Wu, Essaibi-George want paid leave for city workers who feel ill after getting a Covid-19 shot |url=https://www.universalhub.com/2021/election-roundup-wu-essaibi-george-want-paid-leave |website=Universal Hub |access-date=11 February 2021 |date=3 February 2021}}
In July 2021, amid her mayoral campaign, Essaibi George denied allegations made in an investigative article published in The Boston Globe that she had used her office to try to prevent the construction of a building that would block the views of a building owned by her husband, a real estate developer.{{cite web |title=Boston City Councilor Essaibi George Denies Using Her Office To Help Husband |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/07/29/boston-city-councilor-essaibi-george-husband-conflict |website=www.wbur.org |access-date=10 September 2021 |language=en |date=29 July 2021}} If the allegations are true, they pose a potential violation of a state conflict of interest law.{{cite web |last1=Arnett |first1=Dugan |last2=McDonald |first2=Danny |title=Mayoral candidates clash: Political opponents call on Essaibi George to address husband's housing record - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/29/metro/mayoral-candidates-clash-barros-calls-essaibi-george-address-husbands-housing-record/ |website=BostonGlobe.com |access-date=28 September 2021 |date=July 29, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Andrew |last2=McDonald |first2=Danny |title=Essaibi George is running for Boston mayor. Her husband, a housing developer, has had a lot of problems with City Hall - The Boston Globe |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/28/metro/essaibi-george-is-running-mayor-her-husband-housing-developer-has-had-lot-problems-with-city-hall/ |website=The Boston Globe |date=July 28, 2021}}
In September 2021, a resolution authored by Councilor Lydia Edwards and co-sponsored by Essaibi George and Michelle Wu was passed by the City Council. The ordinance extends paid child leave for municipal employees to all forms of pregnancy loss, including abortion (as opposed to the existing law, which only covered loss of pregnancy by miscarriage), and also extends it to those welcoming a new family member or acting as a caregiver.{{cite web |title=Paid Abortion Leave Shouldn't Put 'Stigma' On Abortion, Boston City Councilor Says |url=https://newbostonpost.com/around-new-england/paid-abortion-leave-shouldnt-put-stigma-on-abortion-boston-city-councilor-says/ |website=New Boston Post |access-date=16 September 2021 |date=August 27, 2021}}{{cite web |title=City Council Approves Expansion of Parental Leave Policy by Edwards |url=http://eastietimes.com/2021/09/22/city-council-approves-expansion-of-parental-leave-policy-by-edwards/ |website=eastietimes.com |publisher=East Boston Times-Free Press |access-date=30 September 2021 |date=September 22, 2021}} The ordinance was signed into law by Acting Mayor Kim Janey soon after.{{cite web |last1=Joyce |first1=Tom |title=Boston Offering Its Employees 12 Weeks Of Paid Abortion Leave, Including Men |url=https://newbostonpost.com/2021/11/15/boston-giving-its-employees-12-weeks-of-paid-abortion-leave-including-men/ |website=NewBostonPost |access-date=14 November 2022 |date=15 November 2021}}
Mayoral campaign
{{see also|2021 Boston mayoral election}}
File:Logo Transparent. png (1).png
File:Annissa Essaibi George election night celebration and concession 19.png speech]]
On January 27, 2021, Essaibi George confirmed that she would run in the 2021 Boston mayoral election, considered a "wide open" race due to the then-expected confirmation of Mayor Walsh as United States Secretary of Labor;{{Cite news |last=McDonald |first=Danny |date=January 27, 2021 |accessdate=January 27, 2021 |title=Councilor Essaibi-George jumps into the mayoral fray |work=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/01/28/metro/councilor-essaibi-george-jumps-into-mayoral-fray/}}{{cite web |last=Gavin |first=Christopher |title=With Boston mayoral race wide open, endorsements roll in for Wu, Campbell |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/01/12/boston-mayor-race-endorsements-michelle-wu-andrea-campbell |website=Boston.com |date=January 12, 2020 |accessdate=January 27, 2021}} Walsh was confirmed to his Cabinet post in March.{{cite web | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/03/22/nation/senate-confirms-walsh-labor-secretary-janey-set-become-acting-boston-mayor | title=Senate confirms Walsh as Labor Secretary|author=Jim Puzzanghera|date=March 22, 2021|accessdate=March 22, 2021|work=The Boston Globe}}
Essaibi George was often described as a "centrist" or "moderate" candidate in comparison to the other candidates.{{cite web |last1=DeCosta-Klipa |first1=Nik |last2=Gavin |first2=Christopher |last3=Osei |first3=Zipporah |title=Boston mayoral race: Annissa Essaibi George's interview with Boston.com |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/08/04/boston-mayoral-race-annissa-essaibi-george-interview/ |website=www.boston.com |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=August 4, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |title=It's a 'Brawl in Beantown,' as Progressive Allies Clash in the Boston Mayor's Race |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/us/boston-mayoral-election.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=11 September 2021 |date=10 September 2021}} Among her endorsers is former Boston police chief William G. Gross, who is also heading one of the two super PACs that backed her candidacy in the nonpartisan primary.