Neal endorsed Warren the same night Sanders held a rally in Springfield — Neal's hometown — that drew more than 4,000 people. Sanders is making a hard play to beat Warren in her home state, with back to back rallies and a four-day music and canvassing festival. While Sanders swept Western Massachusetts in 2016, he lost the state to Hillary Clinton by a narrow margin.

Elizabeth Warren. | Elaine Thompson/AP Photo

Beyond his position as the powerful chair of the Ways and Means Committee, Neal is the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation and a fixture in the western part of the state. He was the mayor of Springfield in the 1980s and was sworn into Congress in 1989.

In his endorsement, Neal touted Warren's work to create the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, and her record of getting "predatory loans canceled for students in Western Massachusetts."

"Her record of fighting and winning real results makes her the real deal and the right choice for Massachusetts voters on Tuesday," Neal said.

Warren has the backing of the majority of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, and counts Rep. Ayanna Pressley as one of her three national campaign co-chairs. Sen. Ed Markey and Reps. Lori Trahan, Katherine Clark, Jim McGovern and Rep. Joe Kennedy III have held campaign events for Warren in recent weeks. Rep. Seth Moulton, who briefly ran for president, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden. Rep. Bill Keating does not plan to endorse a candidate.

Neal endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016, and introduced her at a Springfield rally the day before Super Tuesday. Clinton went on to beat Sanders in Springfield with 61 percent of the vote, to his 38 percent. In the general election, Neal traveled to Pennsylvania to stump for Clinton.

A 30-year veteran of Congress, Neal is facing a primary challenge from the progressive and openly gay mayor of Holyoke, Alex Morse.



