Bay State Readies Ballot Boxes

During the last day of campaigning before today's final elections, Eighth Congressional candidates yesterday finished the campaign in the way they started.

Michael A. Capuano ended the race with his supporters; Capuano's opponents, meanwhile, wrapped up their campaigns with little commotion, handing out flyers and posting signs.

Support in Somerville

On a busy Somerville road last night, over 100 Capuano supporters pounded signs into the pavement as passing cars honked loudly.

Weaving among the Capuano for Congress signs was Capuano himself, the race's frontrunner, shaking hands and slapping the backs of his supporters.

No polls have been conducted in the Eighth, but Capuano is widely considered the top choice.

In the Democratic primary, he emerged from a field of 10 to win by a margin of 4,500 votes.

In the mostly Democratic Eighth, even Capuano's opponents concede the race is largely over.

"Obviously, we already know that one chances of winning are very, very slim, said independent candidate Anthony A. Schinella.

Schinella and Republican candidate Philip Hyde III took similar routes yesterday as they finished campaigning, passing out leaflets and doing stand-outs with a few campaign volunteers.

But Capuano's last day of campaigning differed greatly.

With more money and a volunteer base of approximately 500 to 600 people, Capuano's campaign has been much more visible throughout the race.

The campaign broke down the district's sections into manageable pieces, with field workers and volunteers moving through each.

They rallied support through leafleting, door-dropping and stand-outs.

"We go out and convince people that this man is the right man," said Chelsea coordinator Paul R. Nowcki, who is also Chelsea's councillor-at-large. "We make sure you do your homework, and you know where your candidate stands."

"His folks really do know how to make a campaign work," said the eighth district's current Congressman, Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II (D-Brighton), who made a surprise appearance at yesterday's stand-in.

A Show of Support

Camaraderie amongst the campaigners last night was high as they sipped hot cups of coffee and exchanged greetings with the candidate.

"This is it. We're finishing," Capuano said with a grin.

There was an easy confidence in Capuano'smanner as he chatted with his supporters.

"It's odd campaigning in the last 24 hours.It's a very difficult time for candidates,"Kennedy said.

"You've made up as many minds as you can. Yourjob as a candidate really ends in an hour or two,"he said.

But Capuano campaigners were confident thatthey had already made up enough minds.

"This is more keeping his name out there," saidPat W. Callinan, 62, waving his sign at passingcars. "We know the race is over as far as who'sgoing to win. We're showing the voters we're stillout here, still working."

Campaigners said the tension has lessened inthe post-primary days of the race.

"Really, the hard, hard work was for theprimary," said Mike P. Coelho '94, a campaignvolunteer and the program coordinator for thestate office of refugees and immigrants. "There'sa sense of accomplishment, and now, a sense ofwhat's next."

"The opposition was in the primary," Callinansaid. "We're even drinking coffee now."

"Before, they never even had a table set up,"chimed in his wife, Pat M. Callinan, noddingtowards the table of coffee and cookies sittingnext to the truck full of campaign signs.

But the volunteers said their enthusiasm forCapuano made them willing to brave last night'scold weather.

"He's very down to earth. He'sstraightforward," said Allison L. Kirylo, 22, asshe stomped her feet to keep warm.

"He tells it as it is, you know what I mean?"said Jeannette M. Teebagy, 62, a retired Filene'semployee. "He's a good, honest guy."

Teebagy, who lives outside the Eighth Districtin Arlington, started campaigning for Capuano whenhe was first running for Somerville mayor.

Now, she sports a battle scar in the shape of abulky cast on her left foot, which she says camefrom hitting the streets for Capuano.

"He's done an awful lot for the city ofSomerville," she said.

"He remembers where he comes from," Coelhoagreed.

Home Again

In the last days before the vote, the Capuanocampaign focused more on raising voterparticipation rather than promoting Capuano as acandidate.

"It's hard to get too worried about [thevote]," said campaign coordinator Jon A.Lenicheck. "With so many contested races thisyear, our idea is to get the word out there tovote Democrat."

"For our race, it's important to us that we geta lot of people to come out," he said.

Teebagy said raising participation was a factorin her support last night.

"Holding the sign might push people outtomorrow," she said. Smiling, she whispered, "It'smore for Mike, anyway."

Support was visible from the cheers and honkserupting from the passing cars along HighlineAvenue last night.

"Candidates like to come back and touch base,"Lenicheck said, explaining the choice ofSomerville as a final campaign stop.

But Lenicheck said Somerville was not a keycampaigning station. "We didn't do our mostaggressive campaigning here," he said, explainingthat the support base in Somerville was alreadystrong.

