Cellucci, Harshbarger Enter Final Stretch

In a wild Halloween weekend including ghosts, goblins and political train trips, gubernational candidates A. Paul Cellucci and L. Scott Harshbarger '64 cranked up their campaigns as they hit the homestretch to tomorrow's election.

Acting Governor Cellucci sped across the Merrimack Valley on fourcar train tour of the state, while State Attorney General Harshbarger stayed in the Boston area, visiting football games and Halloween parties. Both were trying to solidify their bases and capture the undecided voter block.

In a Boston Globe/WBZ-TV poll of 400 voters last week, Cellucci was clinging to a narrow lead with 46 percent to Harshbarger's 41 percent.

While Cellucci's lead has not shifted significantly, his lead is tenuous because of the 5 percent margin of error and the 9 percent who said they were undecided.

Political Football

Harshbarger attended football games in Somerville, Cambridge and Everett, but his closest connection was in Cambridge.

While he worked the crowd at Russell Field, watching the game between the Cambridge Rindge and Latin Falcons and the Malden Tornadoes, his allegiance was clearly with the Falcons.

Harshbarger, a former Harvard football running back, continues the family football legacy with his son, Mike, who is the Falcons' defensive coordinator.

While he joked with voters that he could not cheer for Malden, he immediately turned serious when asked about his election chances.

"Each time I've run I've been behind and I've pulled it out," he said.

He stressed the importance of efforts to get the Democratic voter base out to the polls this year. Without a Senate race and with the Eighth District uncompetitive, people have less incentive to come out to the polls.

"I think the get-out-the-vote effort among labor unions, college students and large urban areas will be key," he said.

Harshbarger also attacked Cellucci for leading an administration with no plans for the future. "We've an acting governor who is coasting. We can do better," he said.

Harshbarger was also critical of Cellucci's campaign advertising tactics. "He has bent reality and the truth," he said.

Harshbarger supporter and state representative Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge), who attended the Russell Field game, emphasized the grass-roots effort of the campaign.

"The Republicans have money; Democrats have people. The Republicans have attack ads, but we have people at phone banks and handing out literature," said.

Wolf also stressed the need to get Swift said voter dissatisfaction at themudslinging was also a big factor in the undecidedvoter block. Last Monday's acrimonious debate atFaneuil Hall did not impress voters.lot of people don't want to vote because of themud-slinging," said Ruth Horowitz, a Harshbargersupporter.

"It's a turn-off. It makes you think less ofboth of them. A lot of people don't want to votebecause of the mud-slinging," said Ruth Horowitz,a Harshbarger supporter.

"Personally feel that I have to vote. [But] Imean, watching the debates that aren'tdebates...they' like two children screaming witheach other," said Phillip Wright, a registeredDemocrat who has decided to support Cellucci.

While voters this year seemed unenthused by therace, Cellucci and Harshbarger maintain optimisticfronts.

Harshbarger's campaign headquarters are tuckedaway in a non-descript State Street building, butthe office atmosphere was filled with confidence.A sign counts down the days until "GovernorHarshbarger."

During a press conference in the headquarters,Harshbarger became animated on the winning natureof the campaign.

"If I had listened to the polls and pundits in1990 [during the Attorney General race], I'd havestopped campaigning. I won that campaign," hesaid.

"This is a winning campaign right now," hecontinued. "I've always been the underdog."

Harshbarger played the part of the underdogscrapper well, continuing on the offensive againstCellucci through the homestretch.

"The voters have a clear choice: four moreyears of special interest politics, a lake ofethical standards and backroom deals or newleadership they can trust," he said.

Harshbarger attempted to make the ethical issuea reason for voters to dump Cellucci.

"It's time to clean house," he said. I have arecord for standing up against special interest."

Cellucci's supporters dismissed Harshbarger'saccusations, saying Harshbarger was just trying toprop himself up in the polls.

"It's an attempt by a candidate who's graspingat straws in the last days of the campaign,"Feddeman said.

Voters say one issue that could give the edgeto Cellucci is the strong economy, with satisfiedvoters content to let the status quo stand.

"When economic times are good, people arereluctant to change candidates," he said."Cellucci has been saying that economic times aregood [and] why switch?"

Despite each campaign's confidence, neitherCellucci nor Harshbarger can afford to coastthrough these last few days with polls as close asthey are. Whether they are swayed by issues in theeconomy, education or their records in office,undecided voters will make both candidates workhard to gain their crucial vote on Tuesday

"It's a turn-off. It makes you think less ofboth of them. A lot of people don't want to votebecause of the mud-slinging," said Ruth Horowitz,a Harshbarger supporter.

"Personally feel that I have to vote. [But] Imean, watching the debates that aren'tdebates...they' like two children screaming witheach other," said Phillip Wright, a registeredDemocrat who has decided to support Cellucci.

While voters this year seemed unenthused by therace, Cellucci and Harshbarger maintain optimisticfronts.

Harshbarger's campaign headquarters are tuckedaway in a non-descript State Street building, butthe office atmosphere was filled with confidence.A sign counts down the days until "GovernorHarshbarger."

During a press conference in the headquarters,Harshbarger became animated on the winning natureof the campaign.

"If I had listened to the polls and pundits in1990 [during the Attorney General race], I'd havestopped campaigning. I won that campaign," hesaid.

"This is a winning campaign right now," hecontinued. "I've always been the underdog."

Harshbarger played the part of the underdogscrapper well, continuing on the offensive againstCellucci through the homestretch.

"The voters have a clear choice: four moreyears of special interest politics, a lake ofethical standards and backroom deals or newleadership they can trust," he said.

Harshbarger attempted to make the ethical issuea reason for voters to dump Cellucci.

"It's time to clean house," he said. I have arecord for standing up against special interest."

Cellucci's supporters dismissed Harshbarger'saccusations, saying Harshbarger was just trying toprop himself up in the polls.

"It's an attempt by a candidate who's graspingat straws in the last days of the campaign,"Feddeman said.

Voters say one issue that could give the edgeto Cellucci is the strong economy, with satisfiedvoters content to let the status quo stand.

"When economic times are good, people arereluctant to change candidates," he said."Cellucci has been saying that economic times aregood [and] why switch?"

Despite each campaign's confidence, neitherCellucci nor Harshbarger can afford to coastthrough these last few days with polls as close asthey are. Whether they are swayed by issues in theeconomy, education or their records in office,undecided voters will make both candidates workhard to gain their crucial vote on Tuesday