Western Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal is criticizing his 2020 Democratic primary challenger, Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse, as he seeks to continue his 30-year Congressional tenure.
Morse, who became Holyoke’s youngest and first openly gay mayor in 2011 at the age of 22, says Neal has become complacent and unaccountable. Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, responded to those claims in Pittsfield Monday.
“Did he happen to mention that the Holyoke schools are in receivership?” Neal said. “Did he happen to mention that he’s had a number of campaign finance violations? That in the run-up to the Holyoke schools being placed in receivership, he missed 28 of 60 school committee meetings before the schools were put in receivership? So I understand that there ought to be room for a good vigorous campaign – and I’m ready."
Morse says Neal’s comments indicate the Congressman considers the mayor a challenge.
“These are Congressman Neal’s schools too,” Morse said Tuesday. “Holyoke is a central part of the 1st Congressional District and the reason I’m running for Congress is to help students and school districts in places like Holyoke. We do the best we can with the resources and the leadership we have. But we can only move the needle so much when we have Washington not valuing places, schools and students like the ones I work with each and every day.”
