Richard Neal (MA-2) (D) Calls in the Big Guns! – Victoria Kennedy Campaigns for Neal at Smith College Campus –Prefers Small Venue to Debate

Fromthe Gazette: Richard Neal got a little help from his friend, Victoria Kennedy, at a rally held Sunday afternoon to a room full of the party faithful, including local elected officials. Neal, did have the opportunity to Debate his opponent, Tom Wesley on WWLP, Channel 22 Springfield, but obviously had more important things to do that giving his constituents a chance to see how he differs with Mr. Wesley. The debate, however, took place without Congressman Neal. Neal, in speaking to the devoted audience, at Smith, a women’s college located in Northampton, MA, an exerpt follolws:

After first announcing that the Patriots had won in overtime, the widow of the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy set about cheering for another team that she's a staunch supporter of - that of U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield.
"Are you going to send him back this Nov. 2? Absolutely," said Kennedy to cheers from about 70 or so Democratic faithful who attended a Neal rally at Union Station Restaurant. "I would go anywhere for Richie Neal."
It didn't take much to rouse those faithful. After all, it was a room where many among the crowd felt comfortable enough to address Neal as "Richie."
But Kennedy, a 56-year-old attorney, had many in the audience nodding their heads or smiling with her humor, her memories of the friendship between her late husband and Neal, and her straightforward reasoning as to why Neal deserves to be elected for a 12th term in Washington.
"The 2nd District is never left out or left behind," she said. "Richie Neal has never forgotten where he came from and why he was elected. He fights every single day for you."
Neal faces Republican challenger Tom Wesley, a former U.S. Navy pilot, for the state's 2nd Congressional District, a 41-community district he has represented since 1989.
Sunday's event drew several local representatives, including Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins, state Rep. Peter V. Kocot, D-Northampton, newly elected Northwestern District Attorney David Sullivan, Chicopee Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette, Northampton City Council President David J. Narkewicz and Springfield City Council Vice President E. Henry Twiggs.
Politicians aside, the event drew many local Democratic supporters, enough that Higgins quipped during her opening remarks that, "elected officials don't outnumber" the residents in attendance.
Neal took the stage to the song "Simply the Best," by Tina Turner. When the music died down, he joked, "That was very good staff work."
Then he got down to business, calling the midterm elections a battle about the future that will be decided by who shows up to vote in little more than two weeks.
Neal, and later Kennedy, had a clear theme to their message, and they delivered it without mentioning Wesley by name. The message went something like this: Look to the future and let's move the country forward. The alternative is a step backward and a return to "the failed policies that got us into this mess in the first place," said Kennedy.
She said Neal is one of the best at helping the country move forward, and he might be tapped as the new chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. She recalled numerous times when the former Springfield mayor and her late husband would meet to discuss strategies and policies and how to make legislation happen.
"It's not easy work," she said.
Neal called out Republicans for their attempts to pin the nation's problems on President Obama, saying the notion is "preposterous." He noted that President Bush's tax cuts and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other initiatives, reversed a $5.7 trillion surplus when that administration took office in 2001.
"The people who set the fire are now the ones calling the fire department," Neal said.

(rest of article Here)

Neal failed to mention that those expiring Bush Tax cuts would cost every working family in the district, up to $5,000 annually regardless of their income level. This will occur because the Congressman along with a majority of Democrat Incumbents preferred to cut out of Congress early to get back to their districts to campaign, instead of working on the tax package, leaving businesses in limbo, effectively continuing hiring freezes. That said Neal appears to feel more comfortable in a controlled and smaller venue setting that his opponent, Republican Tom Wesley. That was apparent in a recent debate shown on Channel 57, Springfield Public Television, where the two met in a tightly controlled environment; however, even then it was apparent that Neal appeared uncomfortable.

Richie Neal (D) 2010 Challenger Tom Wesley Joins Congressional Republicans in call for weekly spending cuts.

Congressman Richard Neal's (D-MA) opponent on the 2010 Hampden 2nd Ballot, Mr. Tom Wesley, has joined Republican Congressional Represenatives in a call for weekly spending cuts.

The Wesley Campaign noted in a recent press release: Tom Wesley joined Congressman Boehner in his call for weekly spending cuts if the GOP takes control of the House of Representatives.

According to the Palm Beach Post, Congressman Boehner said, “You’ll see us every single week move bills that will cut spending.”

Congressional Candidate Tom Wesley said, "This the exact kind of commitment that Washington needs right now to reduce spending...I would work with Leader Boehner to propose spending cuts on a weekly basis."

"Our national debt is unsustainable, we must reduce spending and we must have a disciplined approach in doing this," concluded Wesley.

Neal, who is a proponent of spending programs (voted for every spending mesure put forth by Nancy Pelosi in the last Congress - see roll call votes Library of Congress here .

More at Tom Wesley.com

2010 Update - Richard Neal(D-MA) - Reinstated GM Dealership– Erects Giant Neal ‘For Congress" Sign on Heavily Traveled District Roadway

One Hand Helps Another, Neal for Congress Sign on Reinstated GM Dealers Lot
During the bailout of GM (which came to be known as Government Motors), hundreds of dealerships across the country were closed. One of many in Massachusetts was Bob Pion Pontiac. In March of this year, The Springfield
Republican Reported:

After prodding from U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, General Motors Corp. reversed course and has reinstated Bob Pion as a Buick and GMC dealer.

