Richard Edmund Neal (born February 14, 1949) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for since 1989. The district, numbered as the 2nd district from 1989 to 2013, includes Springfield, West Springfield, Pittsfield, Holyoke, Agawam, Chicopee, and Westfield. A member of the Democratic Party, Neal has been the dean of Massachusetts's delegation to the United States House of Representatives since 2013, and is dean of the New England House delegations.
Neal was the president of the Springfield City Council from 1979 to 1983 and the mayor of Springfield from 1983 to 1989. He was nearly unopposed when he ran for the House of Representatives in 1988, and took office in 1989.
Neal chaired the House Ways and Means Committee from 2019 to 2023 and chaired the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. He has also dedicated much of his career to U.S.–Ireland relations and maintaining American involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process, for which he has won several acclamations. In January 2020, Neal was inducted into the Irish American Hall of Fame.Irish Central, "2020 Irish America Hall of Fame inductees announced" January 26, 2020
Early life, education, and academic career Richard Edmund Neal was born in 1949, in Worcester, Massachusetts, the oldest of three children of Mary H. (Garvey) and Edmund John Neal. He and his two younger sisters were raised in Springfield by their mother, a housewife, and their father, a custodian at MassMutual. Neal's maternal grandparents were from Northern Ireland and his paternal grandparents were from Ireland. Neal's mother died when he was 13, and he was attending Springfield Technical High School when his father died. Neal and his two younger sisters moved in with their grandmother and later their aunt, relying on Social Security checks as they grew up.McCutcheon, Chuck, and Lyons, Christina L. (eds.) (2009). "Neal, Richard E., D-Mass." CQ's Politics in America 2010: The 111th Congress. Washington: Congressional Quarterly. pp. 488–489. .Viser, Matt (June 4, 2010). "Neal seeks top job on Ways and Means committee." The Boston Globe: p. A1."A profile of a congressman: Populist roots and political instincts of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal." Daily Hampshire Gazette: p. A1. November 2, 1999.
After graduating from high school, Neal attended Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and then American International College in Springfield, with the assistance of survivor's benefits. He graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. He then attended the University of Hartford's Barney School of Business and Public Administration, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, graduating in 1976 with a Master of Arts in public administration.Neal, Richard E. "Biography ." Congressman Richard Neal (official website). United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2010. Early in his career Neal taught history at Cathedral High School.
Local government
Neal began his political career as co-chairman of Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern's 1972 election campaign in Western Massachusetts.Duncan, Phil, et al. (December 31, 1988). "House freshmen: Massachusetts—2nd district." CQ Weekly: p. 3610. CQ Press. In 1973 he became an assistant to Springfield Mayor William C. Sullivan. Neal was elected to the Springfield City Council in 1978 and was named President of the City Council in 1979. The following year he was named as a delegate for presidential candidate Ted Kennedy at the 1980 Democratic National Convention.Farrell, David (March 5, 1980). "Massachusetts delegates chosen in the primary." The Boston Globe. While a city councilor, Neal taught history at Cathedral High School, and gave lectures at Springfield College, American International College, Springfield Technical Community College, and Western New England College."Grads to hear Neal talk." The Union-News: p. 14. May 17, 1989.
In 1983, Neal made plans to challenge Theodore Dimauro, the Democratic incumbent mayor of Springfield. The pressure led Dimauro to retire and Neal was elected mayor. Neal was reelected in 1985 and 1987. As mayor, Neal oversaw a period of significant economic growth, with over $400 million of development and investment in the city, and a surplus in the city budget. He worked to strengthen Springfield's appearance, pushing to revive and preserve the city's historic homes and initiating a Clean City Campaign to reduce litter.Hall, Michelle (December 27, 1988). "The new Democrats in the House." The Washington Post: p. A13.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections Neal ran for the United States House of Representatives in in 1988 after 18-term Democratic incumbent Edward Boland retired. Boland had alerted Neal of his impending retirement, giving him a head start on his campaign. Neal raised $200,000 in campaign contributions and collected signatures across the district before the retirement was formally announced.Duncan, Philip D., and Nutting, Brian (eds.) (1999). "Neal, Richard E., D-Mass." CQ's Politics in America 2000: The 106th Congress. Washington: Congressional Quarterly. pp. 488–489. . He was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and his only general election opponent was Communist Party candidate Louis R. Godena, whom he defeated with over 80 percent of the vote.Dendy, Dallas L., Jr. (1989). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1988 ." United States Government Printing Office. p. 20. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
Neal has won reelection every two years since. Former Springfield mayor Theodore Dimauro, reflecting sentiments that Neal had an unfair advantage in the previous election, ran as a challenger in the 1990 Democratic primary. Dimauro's campaign was sullied by a false rumor he spread about the Bank of New England's financial situation, and Neal won the primary easily. He was unopposed in the general election, winning 68 percent of the vote.Dendy, Dallas L., Jr. (1991). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 6, 1990 ." United States Government Printing Office. p. 17. Retrieved March 2, 2010. In 1992, his popularity was threatened by the House banking scandal, in which he had made dozens of unpenalized overdrafts at the House Bank. After narrowly defeating two Democratic opponents, he was challenged by Republican Anthony W. Ravosa Jr., and Independent Thomas R. Sheehan. Neal won with 53 percent of the vote.Dendy, Dallas L., Jr. (1993). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1992 ." United States Government Printing Office. p. 32. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
In a Springfield Union-News poll taken in mid-October 1994, Neal was ahead of John Briare by only 6 percentage points. Neal went on to spend nearly $500,000 in the last two weeks of the campaign to defeat Briare. The 1994 general election also featured a third-party candidate, Kate Ross, who received 6% of the vote. Neal received 59% of the vote in 1994.Carle, Robin H. (1995). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1994 .United States Government Printing Office. p. 16.