{{cite web |last1=Ducius |first1=Ginautas |title=Essaibi George weighs in on super PAC led by former Boston police chief |url=https://www.dotnews.com/2021/essaibi-george-weighs-super-pac-led-former-boston-police-chief |website=Dorchester Reporter |access-date=10 September 2021 |language=en |date=September 9, 2021}} That super PAC received $495,000 from New Balance owner and longtime Republican donor Jim Davis, who in 2016 contributed nearly $400,000 to the Trump Victory PAC. Her ties to pro-Trump groups resulted in some of her critics characterizing her as aligned with Trump or Republicans,{{cite news |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/15/business/new-balance-chairman-jim-davis-his-495000-bet-annissa-essaibi-george/ |title=New Balance chairman Jim Davis bet $495,000 on Annissa Essaibi George. Tuesday, it paid off |author=Shirley Leung |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=September 15, 2021}} characterizations which Essaibi George repudiated.{{cite web |title=Annissa Essaibi-George rejects ties to Trump via super PAC |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2021/09/26/annissa-essaibi-george-eschews-ties-to-trump/ |website=Boston Herald |access-date=5 October 2021 |date=27 September 2021}}
As a candidate, Essaibi George touted her experience as an educator.
In the preliminary election on September 14, her campaign placed second with 22.4% of the vote, outperforming acting mayor Kim Janey and several other challengers to advance to the general election with first-place winner Michelle Wu, who earned 33.4% of the vote.{{Cite web|last=Platoff|first=Emma|title=With different visions for Boston, Wu and Essaibi George hit the campaign trail - The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/15/metro/with-different-visions-boston-wu-essaibi-george-hit-campaign-trail/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-18|website=BostonGlobe.com|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210916003813/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/09/15/metro/with-different-visions-boston-wu-essaibi-george-hit-campaign-trail/ |archive-date=2021-09-16 }}
Essaibi George was often described as a police-friendly candidate compared to her opponents. On public safety and law enforcement, Essaibi George supported police reform.{{cite web|last1=Kashinsky|first1=Lisa|date=July 8, 2021|title=WHAT the NYC mayor's race means for BOSTON — Advocates BLAST House rules — BAKER to decide 'SOON' on GUV RACE|url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/massachusetts-playbook/2021/07/08/what-new-yorks-mayoral-race-means-for-boston-advocates-blast-house-rules-baker-to-decide-soon-on-guv-race-493503?nname=massachusetts-playbook&nid=0000014f-704c-d54c-a1ff-fb6da68f0000&nrid=0000014f-8e29-deb3-ab5f-8fed5e660001&nlid=630384|access-date=10 September 2021|website=POLITICO|language=en}} However, she was the only one of the election's five major candidates to oppose cutting the Boston Police Department's budget.{{cite web|last1=DeCosta-Klipa|first1=Nik|date=September 8, 2021|title=3 takeaways from the first debate of the 2021 Boston mayor's race|url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/09/08/boston-mayors-race-first-debate/|access-date=9 September 2021|website=www.boston.com}} She expressed her belief that the city needed to increase the size of its police force.{{cite web|last1=McDonald|first1=Danny|date=August 30, 2021|title=Mayoral candidate Essaibi George talks bolstering police while touring Bowdoin-Geneva - The Boston Globe|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/08/30/metro/mayoral-candidate-essaibi-george-talks-bolstering-police-while-touring-bowdoin-geneva/|access-date=10 September 2021|website=Boston Globe}} Her public safety platform also touted community policing as being a means to address shortcomings in the city. Essaibi George's campaign platform described gun violence as a "racial justice issue, a public health issue and a public safety issue".{{cite web |title=Public Safety |url=https://www.annissaforboston.com/public-safety-4-26/ |website=www.annissaforboston.com |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=27 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021232545/https://www.annissaforboston.com/public-safety-4-26/ |archive-date=21 October 2021 |url-status=dead}}
Ellen Barry of The New York Times described Essaibi George as promising "more harmonious dealings" with real estate developers than her opponents. Barry described Essaibi George's stances on development as one of the two greatest contrasts between her and her general election opponent Wu, who took stances on development and housing (such as Wu's support of rent control and dissolving the Boston Planning & Development Agency) that Essaibi George had criticized as strongly detrimental to development in the city.{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |title=Candidate for 'Mayah' Proudly Leans Into Her Boston Sound |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/09/us/annissa-essaibi-george.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=10 October 2021 |date=9 October 2021}} The other greatest contrast between Essaibi George and Wu, per Barry's opinion, was their aforementioned differences on whether to make cuts to police funding.
