In State House Race, Address Is the Issue

Politics may make strange bedfellows, but in north Cambridge, it makes even stranger neighbors.

After a long search to find a suitable office in his campaign for the State Legislature, the staff of candidate Anthony D. Galluccio moved into a sublet on 2298 Mass. Ave.

They were more than a little surprised when, three weeks later, Galluccio's arch-rival, Alice K. Wolf, and her campaign staff set up camp in the empty store on the corner, just three doors down.

According to Mike A. Daniliuk, a Galluccio staffer, the first signs of something strange were the "Wolf" posters that started appearing in the windows of the corner store. Daniliuk said the Galluccio staff thought little of it because it had looked at that space and found its price tag, $1,600 per month, prohibitively expensive.

"We figured there was no way they could afford that," Daniliuk said. "But we waited a couple of days and sniffed around until we saw her moving in."

According to Wolf Campaign Manager Mimi E. Turchinetz, the former Cambridge mayor's campaign worked with a realtor to try to find a good location and looked into several sites, several of which would have been acceptable, but the storefront they eventually renting had a location too good to pass up.

The Wolf headquarters is large--about twice as big as the Galluccio space--and, due to its location on the corner of the block, easily visible to motorists driving up and down Mass. Ave.

In addition, the location in north Cambridge--an area with particularly high voter-turnout--was important to the Wolf campaign, Turchinetz said.

Still, the proximity to the Galluccio headquarters gave the Wolf campaign pause, Turchinetz said.

"Some felt the volunteers might get nervous," Turchinetz said.

Down the street, the Galluccio camp had nothing but good things to say about the effect of their new neighbors.

"We see them every time we walk by," Daniliuk said. "That makes me work harder, and that is what's going to win the election."

More than similarities, the location of the two headquarters has highlighted differences in the campaign, Daniliuk said.

"Her resources are way bigger--$1,600 a month--we couldn't afford that," he said. "We're paying closer to $500 a month. She has four paid staff. She can afford that. We're all volunteers."

The Wolf campaign is, in fact, proud of its political savvy. Turchinetz points to Wolf's long career in Cambridge, which she started as a School Committee member and ended as a mayor and city councillor.

"Who's the person you want representing you? Someone with 20 years of experience or someone who's been in office for a year-and-a-half?" Turchinetz asked.

Daniliuk said the Galluccio campaign relies more heavily on neighborhood involvement.

"This campaign is about people who know the people," said James P. Henry, another Galluccio worker. "We're all campaign managers here.

"Who's the person you want representing you? Someone with 20 years of experience or someone who's been in office for a year-and-a-half?" Turchinetz asked.

Daniliuk said the Galluccio campaign relies more heavily on neighborhood involvement.

"This campaign is about people who know the people," said James P. Henry, another Galluccio worker. "We're all campaign managers here.