Cambridge Elections Breed Dark Horses

Hidden away in small apartments doubling as campaign office, littered with mass-produced campaign postcards and brightly colored flyers, lie the few, the unknown-Massachusetts' dark horse candidates.

Since the Sept. 15 primary, Cantabrigians have tossed around the names of Capuano, Cellucci and Harshbarger as the front-runners in the Eighth Congressional and gubernatorial races.

But despite the polls predicting that Democrat Michael A. Capuano will be the clear winner in the Eighth and the heated debates publicizing the close race between Acting Gov. A. Paul Cellucci and Attorney General L. Scott Harshbarger '64, the dark horses keep running.

Their motives are many.

This year, one wants publicity for his book on 'timesizing' and another says he wants to legalize medical uses of marijuana.

But despite the peculiar platforms that characterize this motley crew, they all say that idealism and new plans for running government lie at the heart of their campaigns.

The Party Game

In Democratic Cambridge, Republicans and third-party candidates can often get to the final election uncontested.

"Basically, because there's no opposition, you're going to get your name on the ballot almost for free," says Robert Winters, a local politico and Harvard math preceptor who publishes an on-line community newsletter.

"There will always be high visibility [in elections], so there will always be people with particularly big axes to grind who will find the energy to try to support themselves," he says.

This year's candidates fit within Winter's profile.

While gubernatorial candidate Dean E. Cook is an ardent Libertarian, heavily involved in the party and committed to the party's standard of keeping government out of personal lives, Congressional candidates Philip Hyde III and Anthony A. Schinella chose their affiliations more haphazardly.

"Even though I've been a longtime Democrat activist, I campaigned as an independent so we could get these issues into the final," Schinella says.

"If I had run as a Democrat, I would have been one of the nine who lost. Now, I'm able to give my ideas an extra twomonth life in the final," he says.

Likewise, Hyde's motivation in campaigning as a Republican was a catapult him beyond the primary.

Although fiscally conservative, the Republican's social stances hardly seem right-wing-he is pro-choice and against the death penalty. The seeming dichotomy is perhaps due to his method of choosing his party affilation.

"I'm cash-free independent? That has less than zero credibility," he says, explaining his thought process. "I have to go with a major party, so I say, 'Let's see: a cash-free Democrat? Forget it. I'll be gone in the primary."

"Well, that leaves only one choice," hecontinues. "I'll be a cash-free Republican. So Iphoned up the head of the Republican Party, and hesays, 'Go for it. Just get the signatures."'

Idealism in Action

Despite the seemingly easy route to a place onthe ballot, candidates say the chief impetus forrunning came from their desire to change thesystem, not a hunger for power.

"My chances of winning depend on what you callwinning," Cook says.

A Libertarian and freelance computerconsultant, Cook is running on a platform ofeliminating the income tax, legalizing medicalmarijuana and repealing recently passed guncontrol laws.

"My chances of affecting the system and gettingthese things debated about are great," he says.

"Actually taking the corner office this timeround, well..." he trails off.

"Running is the only thing that matters," heconcludes.

Cook's fellow dark horse candidates agree.

"Our chances of winning are very, very slim,"Schinella says.

The independent's platform is economics-based,stressing budget and tax restructuring.

"The only way to get people to listen to you isin a campaign," he says. "I got to talk to morepeople [at forums] than I'll ever get to talk toin the next few years... In the next campaign,you'll see that some of the ideas that werebrought up, the more innovative ideas, will bebrought up again."

Hyde's motivation differs slightly.

His platform of `timesizing,' or cutting backwork-week hours while keeping pay the same (inorder to cut the unemployment rate) is the focusof his recently published book, Timesizing, NotDownsizing.

Although he says the main reason he threw hishat into the race was to spread the word abouttimesizing, Hyde readily admits that "peoplesometimes accuse me of running just to sell thebook."

"I think it's a compliment, not an insult," hesays. "I would like to have a congressman who hadenough ideas to publish a book, rather than justkeeping a seat warm for two years."

Democratic Demographics

Local candidates say their biggest challenge inCambridge is not the city's Democratic dominance,but the media's lack of coverage.

"The media has been ignoring the campaigncompletely since the Democratic [primary]. It'sbeen pretty sad-they've written the whole raceoff," Schinella says, with a note of anger in hisvoice.

"And if I can't get my message out to themedia, no one's going to hear it," he adds.