Promoting herself as being a pragmatic centrist,{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |title=Michelle Wu is the first woman and first person of color to be elected mayor of Boston. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/03/us/elections/michelle-wu-is-the-first-woman-and-first-person-of-color-to-be-elected-mayor-of-boston.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=18 June 2024 |date=3 November 2021}} Essaibi George criticized Wu's policy approach as "abstract" and "academic".{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |title=Boston Mayor's Race Narrows to a Progressive Versus a Moderate |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/us/boston-mayor-election-michelle-wu.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=16 September 2021 |date=15 September 2021}}
On September 21, Essaibi George publicly urged super PACs to refrain from involvement in the general election.{{cite web |last1=Dumcius |first1=Gintautas |title=Boston Mayoral Candidate Essaibi George Asks Super PACs To Stay Out Of The Race |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2021/09/21/annissa-essaibi-george-super-pacs-boston-mayoral-race |agency=The Dorchester Reporter |website=WBUR |access-date=7 October 2021 |language=en |date=September 21, 2021}} Her opponent Wu, the following day, made public remarks that only urged super PACs to refrain from negative campaigning.{{cite web |last1=Dumcius |first1=Gintautas |title=Super PACs should stay positive in mayor's race, Wu says {{!}} Dorchester Reporter |url=https://dotnews.com/2021/super-pacs-should-stay-positive-mayor-s-race-wu-says |website=www.dotnews.com |publisher=Dorchester Reporter |access-date=7 October 2021 |language=en |date=September 22, 2021}} Essaibi George's public demand for super PACs to avoid involvement in the election came in the aftermath of the Dorchester Reporter revealing Jim Davis' contributions to one of the super PACs supporting her candidacy.{{cite web |last1=Wintersmith |first1=Saraya |title=Wu Leads Essaibi George In Post-Preliminary Fundraising |url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2021/10/06/wu-leads-essaibi-george-in-post-preliminary-fundraising |website=WGBH |access-date=7 October 2021 |language=en |date=6 October 2021}}
In the general election, Essaibi George placed emphasis on the fact that she is a native Bostonian. Her opponent, Wu, was originally from Chicago. During a radio interview, Essaibi George declared her belief that it was "relevant" that she was a native Bostonian. After these remarks, some analysts pointed out that, per the United States Census Bureau, 57% of Bostonians were born outside of the state of Massachusetts.{{cite web |last1=Barry |first1=Ellen |title=Candidate for 'Mayah' Proudly Leans Into Her Boston Sound |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/09/us/annissa-essaibi-george.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=12 October 2021 |date=9 October 2021}}{{cite web |last1=DeCosta-Klipa |first1=Nik |title=Does growing up in Boston matter? Annissa Essaibi George says yes. |url=https://www.boston.com/news/politics/2021/09/30/annissa-essaibi-george-mayor-race-michelle-wu-chicago/ |website=Boston.com |date=September 30, 2021}} In addition, Essaibi George touted herself as having a different leadership style than her opponent, claiming that she makes herself more available to residents and community leaders.