Election roundup: Fernandes Anderson has a challenger, hotel workers endorse Wu

Said Ahmed filed paperwork with the state in October to run for the District 7 city council seat now held by Tania Fernandes Anderson, but only sent out a press release about it yesterday.

Hmm, what changed between then and now?

Ahmed is well known in the local Somali-American and track communities - he came here as a refugee when he was 12, graduated English High, became a national track competitor at the University of Arkansas and co-found Boston United Track and Cross Country, the only free track program in Boston.

His platform has similarities to Fernandes Anderson's: Fighting against displacement and for better schools and safer streets.

Meanwhile, UNITE HERE Local 26, which represents hotel workers in Boston, isn't waiting to see who might run against Michelle Wu next year, such as strongly pro-union Ed Flynn: This morning, the union announced it's endorsing Wu for re-election.

The Mayor was instrumental in helping to secure recent major victories for hotel workers, which included $10 wage increases and landmark job protections in historic contracts citywide.

As you might have heard, state Sen. Nick Collins of South Boston held up Wu's proposal for a three-year change to let the city raise commercial property-tax rates a bit higher than it could otherwise. It's no doubt completely coincidental that, as the Globe reports, "prominent members of the city’s commercial real estate and hospitality industries" suddenly decided over the past couple of months to donate $25,000 to Collins's campaign.