In a Massachusetts house district that stretches from the city of Springfield to more rural parts of Hampden County, a young activist is looking to unseat a state representative considered to be the dean of the western Mass. delegation.
Earlier this month, there were plenty of faces in the crowd during the annual Hampden County Sheriff’s cookout on Aug. 19.
Organizers say it was a record year – about 3,000 people stopped by the Elks Lodge off Tiffany Street in Springfield, including Governor Maura Healey.
As Cocchi describes it, the August cookout is prime time for connecting elected officials with locals – and having the former hear directly from the latter.
“Really, what it's about is bringing the electeds from around the state and our federal delegation here out to Western Mass., and letting the Western Mass. folks decide who they're going to be voting for and what do they stand for - what are their issues, and how are they going to reinforce … regional equity?” Cocchi said.
Candidates running for seats of all kinds were also making the rounds. The cookout itself ended up being one of the rare times both Democrats vying for the 12th Hampden seat were on one parcel – a district that includes parts of Springfield, East Longmeadow and Monson, plus all of Wilbraham.
Representative Angelo Puppolo Jr. is facing what some are calling a challenge from his left – progressive advocate Michael Lachenmeyer, a 27-year-old with roots in Wilbraham who announced his intentions to run last year.
“My focus is on affordability and government corruption… I want to raise taxes on the wealthiest people in our state, make our utility companies publicly-owned and ban stock trading in the state legislature,” he told WAMC.
Lachenmeyer considers himself a staunch Medicare for All supporter who is no stranger to organizing, including a time as field director of the “Support Our Schools and Services” political action committee in Northampton.
He’s also a member of Springfield’s Neighbor to Neighbor chapter, along with the River Valley Democratic Socialists of America. He’s also been up front that his campaign would be an uphill one, trying to unseat a legislator who’s represented his district for some 20 years.
“… he was a city councilor in Springfield before that and his father was a city councilor in Springfield before that - if you like the politics of the status quo here, in Western Massachusetts, then he's definitely your candidate,” Lachenmeyer said.
A former Springfield city councilor-turned-state legislator, Puppolo says he is technically the dean of the western Mass. delegation, having been first elected in 2006.
It’s a tenure that’s included repeatedly calling and filing for bail reform, alongside Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, looking to rein in what he and the mayor have called frequent re-releases of repeat offenders.
Proposals dealing with everything from public health and safety to housing and other issues affecting the region, like school busing costs have come out of his office, all while advocating on local matters, like prodding the owners of a still-vacant parcel that was once part of Springfield’s Eastfield Mall.
That, and trying to find more money for rural schools like the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District.
“We need to look at the formula for funding for the school districts… but then you jump over to the regional school systems, and they have a totally different concerns,” Puppolo emphasized to WAMC. “They’ve got regional school transportation, which is an issue - getting money back into the classroom is an issue - special education, all of that stuff compounds when you have a rural district…”
How visible those legislative efforts have been and far they have gone have been points of contention for Lachenmeyer, who’s campaign has spent the past year questioning the incumbent’s presence in the district.
It’s included accusations of Puppolo’s investment portfolio, including stakes in companies like Eversource and Comcast – companies that have come under scrutiny amid higher utility bills and fees. Lachenmeyer argues state lawmakers responsible for passing regulations on such companies should not have financial interests in them.
Lachenmeyer’s also accused Puppolo of violating the state’s financial disclosure law. Some of the charges have stemmed from the incumbent allegedly misstating income from a role at Westfield State University. As Western Mass Politics and Insight has reported, the errors appeared to involve a few thousand dollars that can be accounted for in other state databases.
When asked about the accusations by WAMC, the incumbent referred to Lachenmeyer as a “young individual trying to make a name for himself” and that ultimately, his own holdings and disclosures are a matter of public record.
“I think it's kind of ludicrous, and I think that people don't buy into that stuff,” Puppolo said. “Whatever he's tried to sort of gain any traction on, he hasn't because there is no traction to gain on me. I'm an open book. I work very, very hard, every day. I've got nothing to hide and again, if you're going back 15 years or even 31 years… I think that’s ridiculous. I think that says it all.”
Voters in the district will pick between the two Democrats on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
