Richard Neal

Richard Neal credits his grandmother, his aunt and Social Security survivor benefits with helping him get to college.¹ Born in Worcester, he grew up in Springfield with two younger sisters.¹ He belongs to the Massachusetts Teachers Association and is a lifelong member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1459.¹

He earned a political science degree from American International College and a master's in public administration at the University of Hartford.² He taught high school history before serving as a Springfield city councilor and mayor.² His teaching has continued alongside politics as a longtime University of Massachusetts lecturer on politics and journalism.¹

First elected to the House in 1988, Neal later chaired the Ways and Means Committee and now serves as its senior Democrat.²¹ He joined Ways and Means in 1993, after first serving on the House Banking Committee.² Its responsibilities include federal taxation, trade, Social Security and Medicare.¹ He helped develop the bipartisan SECURE 2.0 retirement package.² That law expanded credits for eligible small employers starting retirement plans and added credits supporting employer contributions and military spouses' participation.³

Neal's stated priorities include protecting Social Security and Medicare from privatization, simplifying the tax code and increasing access to health coverage and retirement savings.¹ His November opponent is independent Nadia Donya Milleron.⁴