"My name did not get mentioned once by eitherof the two major dailies in Boston for ten weeks,"Hyde charges. "We're talking serious laziness andincompetency on the part of the news media."

Cook is similarly dissatisfied with coverage ofhis campaign.

"It's difficult. I mean, we weren't allowedinto the debates even though I am on the ballot,"he says.

Even with the lack of coverage, the candidateshope the centrist tendencies of Massachusetts'Democratic and Republican frontrunners will helptheir races.

"Most people think it would be very difficultto run a liberal campaign in Massachusetts. Theybelieve it to be such a Democratic state, which issort of inaccurate," Cook says.

"Here, because the Republicans and Democratshave merged together so much, it becomesdifficult. [The voters] are just getting lipservice, so...the Libertarian party has a lot offertile ground to grow here."

"It is very much an uphill battle for anyonewho is not a Democratic; it's probably one of themost Democratic districts in the country," saysDavid L. K. Trumbull, chair of the CambridgeRepublican City Committee.

"Nevertheless, you have people deciding thatthey're not completely thrilled with the minoritychoice [Capuano] among Democrats, and they maysupport the Republican or perhaps even somethird-party candidate," he says, referring toCapuano's narrow victory over the nine otherDemocrats in the primary.

But the publicity situation is improving forthird-party candidates.

"We want more name recognition-but compared tofour years ago, this is like night and day," Cooksays, who also campaigned for the corner office in1994.

"My message has gotten out this year more thantwo years ago because there have been so manyforums and debates," agrees Hyde, whounsuccessfully ran against Rep. Joseph P. KennedyII (D-Brighton) in 1996.

And in the end, candidates say that althoughtheir chances of winning are slim, the race hasbeen worth it.

"Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to standup and say, `Enough,' and I think that'simportant," Cook says. "I wouldn't put myselfthrough this if I didn't think we were going toget something for this."

"If I had stayed at home, there wouldn't beanybody to talk about the things I talk about,"Schinella says. "It was worth it."

And local politicos agree that just running ina race can help draw attention to issues andsharpen the debates.

"Running as a candidate in a local election todraw attention to issues is a common endeavor,"Winters says.

"Statewide, it would be too, if there weregreater ballot access-then, you would see a lotmore candidates running on single issues,[especially] if it were less expensive," he says.

"A contested race is always good. It drawsattention to the race, it gives the voters anoption, it allows for discussion about issues,"Trumbull says.

"Republicans and Democrats are almost banal incomparison. Cambridge has Trotskyites,monarchists," Trumbull laughs.

In fact, he adds, it is this diversity ofcandidates that makes Cambridge, Cambridge.

"Are [the candidates] sometimes a bit fringe?Sure. But Cambridge is the sort of place wherethese ideas percolate up," Trumbull concludes."It's why I choose to live in Cambridge.

The Party Game

In Democratic Cambridge, Republicans and third-party candidates can often get to the final election uncontested.

"Basically, because there's no opposition, you're going to get your name on the ballot almost for free," says Robert Winters, a local politico and Harvard math preceptor who publishes an on-line community newsletter.

"There will always be high visibility [in elections], so there will always be people with particularly big axes to grind who will find the energy to try to support themselves," he says.

This year's candidates fit within Winter's profile.

While gubernatorial candidate Dean E. Cook is an ardent Libertarian, heavily involved in the party and committed to the party's standard of keeping government out of personal lives, Congressional candidates Philip Hyde III and Anthony A. Schinella chose their affiliations more haphazardly.

"Even though I've been a longtime Democrat activist, I campaigned as an independent so we could get these issues into the final," Schinella says.

"If I had run as a Democrat, I would have been one of the nine who lost. Now, I'm able to give my ideas an extra twomonth life in the final," he says.

Likewise, Hyde's motivation in campaigning as a Republican was a catapult him beyond the primary.

Although fiscally conservative, the Republican's social stances hardly seem right-wing-he is pro-choice and against the death penalty. The seeming dichotomy is perhaps due to his method of choosing his party affilation.

"I'm cash-free independent? That has less than zero credibility," he says, explaining his thought process. "I have to go with a major party, so I say, 'Let's see: a cash-free Democrat? Forget it. I'll be gone in the primary."

"Well, that leaves only one choice," hecontinues. "I'll be a cash-free Republican. So Iphoned up the head of the Republican Party, and hesays, 'Go for it. Just get the signatures."'

