Garcia will ask Holyoke for an encore. (still via Holyoke Media/YouTube)

The political season in Holyoke formally launched Thursday with Mayor Joshua Garcia’s announcement that he will seek a second full four-year term. Garcia made history in 2021 when he became the city’s first leader of Puerto Rican heritage of the city. Holyoke has one of the largest such communities in the continental United States. However historic, he neither won his first election nor is seeking reelection on identity.

Garcia took office at a precarious time for the city, as it emerged from the pandemic. He has faced opposition from many of the same forces that have bedeviled his predecessors. Longstanding issues of crime and poverty continue to cast a pall. Nevertheless, the mayor will be touting progress on multiple fronts in his pitch to voters.

“Serving as Mayor of Holyoke has been the greatest honor of my life,” Garcia said in his announcement statement. “Together, we’ve made remarkable strides, and I am dedicated to continuing the work of building a stronger, more vibrant Holyoke for all who live, work, and visit our city.”

When he entered the race four years ago, Garcia, now 38, had become something of an electoral has-been. While somewhat tangentially part of Holyoke’s reformist coalition, he had failed in several bids for office. He had not lost interest in government, though, and began building a career in municipal management.

Garcia entered the crowded race to succeed Morse relatively late. His second-place finish in the preliminary surprised—and rankled—some. He faced businessman, once-and-again at-large City Councilor and not-former mayor Michael Sullivan. Sullivan had seemed like his allies’ best chance to seize the mayor’s office in years. Yet, business record came under scrutiny and his pitch fell flat with voters. Garcia won by 11 points.

Garcia took office shortly after winning the election. Acting mayor Terry Murphy hand over the office immediately, but Garcia’s full four-year term began in January 2022.

Holyokers will have a chance to pass judgment of Garcia’s stewardship of City Hall. (WMP&I)

As for Holyoke, the city was at something of a crossroads then, too. Alex Morse, who had been mayor since 2012, resigned nearly a year before his term’s end to take a job in Provincetown. The schools remained under state control. Even as life returned to normal after the pandemic, Holyoke itself returned to debates about how to sustain itself. Like the mills before it, the city’s largest taxpayer, the Holyoke Mall, creaked amid changing consumer habits.

In his release, Garcia trumpeted millions of dollars in public infrastructure, including $200 million in school construction and renovations. He also pointed to green economic development like the low-carbon cement factory that is under construction.

However, it seems likely that Garcia’s efforts to return city schools to local control may stand out most of all. Many Holyoke officials fought the state takeover. However, what proved more vexing was the lack of a clear path to end receivership. Working with state education officials, Holyoke is on now on a path to restore the power of the city’s elected School Committee.

Garcia’s election did not end Holyoke’s political warfare, which had boiled throughout the Morse years. While the public temperature is lower today, his opponents on the City Council have complained about his handling of several political hot potatoes, including the Community Preservation Act and attempting to unseat then-councilor (and later Russian propaganda star) Wilmer Puello-Mota.

Even so, it is unclear if his critics will be able to field an opponent who can mount a serious challenge. While the mayor ended 2024 with only $14,400 in the bank, he should not have difficulty fundraising from local and potentially state and national sources as a young Latino rising star in New England. While his identity does not define his political career, Garcia has cited his mother’s story of moving to the region from Puerto Rico as a young woman to seek medical treatment.

Moreover, any challenger will need to put forward an alternate vision. Garcia is moving quickly to claim the optimistic high ground in the city.

“Holyoke is rising, but the work is far from over,” he said in his statement. “Together, we will continue connecting, building, and growing our city, ensuring it remains a place everyone is proud to call home.”