I first encountered Jeromie Whalen at a No Kings rally in Westfield back in October 2025. His passion and energy were captivating, and I was surprised to learn that he was running for Congress in the primary against the incumbent, Richard Neal. As he navigated through the crowd, I met him and took a flyer about his campaign. However, once home, I set the flyer aside and forgot about the campaign.
A few months later, while driving down Memorial Drive in Chicopee, I noticed a bright yellow van with a license plate that read “Vanana.” As I approached, I chuckled and then saw Jeromie’s name in blue letters on the side of the van. The memory of meeting him came rushing back, and upon returning home, I visited his website and signed up to collect signatures to help secure his place on the ballot.
Shortly after volunteering, I received a text message from Jeromie thanking me for my efforts and informing me that I could reach out to him at any time. Initially skeptical, I replied, and received another response, confirming it was indeed Jeromie. A couple of weeks later, I signed up to volunteer for a canvass in Chicopee and received another thank you text from him. A few weeks after that, I made a donation to his campaign. Within an hour, my phone rang; it was Jeromie, personally thanking me for the donation and inquiring about any issues that were important to me.
Over the past few months, I have continued to volunteer with the campaign because I genuinely believe in Jeromie’s vision and the community he is building. Jeromie is a constant presence at community events, not just for photo opportunities, but because he genuinely cares about the issues facing the people he hopes to represent.
Recently, I spent a couple of hours shadowing Jeromie at the World’s Largest Pancake Breakfast in Springfield. During this time, I observed him interact with at least a hundred people, many of whom he recognized by name from previous encounters on the campaign trail. I witnessed a man who is kind not because he is being watched, but because it is the right thing to do. There was a woman volunteering at a table just outside the campaign HQ who expressed her desire to eat but was alone. Jeromie waited in line for her so she could have a plate. We also passed by a table where a young couple was attempting to take a selfie. Jeromie offered to take their photo on their phone. They thanked him, and he walked away without mentioning his congressional run. His gesture was purely out of kindness, reflecting the person Jeromie truly is.
The MA-01 district deserves someone who genuinely cares about its people. We deserve a representative who shows up for us, not to enhance their public image, but because they believe in the power of community. We deserve Jeromie Whalen.
Patrick Murphy
West Springfield
