Longmeadow Rep Brian Ashe, a Democrat, and Southwick Rep Nicholas Boldyga, a Republican, have drawn challengers from the opposite party this year. Many factors militate against their opponents Monson Select Board chair Peter Warren and Agawam City Councilor Thomas Hendrickson respectively.
BOSTON—Upon saying the most predictable line in her state of the Commonwealth address on January 22—it is “strong”—Governor Maura Healey went a bit off-script.
“You knew I was going to say that,” she said, almost cheekily. “Every governor does, but I want you to know I believe it.” the speech overall was part of a choreographed troika of events that signal the shift into reelection mode.
In the days and weeks since agents of the federal government shot Renee Good in the face and Alex Pretti in the back, support for turfing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has spread across the Democratic caucus. Both of the 413’s Congressmen, Richard Neal of Springfield and James McGovern of Worcester, whose Central Massachusetts district reaches into the upper Pioneer Valley, have cosponsored an impeachment resolution against Noem.
Just under a week after 1st Franklin State Rep Natalie Blais resigned to take a job at UMass-Amherst, the first candidate in the race has emerged. Corinne Coryat, an aide to Blais, has organized a committee with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign & Political Finance
The first regular Springfield City Council meeting of 2026 after last week’s inauguration largely featured consensus. The highlight of the evening was a new contract with the firefighters. There were also new economic development grants and a conspicuous cut to a grant the Police Department has received for years.
Western Mass appears to have its first open legislative contest of the 2026 cycle. Deerfield Rep Natalie Blais announced last week that she would be resigning on January 19 to take a job with UMass-Amherst. It is unclear whether there will actually be a special election for the seat. Either way, a large field could easily bubble up from the 18 communities the sprawling 1st Franklin District.
SPRINGFIELD—Tracye Whitfield started her fifth term as an at-large City Council by taking a second office: City Council President. In doing so Monday, she became the first woman of color to lead the municipal legislature here. Although historic, a fact that inarguably filled the city’s biennial inaugural exercises, it was hardly the only takeaway Whitfield intended people to have.
Given a review of recent history in Springfield, 2025 may have expressed the disgruntlement many expected in 2023. However, the reasons may not be particular to the City of Homes. A foul wind from Washington was blowing and perhaps coloring the municipal electorate as much as anything. Courts also played a larger role in the city’s political fortunes than they had in years.
As of December 19, the lawsuit Darryl Moss, a former aide to Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, filed against his ex-boss appeared to be entering its final phase—at least in Superior Court. Judge Jeremy Bucci took a Solomonic route through each side’s post-judgment motions that followed the November 7 verdict against Sarno.
It was the week after Thanksgiving, but the Faculty Union at Springfield Technical Community College was still cooking. On December 5, members issued their latest vote of no confidence in STCC president John Cook. At first glance, it looked like leftovers. It was the third such a vote against him. Yet, it was not the same recipe.
