Is Will Flanagan Running Again? Former Fall River Mayor Hints at Future Campaign

Former Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan, who served from 2010 to 2014 before losing a December 2014 recall election to former Bristol County District Attorney Sam Sutter, is giving some thought to launching a comeback bid.

A Text Exchange Hints at a Political Return

"I think so, Barry...but it's still over a year away," Flanagan replied when I texted him and bluntly asked, "Are you running?"

Surviving a Brutal Attack on Hartwell Street

Flanagan was brutally stabbed in the face and elsewhere on his body in an unprovoked attack while walking on Hartwell St. on October 20, 2025, not far from the marijuana dispensary he owns in Fall River.

READ MORE: Former Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan Stabbed

CBS News Boston reported that Flanagan posted on Facebook at the time that he'd "come face to face with death" as he credited the medical staff at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford with saving his life.

In a recent post, Flanagan sought voter input on various issues and hinted that a future campaign for his old office on the sixth floor of Fall River Government Center may be forthcoming.

The Chaotic Legacy of Fall River Recalls

Sutter defeated Flanagan by garnering 37 percent of the vote to Flanagan's 27 percent, with only 33 percent of eligible voters participating in the special recall election.

Is Former Fall River Mayor Will Flanagan Eyeing A Political Comeback?

Flanagan, who remains popular with many Fall Riverites years after his removal from office, ran afoul of voters over "pay as you throw" trash fees and public safety budget cuts necessitated by a downturn in the city's economy.

A scandal which now seems to have been largely concocted by another former mayor, Jasiel Correia – who also faced a recall election – also played into Flanagan's downfall. Correia claimed Flanagan tried to intimidate him with a handgun to win his support for an unpopular political issue.

READ MORE: Former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia Released From Federal Prison

Flanagan vehemently denied the allegations, but D.A. Sutter appointed special prosecutor William Connolly to investigate. This writer was among many who were interviewed as part of the investigation.

Citing "insufficient evidence" that Flanagan committed a crime, Connolly declined to bring charges.

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The investigation led to an incredible chain of events that included Sutter defeating Flanagan in the recall election and Correia unseating Sutter just nine months later.

Correia, just recently released from federal prison after serving four years for corruption, was also recalled by voters.

An Open Seat Creates an Interesting Race

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan has no plans to seek reelection next year, so expect an interesting race to form for the open seat.