Several comments under the article are telling: aside from the fact that Neal helped out a local business, with the intent to save jobs, and possibly Government Motors at the same time, (and a Local Photo opp in an election year as a bonus) it appears as if the Company (GM), now owned by the Federal Government took marching orders from the Congressman, who was able to “pursued” GM to reinstate one dealership over another. (Not All GM Dealerships were reinstated, some were said to have lost their Franchise due to Political Affiliation see Ohio Dealership struggle here)


The sign (shown below) is prominently displayed on the dealership lot at a major intersection leading to connectors to Routes 90 and 391. This heavily traveled area, also known as the “Crossroads to New England” brings in shoppers from all over the Hamden Second District.





It is the “good old boy” one hand washes the other, appearance brought about by the sign on the Dealers lot that may leave a “bad taste” in some potential voter’s mouth.

What’s the big deal? It really depends upon how strongly one feels either for or against an incumbent this term. It was a real test of friendship on the part of Pion, as far as attracting clientele who may have stopped in, but for the obvious plus for the Congressman. Others might just shrug their shoulders and consider the fact that it’s “politics as usual” in the Commonwealth.

Richard Neal will face Republican, Tom Wesley, in the November 2nd election. Wesley has been unsuccessful in convincing Congressman Neal to debate in a Town Hall Style format.

Tom Wesley, Republican Candidate Against Richard Neal (D-MA), 2010 Election Profile and Analysis

Tom Wesley, candidate for Hampden 2nd Congressional District MA - running against Richard "Rangel" Neal

Tom Wesley, a Navy veteran and international businessman, won the Hampden 2nd District primary yesterday and will go on to face, 12 term Democrat Incumbent Richard Neal in the November Mid-term. Not surprisingly, the race has, to date, received little to no attention on a national scale, (or local scale for that matter, example: this race is not mentioned today in the Districts Largest Newspaper, The Springfield Republican. The paper is instead, focusing on the the Hampden County District (Democrat) attorney race and adding other races in more as after thoughts) In addition, Google News alerts for this Congressional District, as of 6:21 am yielded 4 (four) news stories total on this particular race. Interestingly, avoidance of this sort was also used in the January 19th Special election, where Brown Bested Coakley in the Hampden 2nd.

Tom Wesley, now with a primary under his belt, is ready to take one of the most low-profile, dangerous Democrats in the Congress, one Richard Neal. The plus side, is Neal, who ran uncontested, is not viewed favorabliy in the District and although no polling data (other than internals) exists yet, one has to factor Neal as vulnerable, due to the need to bring Bill Clinton in to stump for him and the local Union sending out emergency emails to hold standouts for Neal (running uncontested) at polling places yesterday. (So he would not appear vulnerable). Therefore, Tom Wesley stands a better than even chance of becoming the first Republican in over two decades to rest the seat from Neal and hand it back to the people.

Although an AP story, which is being quoted in articles regarding Tom Wesley (Boston Globe, post primary edition)includes an AP story line released on the 11th of September, about a bankruptcy filed by Tom Wesley for a business he owned in 2000. Businesses, not unlike politics, have their ups and downs, and filing for bankruptcy is no shame in Corporate American. Consider in 2002 KMart filed for Bankruptcy Protection, with the only consequence being the company survived. Therefore, the fact that Tom Wesley, running as a fiscal conservative, filed bankruptcy for a business in 2,000, (10 years ago), is somewhat of a moot point, and possibly the only point that Richard Neal will have as ammunition against Mr. Wesley.

How well will that work for Neal? That remains to be seen (most likely with like minded committed Progressives and union leaders(note: note the rank and file), however, one thing is certain, negative ads will not work in this district (or other districts in the Bay State) – and running on his Record, may be something Neal would rather avoid, given his straight Party line voting pattern for the past 24 years.

The Tea Party and the Pioneer Valley.

Yes the Tea Party was a factor in this primary election, giving Wesley the preferred Tea Party status, which will be helpful to him in the general. Based on the numbers (lower voter turnout), however, Mr. Wesley must now turn to attracting the all important unenrolled voter, and here’s where it gets easier. A recent gallop poll on trust in institutions comes into play in regards to Tom Wesley’s candidacy: The military (extends to members past and present) is the number one trusted institution in the nation, followed by small business, which ranked 2nd, according to the same poll, Congress (see Richard Neal) ranks dead last in Confidence. Therefore, Mr. Wesley scores twice in confidence, where has Neal begins the general with a negative.

Mr. Wesley will be a formidable candidate against Richard Neal and with the support of the Tea Party as well as Conservatives, Independents and, yes, Democrats, he is in a position to best Neal. What Tom Wesley took from the Primary is the need to target Springfield hard (Richard Neal’s Home Town) along with Chicopee, and yes, Northampton. Without those three cities, regardless of the eastern part of the district weighing in, one cannot win a general. Those conservatives in Springfield and Chicopee will look forward to the radio, television ads plus the hip mailers from Tom Wesley, as will those unenrolled neighbors who are critical to the outcome. Therefore, as Mr. Wesley will be working for the Hampden 2nd, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States of America, please visit: www.tomwesley.com and volunteer or donate!