Five pull nomination papers for Fall River mayor

Nomination papers for political office in Fall River for the 2025 election cycle became available on April 1, 2025, and five people have since pulled papers to run for mayor. They still need to collect enough signatures and get those validated before they officially become a candidate. Here’s a short bio on each:

1. Mayor Paul Coogan (Registered Democrat)

Paul Coogan has served as the Mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, since January 2020, winning re-election in 2021 and 2023 after defeating disgraced former mayor Jasiel Correia in a landslide in 2019. Before entering the mayor’s office, Coogan dedicated over 30 years to the Fall River public school system as an educator, teaching at Kuss Middle School, Talbot Middle School, and B.M.C. Durfee High School, and later served on both the Diman Regional Vocational High School Committee and the Fall River School Committee. A graduate of B.M.C. Durfee High School, he earned degrees from Bristol Community College, Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMass Dartmouth), and California College for Health Sciences. Among his accolades, Coogan received the 2022 Southcoast Health Hero for Health Award for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, and he has been praised for providing steady governance following years of political instability, earning endorsements from figures like former Governor Charlie Baker and Congressman Jake Auchincloss. His tenure has focused on economic development, public safety, and education, with initiatives like the South Coast Rail and housing projects marking his efforts to revitalize the city.

2. Carlso Ceasar (Registered Republican)

Carlos Cesar is a longtime community organizer and president of the Flint Neighborhood Association in Fall River, Massachusetts, who has emerged as a potential candidate for mayor in the 2025 election. With a history of both supporting and clashing with former mayor Jasiel Correia—who is now imprisoned for fraud and extortion—Cesar notably aided federal investigations by testifying against Correia during his trial. His community involvement includes facilitating the purchase of the former Davol Elementary School for a neighborhood center in 2013, supported by a donation from Correia, though their relationship later soured. Cesar filed campaign paperwork in May 2024, signaling his intent to run, and brings decades of local advocacy experience.

3. Michael J. Vandal (Registered Democrat)

Michael Vandal is a political outsider and recurring candidate in Fall River, Massachusetts, known for his unconventional campaigns for mayor in 2021 and 2023, as well as a brief run for governor in 2022. A self-described advocate for “patient-to-patient” holistic dentistry, Vandal has pitched establishing a “Dentistry for the People” base in Fall River, drawing from his personal narrative as “patient zero” in modern dentistry, influenced by his grandfather Hal Huggins, a controversial figure in alternative dental practices. His professional background remains largely undisclosed beyond these claims, and he has no notable prior political office or widely recognized accolades. In the 2023 mayoral preliminary election, he garnered just 326 votes (4.56%), finishing a distant third behind Paul Coogan and Sam Sutter, reflecting limited voter traction despite his persistent candidacy. Vandal’s campaigns emphasize economic development and cultural freedom, often invoking Fall River’s historical role as a refuge for immigrants, but his lack of political experience and niche platform have kept him on the fringes of local politics.

4. Gabriel Boomer Amaral (Registered Republican)

Gabriel “Boomer” Amaral is a politically active figure in Fall River, Massachusetts, known for his repeated runs for local office and his community engagement efforts. A father of six, he has campaigned unsuccessfully for Fall River City Council in 2021 and 2023, placing 11th out of 18 candidates in the latter with 2,745 votes, and has emphasized public safety and education as key priorities, arguing that a safe environment is essential for children to thrive. Beyond city council bids, Amaral won a seat on the Massachusetts Republican State Committee for the First Bristol and Plymouth District in March 2024, defeating Angel Pantoja with 7,256 votes to 2,737, signaling his intent to unify and rebuild the local Republican base. In early 2025, School Committee member Collin Dias proposed Amaral for a volunteer “Government Efficiency Czar” role within Fall River Public Schools, citing his experience in identifying cost-saving opportunities, with consideration slated for March 2025. Amaral’s persistence in local politics, despite electoral setbacks, reflects his commitment to addressing community issues.

5. Alphonse Hathaway (Unenrolled)

Alphonse S. Hathaway is a Fall River, Massachusetts, resident with a colorful personality reflected in his Facebook bio, where he asserts, “I can do whatever I want, wherever I want, and however I want, and you can’t do a dam thing about it.” A native of the city, he attended C.V. Carroll Elementary School and graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School. His professional background includes working as a “Floor Boy” at Essex Manufacturing, though details about this role or duration are sparse. Alphonse also pursued specialized training in professional wrestling, studying ring setup, takedown, and performance at The Lock-Up: Pro Wrestling School/Training Center.