The graduate

Part 5

Talking Politics by Michael Crowley

So far, so good for Jim McGovern. But there is no rest for all but the most entrenched Congressional incumbents. And McGovern's first reelection campaign is already taking shape on the horizon.

Indeed, last month a challenger to his seat emerged: State Senator Matthew Amorello, who told the Boston Globe that he is "99.9 percent" certain to join the race.

Freshmen are always the most vulnerable incumbents. But Amorello, a low-profile senator who hasn't run outside of east Worcester, doesn't seem to pose much of a threat. (Amorello declined further comment, but some think his intentions could have something to do with a rumor that Paul Cellucci is promising jobs to any fellow Republican who will challenge an incumbent Democrat in 1998.)

McGovern's Republican critics are hitting the same themes as they did in the 1996 campaign -- suggesting that his liberalism will test the tolerance of a district with highly localized economic anxieties.

"Jim McGovern thinks it's more important to ban land mines in Bosnia than it is to help create jobs in Boylston," says State Republican Party executive director and former Blute aide Marc DeCourcey.

Perhaps the greater danger to McGovern may be if Massachusetts does eventually suffer a deep cut in highway funding; that would lend new weight to the argument for a Republican in the delegation -- currently all Democratic --to lobby the GOP congressional leadership.

DeCourcey also points out that McGovern hasn't exactly built up an intimidating campaign war chest -- a mere $48,000 as of his June filing.

Still, McGovern must be considered a likely bet to win in '98 -- and to climb fast in a delegation that may soon experience a power void. Joe Kennedy is wounded and may leave politics. Marty Meehan has term-limited himself, and his eyes are on state office. Joe Moakley has courageously fought through a series of personal traumas, but his retirement is not far away. Ed Markey has been virtually invisible of late. And McGovern's fellow freshman may not make it through the next election. Bill Delahunt won his primary election only after a controversial recount, while John Tierney slipped in by just a few hundred votes.

All this could provide an opening for Jim McGovern to become a new leader in Massachusetts politics. Like Moakley, he can make a name winning goodies from Washington budgeteers. Like Kennedy, or Barney Frank, he can win wider respect fighting for withering liberal ideals.

It will be interesting to see whether he can pull it off. Delivering pork makes for plenty of goodwill, but it may be that McGovern has staked out ideological ground that his district will eventually refuse to support.

McGovern insists that doesn't worry him. "I'm not here to be a wallflower," he says. "I'm not here to be quiet so maybe nobody will notice me, and maybe I can squeak by and get reelected."

Back to part 4

Michael Crowley can be reached at mcrowley[a]phx.com.