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.
BOSTON—Looking past criticisms of Beacon Hill inertia, Governor Maura Healey gave her first state of the commonwealth address feting the efforts of her administration since she took office. The speech looked ahead, including as soon as Thursday when Healey testified on her housing push. Its lookbacks to 2023, however, emphasized efforts Healey had undertaken on her own.
On Thursday, following commonwealth’s upper legislative chamber’s announcement, the Massachusetts House of Representatives released committee assignments for the 193rd General Court. For the 413, the changes ranged from minimal to dramatic.
BELCHERTOWN—Kim Driscoll has a line while stumping for lieutenant governor in which she acknowledged she is not “the hometown gal.”
“But I really do care about hometowns and the strength of communities, and making sure they have the assets and tools they need to impact the quality of life in a favorable way,” she told WMP&I.
Echoing recent LG’s role, Driscoll has invested heavily into the narrative of lieutenant governors as municipal liaison in her bid to become Maura Healey’s running mate on the Democratic ticket.
With the much-delayed Census figures in hand, the Massachusetts legislature set to drawing new maps for the state House and Senate. On Tuesday, the Joint Committee on Redistricting released its drafts. The new lines are not wholly without controversy. The Committee will hear from the public Friday even as a constitutional deadline begins to bear down. In the 413, the process may have delivered as well as it could.
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
To Be (1st) Franklin is a series on the open race for the 1st Franklin House District. NORTHAMPTON—Natalie Blais and her family relocated to Sunderland from Belchertown because of the quality of life. From the local market to Mt. Toby Farm where her kids spend
WASHINGTON—For some time now, the punditocracy has given Democrats an edge in the race for the US House of Representatives this year. For Western Massachusetts that would elevate Springfield Congressman Richard Neal to chairman of Ways & Means. He may not become the only rep