Since 1994 Neal has had little electoral opposition. He was challenged by Mark Steele in 1996 and easily dispatched him with 71 percent of the voteCarle, Robin H. (1995). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1994 ." United States Government Printing Office. p. 16. Retrieved March 2, 2010.Carle, Robin H. (1997). "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 5, 1996 ." United States Government Printing Office. p. 29. Retrieved March 2, 2010. and ran unopposed in 1998. In 2000 he won the Democratic primary against Joseph R. Fountain, who challenged Neal's positions as "anti-choice" and "anti-gun".Smock, Frederick A. (May 30, 2000). "Neal may face primary challenge: Springfield man submits nomination papers to run in 2nd district." Telegram & Gazette: p. B3. Neal had been unopposed in the general election since 1996, but faced Republican opponent Tom WesleyAssociated Press (September 14, 2010). "Tom Wesley wins GOP nod in Mass. 2nd District ." The Boston Herald. Retrieved September 14, 2010. in the 2010 U.S. congressional elections, which Neal won by a margin of 57% to 43%.
For his first 12 terms in Congress, Neal represented a district centered on Springfield and stretching as far east as the southern and western suburbs of Worcester. When Massachusetts lost a congressional district after the 2010 census, the bulk of Neal's territory, including his home in Springfield, was merged with the 1st district, held by fellow Democrat John Olver. While it retained Olver's district number, it was geographically and demographically more Neal's district; it now covered almost all of the Springfield metropolitan area. The prospect of an incumbent vs. incumbent contest was averted when Olver retired. The new 1st was no less Democratic than the old 2nd, and Neal was reelected without much difficulty in 2012, 2014 and 2016.
2018
In the 2018 Democratic primary, Neal defeated Springfield attorney Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, 70.7% to 29.3%.Young, Shannon. Massachusetts 1st Congressional District race: Richard Neal defeats Democratic challenger Tahirah Amatul-Wadud , MassLive LLC, September 5, 2018. Accessed July 22, 2019. In the final days of the campaign Neal had $3.1 million in the bank to Amatul-Wadud's $20,000. Neal ran unopposed in the general election, winning a sixteenth term in the U.S. House.
2020
Holyoke mayor Alex Morse unsuccessfully challenged Neal in the 2020 Democratic primary election. In the 2020 election, Neal received the most PAC money of any candidate: $3.1 million out of his $4.9 million total raised. Neal was unopposed in the general election, winning a seventeenth term in the U.S. House.
2022
Neal ran for an eighteenth term and defeated Republican Dean Martilli in the general election, winning 61.4% of the vote.
2024
Neal ran for a nineteenth term and defeated independent candidate Nadia Milleron in the general election, winning 62.4% of the vote.
2026 Jeromie Whalen unsuccessfully challenged Neal in the primary for his bid for a twentieth term. He will have a rematch with independent candidate Nadia Milleron in November.
Electoral history
+ Year Office Party Primary General Result Swing . Total % . Total % . 1983 Mayor of Springfield Democratic 11,315 85.58 1st 25,462 85.34 1st Hold 1985 N/A 19,382 92.12 1st Hold 1987 N/A 20,612 91.65 1st Hold 1988 U.S. House 2nd 24,523 99.93 1st 156,262 80.23 1st Hold 1990 51,615 63.61 1st 134,152 99.79 1st Hold 1992 30,370 47.72 1st 131,215 53.09 1st Hold 1994 25,472 99.82 1st 117,178 58.55 1st Hold 1996 11,048 99.01 1st 163,010 71.67 1st Hold 1998 30,785 99.45 1st 130,550 98.95 1st Hold 2000 20,253 86.45 1st 196,670 98.91 1st Hold 2002 47,369 99.45 1st 153,387 99.13 1st Hold 2004 29,707 99.14 1st 217,682 98.73 1st Hold 2006 60,953 99.27 1st 164,939 98.65 1st Hold 2008 30,017 98.81 1st 234,369 98.47 1st Hold 2010 31,053 98.68 1st 122,751 57.33 1st Hold 2012 1st 40,295 65.47 1st 261,936 98.42 1st Hold 2014 43,225 99.07 1st 167,612 97.96 1st Hold 2016 44,857 98.45 1st 235,803 73.34 1st Hold 2018 49,696 70.64 1st 211,790 97.64 1st Hold 2020 84,092 58.64 1st 275,376 96.51 1st Hold 2022 71,928 99.16 1st 157,635 61.48 1st Hold 2024 56,364 99.07 1st 223,325 62.37 1st Hold 2026 49,927 53.95 1st Source: Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Election Results
Tenure