UPDATED 12:35AM: To include news of Pat Duffy’s entrance into the race. HOLYOKE—The Paper City’s State Rep seeks a different tree product. His walking papers. Aaron Vega, who serves as the state rep for the Fifth Hampden District will not seek reelection in 2020. The
Before there was Jesse Lederman, Marcus Williams and Michael Fenton. Before there was Eric Lesser and Paul Caron. Even before there was Richie Neal. There was Dave Vigneault, a forerunner to Springfield’s undercurrent of electorally ambitious twentysomethings. First elected at the dawn of the Kennedy
NORTHAMPTON—When considering Lindsay Sabadosa and the arc of her life, her election to the State House of Representatives makes perfect sense. She was a political activist before she could vote. Women’s issues and feminism have always been a focus of hers. Even her interests in
EASTHAMPTON—Dan Carey will be the odd man out among Hampshire County’s legislative elections for several reasons. Not the least of which is he was the only candidate in the region to have a general election. But in the indigo-blue 2nd Hampshire House district, Carey, an
EAST LONGMEADOW—Results in Massachusetts produced few surprises even as less than stellar results came in for Democrats nationwide. The election changed almost nothing in terms of partisan control in Massachusetts. However, a host of transformations lie before the region. The only competitive races in the
There are only a handful of legislative races with general elections this year in the Pioneer Valley. There are so few it hardly feels unfortunate that we were unable cobble together our election guide for the general. Most of what races there are feel uncompetitive
MONSON—Every seat in the stuffy auditorium near the center of town was filled. A few crowded along the walls or near the open side door bringing in some welcome cool air. Angry and concerned residents were there to learn what they could about their defective
NORTHAMPTON—Amid an upheaval in Boston legislative seats, a new delegation took shape here and points north. All three of the Hampshire County-based seats were vacant due to retirements or death. The adjacent 1st Franklin, also picked a new rep along as did the region’s state
For all the anxiety of the present time, the United States had been through heart-wrenching change before. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the economy was changing. Industrial powerhouses withered, and farms began to fail. It was a real fear to people in Eric Nakajima’s family.
AMHERST—Two years ago, Ellen Story’s retirement from the 3rd Hampshire House district seat, let loose a flood of candidates. Mindy Domb, the Director of the Amherst Survival Center, a nonprofit here that caters to people’s food, clothing and healthcare needs, was not among them. The