Idealism in Action

Despite the seemingly easy route to a place onthe ballot, candidates say the chief impetus forrunning came from their desire to change thesystem, not a hunger for power.

"My chances of winning depend on what you callwinning," Cook says.

A Libertarian and freelance computerconsultant, Cook is running on a platform ofeliminating the income tax, legalizing medicalmarijuana and repealing recently passed guncontrol laws.

"My chances of affecting the system and gettingthese things debated about are great," he says.

"Actually taking the corner office this timeround, well..." he trails off.

"Running is the only thing that matters," heconcludes.

Cook's fellow dark horse candidates agree.

"Our chances of winning are very, very slim,"Schinella says.

The independent's platform is economics-based,stressing budget and tax restructuring.

"The only way to get people to listen to you isin a campaign," he says. "I got to talk to morepeople [at forums] than I'll ever get to talk toin the next few years... In the next campaign,you'll see that some of the ideas that werebrought up, the more innovative ideas, will bebrought up again."

Hyde's motivation differs slightly.

His platform of `timesizing,' or cutting backwork-week hours while keeping pay the same (inorder to cut the unemployment rate) is the focusof his recently published book, Timesizing, NotDownsizing.

Although he says the main reason he threw hishat into the race was to spread the word abouttimesizing, Hyde readily admits that "peoplesometimes accuse me of running just to sell thebook."

"I think it's a compliment, not an insult," hesays. "I would like to have a congressman who hadenough ideas to publish a book, rather than justkeeping a seat warm for two years."

Democratic Demographics

Local candidates say their biggest challenge inCambridge is not the city's Democratic dominance,but the media's lack of coverage.

"The media has been ignoring the campaigncompletely since the Democratic [primary]. It'sbeen pretty sad-they've written the whole raceoff," Schinella says, with a note of anger in hisvoice.

"And if I can't get my message out to themedia, no one's going to hear it," he adds.

"My name did not get mentioned once by eitherof the two major dailies in Boston for ten weeks,"Hyde charges. "We're talking serious laziness andincompetency on the part of the news media."

Cook is similarly dissatisfied with coverage ofhis campaign.

"It's difficult. I mean, we weren't allowedinto the debates even though I am on the ballot,"he says.

Even with the lack of coverage, the candidateshope the centrist tendencies of Massachusetts'Democratic and Republican frontrunners will helptheir races.

"Most people think it would be very difficultto run a liberal campaign in Massachusetts. Theybelieve it to be such a Democratic state, which issort of inaccurate," Cook says.

"Here, because the Republicans and Democratshave merged together so much, it becomesdifficult. [The voters] are just getting lipservice, so...the Libertarian party has a lot offertile ground to grow here."

"It is very much an uphill battle for anyonewho is not a Democratic; it's probably one of themost Democratic districts in the country," saysDavid L. K. Trumbull, chair of the CambridgeRepublican City Committee.

"Nevertheless, you have people deciding thatthey're not completely thrilled with the minoritychoice [Capuano] among Democrats, and they maysupport the Republican or perhaps even somethird-party candidate," he says, referring toCapuano's narrow victory over the nine otherDemocrats in the primary.

But the publicity situation is improving forthird-party candidates.

"We want more name recognition-but compared tofour years ago, this is like night and day," Cooksays, who also campaigned for the corner office in1994.

"My message has gotten out this year more thantwo years ago because there have been so manyforums and debates," agrees Hyde, whounsuccessfully ran against Rep. Joseph P. KennedyII (D-Brighton) in 1996.

And in the end, candidates say that althoughtheir chances of winning are slim, the race hasbeen worth it.

"Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to standup and say, `Enough,' and I think that'simportant," Cook says. "I wouldn't put myselfthrough this if I didn't think we were going toget something for this."

"If I had stayed at home, there wouldn't beanybody to talk about the things I talk about,"Schinella says. "It was worth it."

And local politicos agree that just running ina race can help draw attention to issues andsharpen the debates.

"Running as a candidate in a local election todraw attention to issues is a common endeavor,"Winters says.

"Statewide, it would be too, if there weregreater ballot access-then, you would see a lotmore candidates running on single issues,[especially] if it were less expensive," he says.

"A contested race is always good. It drawsattention to the race, it gives the voters anoption, it allows for discussion about issues,"Trumbull says.

