The Boston Phoenix
May 28 - June 4, 1998

[Race for the 8th]

Race for the 8th

"The last year has brought me a new recognition of our own individual vulnerabilities and the vagaries of life."

With those somber words, Congressman Joe Kennedy (D-Brighton) dropped the curtain on his dozen years as the US representative from Massachusetts's Eighth Congressional District. But Kennedy's stunning March 13 retirement announcement was also the starting gun for a mad scramble to replace him in what may be the House's most historic seat.

Ray Flynn
Marjorie Clapprood

The Eighth is a sprawling, wonderfully diverse district that includes Belmont, Watertown, Cambridge, Somerville, Chelsea, and Charlestown, as well as all or parts of Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the North End, Fenway, the South End, Roxbury, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, East Boston, and Allston-Brighton. It encompasses Birkenstock college liberals, impoverished blacks, Italians, and a voter-rich core of working-class families.

The infamous "Rascal King," James Michael Curley, once presided over the Eighth. So did Kennedy's uncle, Jack, who used the seat as a springboard to the Senate, and then on to American lore. And before Joe there was Tip O'Neill, who held the job for 35 years -- 10 of them as Speaker of the House.

In the days after Kennedy's announcement, 22 candidates filed nomination papers. Since then, 10 have gathered enough signatures to earn a spot on the September 15 Democratic primary ballot -- which, in a district where Republicans are even more scarce than Yankees fans, is the only ballot that matters.

The contenders

Candidates who will appear on the September 15 Democratic primary ballot:

George Bachrach, former Watertown state senator.

Michael Capuano, mayor of Somerville.

Marjorie Clapprood, former Sharon state representative and talk-radio host.

Ray Flynn, former Boston state representative, mayor of Boston, and US Ambassador to the Vatican.

Christopher Gabrieli, Beacon Hill millionaire venture capitalist.

Thomas Keane, Boston city councilor (Back Bay).

John O'Connor, Cambridge millionaire environmentalist and businessman.

Alex Rodriguez, former chairman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Susan Tracy, former Brighton state representative.

Charles Yancey, Boston city councilor (Dorchester).

The field is still sorting itself out, and it's still too early to set odds. But by virtue of their public profile and almost cult-like followings, two candidates have a clear early advantage: former Boston mayor Ray Flynn and former state representative and talk-radio host Marjorie Clapprood. Flynn and Clapprood placed first and second in the first major poll of the race (conducted this month by the Boston Globe with WBZ-TV), at 21 percent and 13 percent, respectively. But a full third of voters surveyed say they're still undecided. Eager for a close-up look at these two very different -- but very colorful -- candidates, the Phoenix hit the stump with Ray and Margie. We got our notebooks' worth.