{{cite web|last1=Matthew|first1=Zoe|date=30 September 2021|title=Annissa Essaibi George Ramps Up Criticism Of Wu; Draws Distinction From Progressive Rival On Substance And Style|url=https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2021/09/30/annissa-essaibi-george-ramps-up-criticism-of-wu-draws-distinction-from-progressive-rival-on-substance-and-style|access-date=12 October 2021|website=WGBH|language=en}} However, an early September 2021 poll had shown that more of the primary election's likely voters recalled having personally met Wu than had recalled having personally met Essaibi George.{{cite web|date=September 2021|title=SUPRC/Boston Globe FINAL September 2-4, 2021|url=https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21056428/for-meri-boston-marginals-1.pdf|access-date=12 October 2021|website=s3.documentcloud.org|publisher=SUPRC/Boston Globe}}
Essaibi George embarked on a "listen and learn" tour of various Boston neighborhoods, which she claimed would inform her "equity, inclusion and justice agenda". She released the resulting agenda on October 8.{{cite web |title=Annissa Essaibi George Releases Equity, Inclusion and Justice Agenda {{!}} Jamaica Plain Gazette |url=https://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2021/10/08/annissa-essaibi-george-releases-equity-inclusion-and-justice-agenda/ |website=Jamaica Plain Gazette |access-date=12 October 2021 |date=8 October 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Dumcius |first1=Gintautas |title=Essaibi George launches 'listen and learn' tour |url=https://www.dotnews.com/2021/essaibi-george-launches-listen-and-learn-tour |website=Dorchester Reporter |access-date=12 October 2021 |language=en |date=September 27, 2021}}
Essaibi George faced a landslide defeat by Wu in the general election.
Post-City Council career
File:Ayanna Pressley Big Sister Boston (FrM7Y4nWwAETh8e) (Pressley and Annissa Essaibi George).jpg]]
In 2022, Essaibi George returned to her roots of teaching, working as a substitute teacher in Boston's public schools.{{cite web |last1=Dumcius |first1=Gintautas |title=After mayoral election, Essaibi George goes back to school {{!}} Dorchester Reporter |url=https://www.dotnews.com/2022/after-mayoral-election-essaibi-george-goes-back-school |website=www.dotnews.com |publisher=Dorchester Reporter |access-date=9 November 2022 |language=en |date=March 9, 2022}} She did so amid a shortage of substitute teachers in the city's schools. In April 2022, amid the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Essaibi George made a humanitarian trip to Poland to provide supplies to refugees near the Polish-Ukrainian border.{{cite web |last1=Forry |first1=Bill |title=For Essaibi George, a time to pay back by helping Ukrainians |url=https://dotnews.com/2022/essaibi-george-time-pay-back-helping-ukrainians |publisher=The Dorchester Reporter |access-date=9 November 2022 |language=en |date=April 26, 2022}} In October 2022, Essaibi George was appointed president and chief operating officer of Big Sister Boston by the nonprofit's board of directors. She began her tenure on November 28, 2022.{{cite web |title=In the news: Annissa Essaibi George |url=https://www.baystatebanner.com/2022/10/26/in-the-news-annissa-essaibi-george/ |website=The Bay State Banner |access-date=9 November 2022 |date=26 October 2022}}
Personal life
Essaibi George is the founder and owner of a retail store in Dorchester called Stitch House, which sells yarn and fabrics and offers classes in knitting, sewing, quilting and crochet. She is married to Doug George, a real estate developer.{{cite web |last1=Cooke |first1=Bruno |title=Who is Annissa Essaibi George's husband? Meet real estate developer Doug George |url=https://www.thefocus.news/culture/annissa-essaibi-george-husband/ |website=The Focus |access-date=10 September 2021 |date=9 August 2021}} She and her husband have four sons, including a set of triplets.