"Republicans and Democrats are almost banal incomparison. Cambridge has Trotskyites,monarchists," Trumbull laughs.

In fact, he adds, it is this diversity ofcandidates that makes Cambridge, Cambridge.

"Are [the candidates] sometimes a bit fringe?Sure. But Cambridge is the sort of place wherethese ideas percolate up," Trumbull concludes."It's why I choose to live in Cambridge.

"Well, that leaves only one choice," hecontinues. "I'll be a cash-free Republican. So Iphoned up the head of the Republican Party, and hesays, 'Go for it. Just get the signatures."'

Idealism in Action

Despite the seemingly easy route to a place onthe ballot, candidates say the chief impetus forrunning came from their desire to change thesystem, not a hunger for power.

"My chances of winning depend on what you callwinning," Cook says.

A Libertarian and freelance computerconsultant, Cook is running on a platform ofeliminating the income tax, legalizing medicalmarijuana and repealing recently passed guncontrol laws.

"My chances of affecting the system and gettingthese things debated about are great," he says.

"Actually taking the corner office this timeround, well..." he trails off.

"Running is the only thing that matters," heconcludes.

Cook's fellow dark horse candidates agree.

"Our chances of winning are very, very slim,"Schinella says.

The independent's platform is economics-based,stressing budget and tax restructuring.

"The only way to get people to listen to you isin a campaign," he says. "I got to talk to morepeople [at forums] than I'll ever get to talk toin the next few years... In the next campaign,you'll see that some of the ideas that werebrought up, the more innovative ideas, will bebrought up again."

Hyde's motivation differs slightly.

His platform of `timesizing,' or cutting backwork-week hours while keeping pay the same (inorder to cut the unemployment rate) is the focusof his recently published book, Timesizing, NotDownsizing.

Although he says the main reason he threw hishat into the race was to spread the word abouttimesizing, Hyde readily admits that "peoplesometimes accuse me of running just to sell thebook."

"I think it's a compliment, not an insult," hesays. "I would like to have a congressman who hadenough ideas to publish a book, rather than justkeeping a seat warm for two years."

Democratic Demographics

Local candidates say their biggest challenge inCambridge is not the city's Democratic dominance,but the media's lack of coverage.

"The media has been ignoring the campaigncompletely since the Democratic [primary]. It'sbeen pretty sad-they've written the whole raceoff," Schinella says, with a note of anger in hisvoice.

"And if I can't get my message out to themedia, no one's going to hear it," he adds.

"My name did not get mentioned once by eitherof the two major dailies in Boston for ten weeks,"Hyde charges. "We're talking serious laziness andincompetency on the part of the news media."

Cook is similarly dissatisfied with coverage ofhis campaign.

"It's difficult. I mean, we weren't allowedinto the debates even though I am on the ballot,"he says.

Even with the lack of coverage, the candidateshope the centrist tendencies of Massachusetts'Democratic and Republican frontrunners will helptheir races.

"Most people think it would be very difficultto run a liberal campaign in Massachusetts. Theybelieve it to be such a Democratic state, which issort of inaccurate," Cook says.

"Here, because the Republicans and Democratshave merged together so much, it becomesdifficult. [The voters] are just getting lipservice, so...the Libertarian party has a lot offertile ground to grow here."

"It is very much an uphill battle for anyonewho is not a Democratic; it's probably one of themost Democratic districts in the country," saysDavid L. K. Trumbull, chair of the CambridgeRepublican City Committee.

"Nevertheless, you have people deciding thatthey're not completely thrilled with the minoritychoice [Capuano] among Democrats, and they maysupport the Republican or perhaps even somethird-party candidate," he says, referring toCapuano's narrow victory over the nine otherDemocrats in the primary.

But the publicity situation is improving forthird-party candidates.

"We want more name recognition-but compared tofour years ago, this is like night and day," Cooksays, who also campaigned for the corner office in1994.

"My message has gotten out this year more thantwo years ago because there have been so manyforums and debates," agrees Hyde, whounsuccessfully ran against Rep. Joseph P. KennedyII (D-Brighton) in 1996.

And in the end, candidates say that althoughtheir chances of winning are slim, the race hasbeen worth it.

"Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to standup and say, `Enough,' and I think that'simportant," Cook says. "I wouldn't put myselfthrough this if I didn't think we were going toget something for this."

"If I had stayed at home, there wouldn't beanybody to talk about the things I talk about,"Schinella says. "It was worth it."

