SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Adam Gomez is facing an opponent in this year’s race for the Senate Hampden District seat, City Councilor Malo Brown. Despite both Gomez and Brown having served on the council, Gomez said his record and experience make him the better person to serve residents on Beacon Hill.
Gomez, a lifelong Springfield resident, said he has long been engaged with young people in the city, working with the YMCA and as a lifeguard. Gomez’s first elected position was on the New North Citizens’ Council in 2013. After 18 months in that position, Gomez ran an 80-day campaign for the Springfield City Council. He went on to serve on the council for five years.
In 2020, Gomez was elected to his seat, beating incumbent James Welch. Gomez described himself as “the first Afro-Latino person of color” to be elected to a state Senate seat “west of Interstate 495.” He now represents most of Springfield and about half of Chicopee, cities with Hispanic/Latino populations of 46.7% and 23.4%, respectively.
In his two terms in office, Gomez has served on the committees on education; redistricting; elder affairs; community development and small businesses; economic development and emerging technologies; ways and means; and juvenile and emerging adult justice. He has been the chair or vice chair on committees for cannabis policy; racial equity, civil rights and inclusion, election laws; and children, families and persons with disabilities.
Gomez highlighted legislation he has championed that has affected housing and economic development. “Housing is one of the biggest things impacting Hampden County,” he said. The recently passed housing bond bill includes funding for a first-time homebuyer’s program. He also said seniors need affordable housing when seeking to downsize.
“Wages are stagnated, which makes it harder to own a home,” Gomez said.
Another area which Gomez has worked to improve is education, including “working to close the gap on early childhood and community college.” The state’s fiscal year 2025 budget includes funding for MassEducate, a program allowing adult residents to attend community college tuition free. Gomez spoke about the connection between these topics, pointing out that education leads to better paying jobs, allowing people to obtain stable housing.
Gomez also said he is dedicated to tackling environmental issues, such as biomass — wood processing waste, agricultural crops, garbage and manure that is incinerated to create electricity — in environmental justice communities, such as Springfield. He said he has taken a “leadership role” in one particular environmental issue affecting the city, the need for a new Hampden County courthouse. After years of employee allegations that cancers and other illnesses affecting courthouse staff and judges were related to air quality and mold conditions at the existing Roderick J. Ireland Courthouse, the state is seeking a location to build a new courthouse in Springfield.
The state senator also said he secured a $30 million bond to expand investment in farming and food generation technology. He said he was working with Gov. Maura Healey’s administration, Attorney General Andrea Campbell and other officials. “This is so much more powerful with partnership,” he said.
Speaking about his opponent in the race, Gomez said Brown was “elected to the City Council and works hard for his district,” which centers on the Old Hill, Upper Hill, Bay and McKnight neighborhoods. That said, Gomez stated that his record as a city councilor was “way more impactful” than what Brown has accomplished.
Gomez said he was not upset that he was facing a challenger for his seat in the state House, but added, “Not all disruptions create good trouble.” As an elected official, he said, “You have to have the legislative knowledge. [Brown has] some knowledge to learn about ethics,” Gomez said, referencing two 2021 violations of campaign finance laws, involving Brown fundraising for himself, despite being a state employee. Brown is the chief of staff for state Rep. Bud Williams.
Gomez has endorsed William’s challenger, Johnnie McKnight, in the race for the 11th Hampden District, which covers the center of Springfield. “It’s time to pass the baton. We have to build a pathway for young people who are bright and intelligent and have new ideas,” Gomez said. He urged residents to join their neighborhood associations and councils, calling them “candidate pipelines.”
With an eye toward the future, Gomez said he was looking forward to getting work done in the state House after the election. He asserted that he was committed to Springfield, and said, “There’s not one person I don’t take with me to represent in Boston every day.”
Editor’s note: Reminder Publishing reached out to profile Brown as well, but did not hear back by press time.