Electoral history
=City council=
| class=wikitable
!colspan=5|2013 Boston at-large City Council election |
| colspan=1 rowspan=2 |Candidate |
|---|
| Votes
!% !Votes !% |
| Ayanna Pressley (incumbent)
| align="right" | 42,915 | align="right" | 16.71 | align="right" | 60,799 | align="right" | 18.30 |
| Michelle Wu
| align="right" | 29,384 | align="right" | 11.44 | align="right" | 59,741 | align="right" | 17.98 |
| Michael F. Flaherty
| align="right" | 39,904 | align="right" | 15.54 | align="right" | 55,104 | align="right" | 16.59 |
| Stephen J. Murphy (incumbent)
| align="right" | 31,728 | align="right" | 12.35 | align="right" | 44,993 | align="right" | 13.54 |
| Annissa Essaibi George
| align="right" | 12,244 | align="right" | 4.77 | align="right" | 30,538 | align="right" | 9.19 |
| Jeffrey Michael Ross
| align="right" | 13,939 | align="right" | 5.43 | align="right" | 28,879 | align="right" | 8.69 |
| Martin J. Keogh
| align="right" | 15,743 | align="right" | 6.13 | align="right" | 26,500 | align="right" | 7.98 |
| Jack F. Kelly III
| align="right" | 11,909 | align="right" | 4.64 | align="right" | 23,967 | align="right" | 7.22 |
| Catherine M. O'Neill
| align="right" | 10,952 | align="right" | 4.26 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Althea Garrison
| align="right" | 10,268 | align="right" | 4.00 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Ramon Soto
| align="right" | 9,928 | align="right" | 3.87 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Philip Arthur Frattaroli
| align="right" | 5,832 | align="right" | 2.27 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Gareth R. Saunders
| align="right" | 5,363 | align="right" | 2.09 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Christopher J. Conroy
| align="right" | 3,433 | align="right" | 1.34 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Seamus M. Whelan
| align="right" | 3,118 | align="right" | 1.21 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Francisco L. White
| align="right" | 2745 | align="right" | 1.07 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Douglas D. Wohn
| align="right" | 2,382 | align="right" | 0.93 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Frank John Addivinola Jr.
| align="right" | 2,240 | align="right" | 0.87 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Keith B. Kenyon
| align="right" | 1,950 | align="right" | 0.76 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Jamarhl Crawford
| align="right" | 21{{dagger}} | align="right" | 0.01 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| all others
| align="right" | 832 | align="right" | 0.32 | align="right" | 1,658 | align="right" | 0.50 |
{{dagger}} write-in votes
{{Election box begin no party no change| title= 2015 Boston at-large City Council election{{cite web |title=CITY OF BOSTONMUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 3, 2015 CITY COUNCILLOR AT LARGE |url=https://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/Nov%203%202015%20City%20Councillor%20at%20Large%20Ward%20%20Precinct%20Results_tcm3-52572.pdf |website=www.cityofboston.gov |publisher=City of Boston |access-date=26 August 2021}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Ayanna Pressley (incumbent)
|votes = 31,783
|percentage = 24.21
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Michelle Wu (incumbent)
|votes = 28,908
|percentage = 22.02
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Michael F. Flaherty (incumbent)
|votes = 26,473
|percentage = 20.16
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Annissa Essaibi George
|votes = 23,447
|percentage = 17.86
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Stephen J. Murphy (incumbent)
|votes = 19,546
|percentage = 14.89
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Jovan J. Lacet write-in
|votes = 95
|percentage = 0.07
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Charles Yancey write-in
|votes = 39
|percentage = 0.03
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Jean-Claud Sanon write-in
|votes = 25
|percentage = 0.02
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Andrea Campbell write-in
|votes = 13
|percentage = 0.01
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = all others
|votes = 959
|percentage = 0.73
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no party no change| title= 2017 Boston at-large City Council election{{cite web |title=CITY OF BOSTON MUNICIPAL ELECTION - NOVEMBER 7, 2017 CITY COUNCILLOR AT LARGE |url=https://www.boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/2/2017_-_11-07-17_-_city_councillor_at_large_ward_precinct_results.pdf |website=www.cityofboston.gov |publisher=City of Boston |access-date=26 August 2021}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Michelle Wu (incumbent)
|votes = 65,040
|percentage = 24.47
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Ayanna Pressley (incumbent)
|votes = 57,520
|percentage = 21.64
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Michael F. Flaherty (incumbent)
|votes = 51,673
|percentage = 19.44
}}
{{Election box winning candidate no party no change