And local politicos agree that just running ina race can help draw attention to issues andsharpen the debates.

"Running as a candidate in a local election todraw attention to issues is a common endeavor,"Winters says.

"Statewide, it would be too, if there weregreater ballot access-then, you would see a lotmore candidates running on single issues,[especially] if it were less expensive," he says.

"A contested race is always good. It drawsattention to the race, it gives the voters anoption, it allows for discussion about issues,"Trumbull says.

"Republicans and Democrats are almost banal incomparison. Cambridge has Trotskyites,monarchists," Trumbull laughs.

In fact, he adds, it is this diversity ofcandidates that makes Cambridge, Cambridge.

"Are [the candidates] sometimes a bit fringe?Sure. But Cambridge is the sort of place wherethese ideas percolate up," Trumbull concludes."It's why I choose to live in Cambridge.

Idealism in Action

Despite the seemingly easy route to a place onthe ballot, candidates say the chief impetus forrunning came from their desire to change thesystem, not a hunger for power.

"My chances of winning depend on what you callwinning," Cook says.

A Libertarian and freelance computerconsultant, Cook is running on a platform ofeliminating the income tax, legalizing medicalmarijuana and repealing recently passed guncontrol laws.

"My chances of affecting the system and gettingthese things debated about are great," he says.

"Actually taking the corner office this timeround, well..." he trails off.

"Running is the only thing that matters," heconcludes.

Cook's fellow dark horse candidates agree.

"Our chances of winning are very, very slim,"Schinella says.

The independent's platform is economics-based,stressing budget and tax restructuring.

"The only way to get people to listen to you isin a campaign," he says. "I got to talk to morepeople [at forums] than I'll ever get to talk toin the next few years... In the next campaign,you'll see that some of the ideas that werebrought up, the more innovative ideas, will bebrought up again."

Hyde's motivation differs slightly.

His platform of `timesizing,' or cutting backwork-week hours while keeping pay the same (inorder to cut the unemployment rate) is the focusof his recently published book, Timesizing, NotDownsizing.

Although he says the main reason he threw hishat into the race was to spread the word abouttimesizing, Hyde readily admits that "peoplesometimes accuse me of running just to sell thebook."

"I think it's a compliment, not an insult," hesays. "I would like to have a congressman who hadenough ideas to publish a book, rather than justkeeping a seat warm for two years."

Democratic Demographics

Local candidates say their biggest challenge inCambridge is not the city's Democratic dominance,but the media's lack of coverage.

"The media has been ignoring the campaigncompletely since the Democratic [primary]. It'sbeen pretty sad-they've written the whole raceoff," Schinella says, with a note of anger in hisvoice.

"And if I can't get my message out to themedia, no one's going to hear it," he adds.

"My name did not get mentioned once by eitherof the two major dailies in Boston for ten weeks,"Hyde charges. "We're talking serious laziness andincompetency on the part of the news media."

Cook is similarly dissatisfied with coverage ofhis campaign.

"It's difficult. I mean, we weren't allowedinto the debates even though I am on the ballot,"he says.

Even with the lack of coverage, the candidateshope the centrist tendencies of Massachusetts'Democratic and Republican frontrunners will helptheir races.

"Most people think it would be very difficultto run a liberal campaign in Massachusetts. Theybelieve it to be such a Democratic state, which issort of inaccurate," Cook says.

"Here, because the Republicans and Democratshave merged together so much, it becomesdifficult. [The voters] are just getting lipservice, so...the Libertarian party has a lot offertile ground to grow here."

"It is very much an uphill battle for anyonewho is not a Democratic; it's probably one of themost Democratic districts in the country," saysDavid L. K. Trumbull, chair of the CambridgeRepublican City Committee.

"Nevertheless, you have people deciding thatthey're not completely thrilled with the minoritychoice [Capuano] among Democrats, and they maysupport the Republican or perhaps even somethird-party candidate," he says, referring toCapuano's narrow victory over the nine otherDemocrats in the primary.

But the publicity situation is improving forthird-party candidates.

"We want more name recognition-but compared tofour years ago, this is like night and day," Cooksays, who also campaigned for the corner office in1994.

"My message has gotten out this year more thantwo years ago because there have been so manyforums and debates," agrees Hyde, whounsuccessfully ran against Rep. Joseph P. KennedyII (D-Brighton) in 1996.

