Massachusetts — 1st District

Editor’s note: This is one in a series of four photo essays and text on this year’s candidates for U.S. Congress. They will run in print and online on the next four Sundays.

Jeromie P. Whalen begins most days before sunrise, meeting with his 19-year-old communications director, Joey Pisani, to map out the day’s agenda, as he campaigns to become the next representative for Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District.

By 7 a.m. on a recent morning, Pisani is seated at the kitchen counter, eyes fixed on a computer screen, reviewing emails and scheduling daily tasks. Youth and energy are central to Whalen’s campaign identity, qualities the 38-year-old candidate and his team hope will distinguish him from the 77-year-old incumbent.

Pisani is typically the first to arrive at Whalen’s South Hadley home, where he helps coordinate the day’s schedule, respond to media inquiries and assist with fundraising efforts. A key priority for the campaign is maintaining a visible presence in local communities and building direct connections with voters.

Whalen argues that U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, whom he is seeking to unseat after nearly four decades in office, lacks that same level of engagement.

“He’s a ghost in the district,” Whalen told The Republican. “Neal isn’t an out-and meeting-the-people-type of person.”

Before launching his congressional bid, Whalen earned a doctorate in mathematics, science and learning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and worked as a communications and media production teacher at Northampton High School. In 2023, he won a regional Emmy Award for producing a video of the Young@Heart Chorus’ 40th-anniversary concert, outperforming larger outlets such as NBC 10 Boston and WCVB.

Now, Whalen has set his sights on elected office, focusing heavily on increasing his name recognition across the district. According to Federal Election Commission filings, his campaign had raised more than $150,000 as of March 31, largely through small-dollar donations.

On a recent day outside a Big Y supermarket in Ludlow, Whalen and a group of volunteers gathered nomination signatures. During the effort, his cousin, Zach Siano, approached, appearing surprised to see him campaigning. Asked by The Republican about Whalen’s candidacy, Siano responded with humor.

“Surprised he is running? I’m surprised he made it past 30!” Siano joked, but then added. “He has always had leadership skills.”

Later that evening, after a day that included signature collection, attending town meetings and participating in a “No Kings” protest over the Massachusetts Turnpike, Whalen traveled to his hometown of Belchertown for a memorial event honoring his late brother, Christopher M. Whalen. For the second consecutive year, the Christopher Whalen Spirit in Sportsmanship Award was presented to a Belchertown recreational basketball player, Olivia Svrcek.

Whalen’s brother, Chris, died at age 40 in 2025, a loss that has become a motivating force in his campaign. Photos of him are displayed throughout Whalen’s home.

At a restaurant after the event, Whalen’s wife, April Grudgen Whalen, joined the group after commuting from New York City, where she works as a broker for a subsidiary of TP ICAP Group, a liquidity management company.

The day concluded back at Whalen’s home, where he and his six-person campaign team, led by campaign manager Ellen Moorhouse, gathered to debrief and plan for the next day’s efforts.