SPRINGFIELD – Former Springfield City Councilor Amaad Rivera believes it’s time for a progressive activist to be the state senator for the Hampden District.

Rivera explained to Reminder Publications that he is challenging state Sen. James Welch because of issues such as properly funding school districts and addressing student loan debt.

He described himself as “a serious candidate running on serious issues.”

Rivera also believes the district requites a better advocate in the state Senate. Springfield, he asserted, a large part of the district, is “on the precipice of tapping into its potential.”

He wants to see the district take better advantage of the up-coming economic development around marijuana, growing the area’s green technology sector and working toward a single payer health insurance system in Massachusetts.

Rivera stated his decision to run now for the seat is not based on Weld himself but rather on this moment in time and the issues.

“The truth is this campaign is about ideas,” he said. “These ideas are bigger than political identities.”          

Rivera added he has spoken to thousands of voters so far who have expressed their concerns about health insurance and the plight of small businesses in the Commonwealth.  

People have also told him they feel ignored by Beacon Hill and their rights are being eroded by the policies of the Trump Administration. Rivera believes state governments are “first line of defense” against the president.

He does not want to wait until the seat is open and noted that both Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno challenged members of their own party.

Rivera is a Springfield native, graduated from the High School of Science and Technology, received his undergraduate degree from Bentley University and his graduate degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He served as a city councilor in 2010 and 2011. While he was on the council he worked on legislation concerning foreclosures, which drew national attention.  

He then worked as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and has been most recently state policy director for Sen. Edward Markey.

Rivera is not the only person to announce he is challenging Weld, as City Councilor Adam Gomez has also announced. Former School Committee candidate Giselle Vizcarrondo had also begun a campaign and dropped out of the race to endorse Rivera.

Rivera is the first candidate who has turned in the required signatures to secure a place on the ballot. He has opened his bank account for the campaign and started to raise funds. He will announce a formal kickoff later this year.

His campaign wesbite is www.amaadrivera.com.

He said what is now needed are “bold leaders in this tumultuous time.”