Candidates Battle For State Senate and House Seats

As a state Senate and House seat go up for grabs in this fall's election, the candidates--both incumbents and challengers--are digging in their heels for what could be a tough political fight this summer.

Counting on voter exasperation with the political process, candidates say they plan to lead campaigns based more on personal integrity than on mudslinging.

Candidates say they see opportunities to affect crucial issues facing the Beacon Hill legislature, such as abortion policy and education reforms.

Two Republicans and two Democrats will challenge Michael LoPresti '70 for his seat in the State Senate.

Roberty Travaglini, a Boston city councillor, lost to LoPresti in a close 1988 race, with Cambridge casting the deciding votes against him. He sat out in 1990's election but is running this time because, he says, it's "immediately apparent that this campaign is winnable."

He cites increased campaign resources and voter animosity toward government as positive for his campaign.

Jackson Hall, former aide to Cambridge Mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72, left his post at City Hall to work on Travaglini's campaign.

He says the '88 campaign failed because Travaglini relied too much on voter apathy and didn't do enough one-on-one campaigning.

Travaglini did well in most areas, including East Boston, home to both Travaglini and LoPresti, but lost Cambridge because Travaglini's "progressive" stance wasn't clear, according to Hall.

"He's way ahead of where he was four years ago," says Hall.

The other Democratic candidate in the race, Michael Sullivan, an assistant attorney general, says he can bring greater visibility to the district.

He says the budget cuts implemented by Gov. William F. Weld '66 were appropriate in theory, but were misdirected.

"Resources have to be given to people in the front lines," he says, "not to offices on Beacon Hill."

Like Travaglini, says he "won't get embroiled in others' candidates," but will focus on his own abilities.

LoPresti's district includes Cambridge, Winthrop, Allston, the North End and areas of Beacon Hill and the Back Bay.

Whoever wins the Democratic contest will face either Vincent Manganello or Mark Pascucci, the Republican candidates for the spot, at the general election on November 3.

Neither the Republican candidates nor LoPresti could be reached for comment.

Vellucci's Seat

When Representative Peter A. Vellucci (D-Cambridge) announced he wouldn't seek re-election in the fall, he opened another contest which promise to heat up the Cambridge election scene this summer.

East Cambridge City Councillor Timothy J. Toomey, Vellucci aide Karen Uminski and attorney Kenneth May have field for the Democratic nomination. Vera E. Meyer, a Libertarian candidate, is also in the competition, and will join the Democratic nominee on the final ballot in November.

The sentiments of may, a lawyer who opened his own practice in East Cambridge two years ago, sentiments echo the dissatisfaction the candidates say the public harbors.

"The government doesn't work," May says.

May says that the government has enough funds to subsidize necessary programs without raising taxes.

"There's enough money out there, I don't care what they say," he said.

Like many candidates in both State House races, May says Weld had the right idea when he made cuts in the budget, but made the cuts in the wrong places.

"Don't wipe out General Relief," he says. "It's an easy target. Welfare is an easy target. For every abuse in welfare, there are 19 people trying to get through."

Along with most candidates in the race, May says he wants to focus on bringing government into greater contact with the public.

"I want to make it so people will call their representatives if they have problems," he says ."I hate to say it, but in many ways, there are too many laws now for the average person who goes to work every day and tries to pay rent."

May calls rent control "stupid", stating that it does not specifically help those who need it.

"All the fuzzy liberals say, It's for the poor.' Yeah right. The Prince of Denmark is living in rent control housing." May said.

In addition to criticizing government fiscal policies, both Uminski and May see abortion as a key issue in the campaign. Both say they are pro-choice. Uminski claims Toomey "has yet to make a statement."

"We don't want to lose a pro-choice seat in the House," says Uminski. According to Uminski, Toomey voted down a resolution to support Women's March for Women's Lives in Washington.

Toomey did not return numerous phone calls.

Uminski claims that white Toomey's positions on local issues may be clear, his opinions about state-wide issues aren't.

"I'd love to see six debates," she says, in addition to the one already planned for June 19.

Libertarian Meyer holds similar opinions on questions of rent control, abortion and fiscal policy, but takes on a different approach to getting her message across to voters.

"I'm probably my own enemy as far it comes to getting votes," she says.

She says she's counting on word of mouth about her candidacy, rather than "putting my name on bumper stickers and emery boards."

"The money part of campaign revotes me. It's far more important to have sincerity--to have people know me rather than like my smile," Meyer said.

Despite the confidence she has in her platform, Meyer acknowledges the unlikelihood of a victory and admits that her chances of winning are next to none.

"I talked to the secretary at Vellucci's office, who happened to be Karen Uminski. It was tough to get a straight answer. She seemed to think I could threaten her campaign, which shocked me," Meyer said.

Apart from her duties as chair of the Boston-area Libertarian committee, Meyer plays the glass harmonica in Harvard Square. It is clear, however, that all the candidates consider Toomey the frontrunner and are looking for opportunities to challenge him.

Both May and Uminski question Toomey's promise that he will remain a Cambridge City Councillor if elected to the State House.

""How do you do that?" says May. "The job is more than, 'Here's my vote, here's your vote, let's go home.'"

He adds that he thinks Toomey will not be able to handle the demands of a House seat in addition to the problems he will have to deal with as a councillor.

"Cambridge has problems. City Councillor is more than a part-time job. Also, Somerville has more than 50 percent of the vote."

Vellucci's district includes all of East Cambridge and part of eastern Somerville. Somerville, according to May, holds 67 percent of the vote.

Uminski says, "I have seen Peter work at this job 24 hours a day, seven days a week." Though the pay "isn't the greatest," the job requires a full-time commitment.