Former Boston mayor Raymond Flynn showed up to support candidate Brian Wallace at an Anthony’s Pier 4 fundraiser last week. Wallace wants to be the new state representative from South Boston, a job held by Flynn from 1970 to 1978 (the current representative, Jack Hart, is on his way to becoming the new state senator, replacing Stephen Lynch, who is now a congressman). "There’s nobody in the town that has given more time and energy to other people than Brian Wallace," says Flynn, who rarely involves himself in local politics anymore, in an interview. "I generally don’t go out on a limb with these kinds of things unless it’s special and important."

Wallace’s popularity cuts across the board in South Boston — he attracts new and old residents alike. An organizer of the local Pop Warner football team and many other communal activities, Wallace has already raised $25,000 for his campaign. He has also begun to win fame as a writer — he’s the author of Final Confession: The Unsolved Crimes of Phil Cresta (Northeastern University Press, 2000), the Hollywood movie rights for which have already been purchased. Nonetheless, he wants to represent South Boston on Beacon Hill. "It’s kind of humbling," says Wallace of the support he’s received so far. "We’ve had some great leadership over here from Johnny Powers to Joe Moakley to Bill Bulger to Ray Flynn. I want to fit into that."