Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse continues to get a lukewarm reaction from fellow elected officials as he challenges longtime Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal.
1st Berkshire District State Representative John Barrett tells WAMC he is firmly behind incumbent Neal, who faces a Democratic primary challenge from Morse as he seeks a 17th term in 2020.
“I listen to people say that he has not been in the area – he HAS been in the area. And I can speak from the prior congressman, who was one of the best, Silvio Conte, and Richie Neal ranks right up there with him with what he has brought back to this district.”
Barrett – the former mayor of North Adams – says he has great respect for Morse as a fellow mayor, describing the role as “one of the toughest jobs out there.”