The End of the Road

With Capuano's victory nearly assured, hiscompetitors said the election results would beinteresting for other reasons.

Schinella said his lack of money made his lastfew days difficult.

"Unfortunately, when you limit the amount offunds you take in, you have a limited amount ofthings you can do in the last few days," he said."It's not the kind of effort that we really neededto have."

However, he says the election outcomes willstill be key.

"[We will see] how well we do in an atmospherewhere we've been literally ignored by the papers,"he said.

Likewise, Hyde said he would be watching theresults carefully.

"We're happy to leave it to the voters, butit's going to be an interesting set ofexperiments, and an interesting set of researchprojects" in terms of sociology and politicalexperimentation, he said.

While his opponents' campaigns end quietly,Capuano and his supporters are looking forward totonight's results.

"It's exciting," said Somerville city plannerElaine Middleton, 33. "We're gonnalose him, beinghere in Somerville, but he's going to fight for usin DC.

There was an easy confidence in Capuano'smanner as he chatted with his supporters.

"It's odd campaigning in the last 24 hours.It's a very difficult time for candidates,"Kennedy said.

"You've made up as many minds as you can. Yourjob as a candidate really ends in an hour or two,"he said.

But Capuano campaigners were confident thatthey had already made up enough minds.

"This is more keeping his name out there," saidPat W. Callinan, 62, waving his sign at passingcars. "We know the race is over as far as who'sgoing to win. We're showing the voters we're stillout here, still working."

Campaigners said the tension has lessened inthe post-primary days of the race.

"Really, the hard, hard work was for theprimary," said Mike P. Coelho '94, a campaignvolunteer and the program coordinator for thestate office of refugees and immigrants. "There'sa sense of accomplishment, and now, a sense ofwhat's next."

"The opposition was in the primary," Callinansaid. "We're even drinking coffee now."

"Before, they never even had a table set up,"chimed in his wife, Pat M. Callinan, noddingtowards the table of coffee and cookies sittingnext to the truck full of campaign signs.

But the volunteers said their enthusiasm forCapuano made them willing to brave last night'scold weather.

"He's very down to earth. He'sstraightforward," said Allison L. Kirylo, 22, asshe stomped her feet to keep warm.

"He tells it as it is, you know what I mean?"said Jeannette M. Teebagy, 62, a retired Filene'semployee. "He's a good, honest guy."

Teebagy, who lives outside the Eighth Districtin Arlington, started campaigning for Capuano whenhe was first running for Somerville mayor.

Now, she sports a battle scar in the shape of abulky cast on her left foot, which she says camefrom hitting the streets for Capuano.

"He's done an awful lot for the city ofSomerville," she said.

"He remembers where he comes from," Coelhoagreed.

Home Again

In the last days before the vote, the Capuanocampaign focused more on raising voterparticipation rather than promoting Capuano as acandidate.

"It's hard to get too worried about [thevote]," said campaign coordinator Jon A.Lenicheck. "With so many contested races thisyear, our idea is to get the word out there tovote Democrat."

"For our race, it's important to us that we geta lot of people to come out," he said.

Teebagy said raising participation was a factorin her support last night.

"Holding the sign might push people outtomorrow," she said. Smiling, she whispered, "It'smore for Mike, anyway."

Support was visible from the cheers and honkserupting from the passing cars along HighlineAvenue last night.

"Candidates like to come back and touch base,"Lenicheck said, explaining the choice ofSomerville as a final campaign stop.

But Lenicheck said Somerville was not a keycampaigning station. "We didn't do our mostaggressive campaigning here," he said, explainingthat the support base in Somerville was alreadystrong.

The End of the Road

With Capuano's victory nearly assured, hiscompetitors said the election results would beinteresting for other reasons.

Schinella said his lack of money made his lastfew days difficult.

"Unfortunately, when you limit the amount offunds you take in, you have a limited amount ofthings you can do in the last few days," he said."It's not the kind of effort that we really neededto have."

However, he says the election outcomes willstill be key.

"[We will see] how well we do in an atmospherewhere we've been literally ignored by the papers,"he said.

Likewise, Hyde said he would be watching theresults carefully.

"We're happy to leave it to the voters, butit's going to be an interesting set ofexperiments, and an interesting set of researchprojects" in terms of sociology and politicalexperimentation, he said.

While his opponents' campaigns end quietly,Capuano and his supporters are looking forward totonight's results.

"It's exciting," said Somerville city plannerElaine Middleton, 33. "We're gonnalose him, beinghere in Somerville, but he's going to fight for usin DC.