|candidate = Annissa Essaibi George (incumbent)
|votes = 45,564
|percentage = 17.14
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Althea Garrison
|votes = 18,25
|percentage = 6.87
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Domingos Darosa
|votes = 11,647
|percentage = 4.38
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = William A. King
|votes = 8,773
|percentage = 3.30
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = Pat Payaso
|votes = 6,124
|percentage = 2.30
}}
{{Election box candidate no party no change
|candidate = all others
|votes = 1,230
|percentage = 0.46
}}
{{Election box end}}
| class=wikitable
!colspan=5|2019 Boston at-large City Council election |
| colspan=1 rowspan=2 |Candidate |
|---|
| Votes
!% !Votes !% |
| Michelle Wu (incumbent)
| align="right" | 26,622 | align="right" | 19.41 | align="right" | 41,664 | align="right" | 20.73 |
| Annissa Essaibi George (incumbent)
| align="right" | 18,993 | align="right" | 13.85 | align="right" | 34,109 | align="right" | 16.97 |
| Michael F. Flaherty (incumbent)
| align="right" | 18,766 | align="right" | 13.68 | align="right" | 33,284 | align="right" | 16.56 |
| Julia Mejia
| align="right" | 10,799 | align="right" | 7.87 | align="right" | 22,492 | align="right" | 11.19 |
| Alejandra Nicole St. Guillen
| align="right" | 11,910 | align="right" | 8.68 | align="right" | 22,491 | align="right" | 11.19 |
| Erin J. Murphy
| align="right" | 9,385 | align="right" | 6.84 | align="right" | 16,867 | align="right" | 8.39 |
| Althea Garrison (incumbent)
| align="right" | 9,720 | align="right" | 7.09 | align="right" | 16,189 | align="right" | 8.05 |
| David Halbert
| align="right" | 6,354 | align="right" | 4.76 | align="right" | 13,214 | align="right" | 6.57 |
| Martin Marty Keogh
| align="right" | 6,246 | align="right" | 4.55 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Jeffrey Michael Ross
| align="right" | 5,078 | align="right" | 3.70 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Priscilla E. Flint-Banks
| align="right" | 4,094 | align="right" | 2.98 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Domingos DaRosa
| align="right" | 2,840 | align="right" | 2.07 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Michel Denis
| align="right" | 2,108 | align="right" | 1.54 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| William A. King
| align="right" | 1,809 | align="right" | 1.32 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Herb Alexander Lozano
| align="right" | 1,510 | align="right" | 1.10 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| all others
| align="right" | 766 | align="right" | 0.56 | align="right" | 704 | align="right" | 0.35 |
=Mayor=
| class=wikitable
!colspan=5|2021 Boston mayoral election |
| colspan=1 rowspan=2 |Candidate |
|---|
| Votes
!% !Votes !% |
| Michelle Wu
| align="right" | 36,060 | align="right" | 33.40 | align="right" | 91,794 | align="right" | 63.96 |
| Annissa Essaibi George
| align="right" | 24,268 | align="right" | 22.48 | align="right" | 51,125 | align="right" | 35.62 |
| Andrea Campbell
| align="right" | 21,299 | align="right" | 19.73 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Kim Janey (acting incumbent)
| align="right" | 21,047 | align="right" | 19.49 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| John Barros
| align="right" | 3,459 | align="right" | 3.20 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Robert Cappucci
| align="right" | 1,185 | align="right" | 1.10 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Jon Santiago (withdrawn)
| align="right" | 368 | align="right" | 0.34 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Richard Spagnuolo
| align="right" | 286 | align="right" | 0.26 | colspan=2 bgcolor=darkgray | |
| Scattering
| align="right" | 0 | align="right" |0.00 | align="right" |595 | align="right" | 0.41 |
| Total
| align="right" | 107,972 | align="right" | 100 | align="right" | 144,380 | align="right" | 100 |
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite web |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/07/19/metro/crowded-boston-mayoral-race-annissa-essaibi-george-charts-different-course/ |title=In a crowded Boston mayoral race, Annissa Essaibi George charts a different course |first=Danny |last=McDonald |website=The Boston Globe |url-access=limited |date=July 19, 2021 |accessdate=July 19, 2021}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.annissaforboston.com Official campaign website]
- [https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/annissa-essaibi-george Annissa Essaibi George – City Councilor, At-Large] | City of Boston
{{DEFAULTSORT:Essaibi George, Annissa}}
Category:21st-century American educators
Category:21st-century American women educators
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:American people of Tunisian descent
Category:American politicians of Polish descent
Category:Boston City Council members
Category:Boston University College of Arts and Sciences alumni
Category:Candidates in the 2021 United States elections
Category:John D. O'Bryant School of Mathematics & Science alumni
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