Western Mass Politics & Insight

Amid statewide contests, like Sen. Ed Markey besting Congressman Seth Moulton in the Democratic Senate primary, western Mass. was home to a number of primaries over seats on Beacon Hill.WAMC kept track of those races Tuesday night, as did Western Mass Politics and Insight Editor-in-Chief Matt Szafranski. He spoke with WAMC about some of those races, as well as the Congressional 1st district primary that featured Rep. Richie Neal fending off a challenge from newcomer Jeromie Whalen.

A week from now, a Massachusetts judge will hear a challenge from two developers who wanted to build a new Springfield courthouse. The project attracted multiple bids last year – all to replace the home of Hampden County Superior Court and other facilities downtown.

All politics is local, and the Pioneer Valley is no exception. WAMC’s Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos spoke with Western Mass Politics and Insight editor-in-chief Matt Szafranski about some of this year’s top political stories. They include what could be a generational divide taking shape in Springfield and beyond, and political upheaval in Northampton, where a group devoted to securing public school funding took on the city government at the ballot box...

A longtime activist and current-city councilor in Springfield, Mass. has been terminated from her role at a non-profit, dismissed under circumstances that still aren’t completely clear following a weekend announcement. WAMC spoke with Western Mass Politics & Insight editor-in-chief Matt Szafranski about the development.

In 2024, both Springfield's city council and school committee saw high-stakes debates and votes early on. How they navigated them, plus primary challenges and a drunk driving incident involving the Hampden County Sheriff, were some of the city's top political stories of the year. WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief James Paleologopoulos spoke with Matt Szafranski, Editor-in-Chief of Western Mass. Politics & Insight, about how it all played out.

Except in Greenfield, it was good to be an incumbent mayor

Sarno can extend his record tenure in office, Hurst would be the city's first Black mayor

First-term City Councilor Delmarina Lopez is running for mayor

Special election is scheduled for Sept. 13th

Voters in November will elect city's first new mayor in a decade