U.S. Rep. Richard Neal has won the Democratic primary for Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District, defeating educator Jeromie Whalen with 53.7% of the vote and advancing to the November general election.
Neal captured 45,610 votes to Whalen’s 39,331 in the September 1 primary, according to results with 84% of ballots counted. The incumbent is seeking a 20th term in Congress after being first elected in 1988.
Whalen, 39, is a communications and media production teacher at Northampton High School who earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He spent the past year campaigning full-time throughout the district, traveling in a yellow Toyota van to attend community events and focusing his message on introducing fresh ideas to Washington while criticizing Neal for accepting corporate and wealthy donor contributions.
Neal has served as the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee since 2023. Before his congressional election, he served as mayor of Springfield and as a city councilor. The 1st Congressional District encompasses all of Berkshire and Hampden counties, far western Franklin County, western and southern portions of Hampshire County, and southwestern Worcester County.
This is not Neal’s first primary challenge. In 2020, he defeated Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse in a generational contest that centered on similar themes of experience versus fresh leadership. Morse, then 30 years old, had criticized Neal for accepting money from interest groups, a charge that Whalen also emphasized in his 2026 campaign.
Neal will advance to the November general election, where he will face independent candidate Nadia Milleron. No Republican candidate is running for the seat, making the Democratic primary the decisive contest in this solidly Democratic district.
Sources
- WWLP — primary results, vote totals, and candidate backgrounds
- NBC News — election results and vote percentages
- Ballotpedia — candidate information and district details
- NEPM — Whalen’s background and campaign focus
- Axios — 2020 primary challenge and Neal’s committee role