And in the end, candidates say that althoughtheir chances of winning are slim, the race hasbeen worth it.

"Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to standup and say, `Enough,' and I think that'simportant," Cook says. "I wouldn't put myselfthrough this if I didn't think we were going toget something for this."

"If I had stayed at home, there wouldn't beanybody to talk about the things I talk about,"Schinella says. "It was worth it."

And local politicos agree that just running ina race can help draw attention to issues andsharpen the debates.

"Running as a candidate in a local election todraw attention to issues is a common endeavor,"Winters says.

"Statewide, it would be too, if there weregreater ballot access-then, you would see a lotmore candidates running on single issues,[especially] if it were less expensive," he says.

"A contested race is always good. It drawsattention to the race, it gives the voters anoption, it allows for discussion about issues,"Trumbull says.

"Republicans and Democrats are almost banal incomparison. Cambridge has Trotskyites,monarchists," Trumbull laughs.

In fact, he adds, it is this diversity ofcandidates that makes Cambridge, Cambridge.

"Are [the candidates] sometimes a bit fringe?Sure. But Cambridge is the sort of place wherethese ideas percolate up," Trumbull concludes."It's why I choose to live in Cambridge.

Democratic Demographics

Local candidates say their biggest challenge inCambridge is not the city's Democratic dominance,but the media's lack of coverage.

"The media has been ignoring the campaigncompletely since the Democratic [primary]. It'sbeen pretty sad-they've written the whole raceoff," Schinella says, with a note of anger in hisvoice.

"And if I can't get my message out to themedia, no one's going to hear it," he adds.

"My name did not get mentioned once by eitherof the two major dailies in Boston for ten weeks,"Hyde charges. "We're talking serious laziness andincompetency on the part of the news media."

Cook is similarly dissatisfied with coverage ofhis campaign.

"It's difficult. I mean, we weren't allowedinto the debates even though I am on the ballot,"he says.

Even with the lack of coverage, the candidateshope the centrist tendencies of Massachusetts'Democratic and Republican frontrunners will helptheir races.

"Most people think it would be very difficultto run a liberal campaign in Massachusetts. Theybelieve it to be such a Democratic state, which issort of inaccurate," Cook says.

"Here, because the Republicans and Democratshave merged together so much, it becomesdifficult. [The voters] are just getting lipservice, so...the Libertarian party has a lot offertile ground to grow here."

"It is very much an uphill battle for anyonewho is not a Democratic; it's probably one of themost Democratic districts in the country," saysDavid L. K. Trumbull, chair of the CambridgeRepublican City Committee.

"Nevertheless, you have people deciding thatthey're not completely thrilled with the minoritychoice [Capuano] among Democrats, and they maysupport the Republican or perhaps even somethird-party candidate," he says, referring toCapuano's narrow victory over the nine otherDemocrats in the primary.

But the publicity situation is improving forthird-party candidates.

"We want more name recognition-but compared tofour years ago, this is like night and day," Cooksays, who also campaigned for the corner office in1994.

"My message has gotten out this year more thantwo years ago because there have been so manyforums and debates," agrees Hyde, whounsuccessfully ran against Rep. Joseph P. KennedyII (D-Brighton) in 1996.

And in the end, candidates say that althoughtheir chances of winning are slim, the race hasbeen worth it.

"Somebody has to do it. Somebody has to standup and say, `Enough,' and I think that'simportant," Cook says. "I wouldn't put myselfthrough this if I didn't think we were going toget something for this."

"If I had stayed at home, there wouldn't beanybody to talk about the things I talk about,"Schinella says. "It was worth it."

And local politicos agree that just running ina race can help draw attention to issues andsharpen the debates.

"Running as a candidate in a local election todraw attention to issues is a common endeavor,"Winters says.

"Statewide, it would be too, if there weregreater ballot access-then, you would see a lotmore candidates running on single issues,[especially] if it were less expensive," he says.

"A contested race is always good. It drawsattention to the race, it gives the voters anoption, it allows for discussion about issues,"Trumbull says.

"Republicans and Democrats are almost banal incomparison. Cambridge has Trotskyites,monarchists," Trumbull laughs.

In fact, he adds, it is this diversity ofcandidates that makes Cambridge, Cambridge.

"Are [the candidates] sometimes a bit fringe?Sure. But Cambridge is the sort of place wherethese ideas percolate up," Trumbull concludes."It's why I choose to live in Cambridge.