Election Season Hits Mass.

One might think that the re-election of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56 to the U.S. Senate after a 32-year tenure seems all but assured.

But eight Massachusetts residents have entered the 1994 senatorial race hoping to defy the odds and defeat the powerful heir to the Kennedy legacy.

The two front-runners for the Republican nomination, W. Mitt Romney and John Lakian, are both businessexecutives who have the financial base to competewith the Democrat's gargantuan campaign fund--$2.5million, according to The Boston Globe.

And campaign officials seem to think they areequipped to compete with what might be one ofKennedy's more formidable assets--his popularity.

But while Lakian and Romney may share anoccupation and an opposition to Kennedy, they arefar from two peas in the proverbial pod. Lakian ispro-choice, while Romney opposes abortion. And TheBoston Globe reported yesterday that a top Lakianaide tried to embarrass Romney by recruitingRomney former sister-in-law to campaign forLakian.

Still, their joint disdain for the seniorSenator remains the driving force in bothcampaigns.

'An Uphill Battle'

"It's a really tough race," said Ann Murphy,Romney's campaign spokesperson. "The Kennedy nameis very well known in Massachusetts. It's going tobe a real uphill battle."

But Romney, 46, said that despite hispopularity, Kennedy is no longer an effectivesenator.

"Thirty-two years is a very long time," Romneysaid in a press release this week, referring toKennedy's years in office.

"The answers Ted Kennedy took with him toWashington--to grow government and growspending--have failed us...and everybody knowsit," he said.

Romney will focus on economic issues in hiscampaign, Murphy said.

"He sees the need to create jobs, to boost theeconomic environment in Massachusetts," Murphysaid.

Romney, a Harvard Law School and HarvardBusiness School graduate, is currently the chiefexecutive officer of Bain Capital, a Boston-basedsubsidiary of Bain & Company.

With more than $250,000 marked for thesenatorial race, Romney has the largest campaignfund among Kennedy's opponents.

"Mitt Romney has a lot of contacts all over thecountry," Murphy said. "He has energy andfinancial backing."

Though Romney has no prior politicalexperience, he grew up in a political experience,he grew up in a politically active family. He isthe son of former Michigan Gov. George Romney, andthe 1970 Republican nominee for Michigan's U.S.Senate seat, Lenore Romney.

A 22-year Massachusetts resident, Romney'slives in Belmont with his wife and five sons.

Romney's main challenger for the Republicannomination is Lakian, a fellow business executivewho serves as the vice chair of a term limitsadvocacy group.

Lakian is the founder and chair of the FortHill Group investment firm. He is a millionairewhose campaign will not be hurt by his anonymity,said Louis P. McManus, Lakian's spokesperson.

"John grew in a triple-decker in Worcester andruns a successful firm," McManus said. "He has themoney to run against Ted Kennedy."

Lakian has so far lent his own campaign morethan $76,000, according to The Boston Globe.

This isn't Lakian's first foray intoMassachusetts politics. In 1982, he ran forgovernor but was defeated in the Republicanprimary.

Lakian has said he decided to run this year tooppose the current Senate majority.

"He just thinks that the Democratic leadershipis moving the country in the wrong direction,"McManus said.

Lakian, a Massachusetts native, has homes inNew York and Woods Hole, Mass. He is married andhas four children.

Other Contenders

Other contenders for the Republican nominationare talk show host Janet Jeghelian, radioadvertising salesperson Gary Todd, Mildred F.Jefferson and James Darwin Carter.

Democrat Grant Finkle and Independent JosephHarrington are also expected to run

And campaign officials seem to think they areequipped to compete with what might be one ofKennedy's more formidable assets--his popularity.

But while Lakian and Romney may share anoccupation and an opposition to Kennedy, they arefar from two peas in the proverbial pod. Lakian ispro-choice, while Romney opposes abortion. And TheBoston Globe reported yesterday that a top Lakianaide tried to embarrass Romney by recruitingRomney former sister-in-law to campaign forLakian.

Still, their joint disdain for the seniorSenator remains the driving force in bothcampaigns.

'An Uphill Battle'

"It's a really tough race," said Ann Murphy,Romney's campaign spokesperson. "The Kennedy nameis very well known in Massachusetts. It's going tobe a real uphill battle."

But Romney, 46, said that despite hispopularity, Kennedy is no longer an effectivesenator.

"Thirty-two years is a very long time," Romneysaid in a press release this week, referring toKennedy's years in office.

"The answers Ted Kennedy took with him toWashington--to grow government and growspending--have failed us...and everybody knowsit," he said.

Romney will focus on economic issues in hiscampaign, Murphy said.

"He sees the need to create jobs, to boost theeconomic environment in Massachusetts," Murphysaid.

Romney, a Harvard Law School and HarvardBusiness School graduate, is currently the chiefexecutive officer of Bain Capital, a Boston-basedsubsidiary of Bain & Company.

With more than $250,000 marked for thesenatorial race, Romney has the largest campaignfund among Kennedy's opponents.

"Mitt Romney has a lot of contacts all over thecountry," Murphy said. "He has energy andfinancial backing."

Though Romney has no prior politicalexperience, he grew up in a political experience,he grew up in a politically active family. He isthe son of former Michigan Gov. George Romney, andthe 1970 Republican nominee for Michigan's U.S.Senate seat, Lenore Romney.

A 22-year Massachusetts resident, Romney'slives in Belmont with his wife and five sons.

Romney's main challenger for the Republicannomination is Lakian, a fellow business executivewho serves as the vice chair of a term limitsadvocacy group.

Lakian is the founder and chair of the FortHill Group investment firm. He is a millionairewhose campaign will not be hurt by his anonymity,said Louis P. McManus, Lakian's spokesperson.

"John grew in a triple-decker in Worcester andruns a successful firm," McManus said. "He has themoney to run against Ted Kennedy."

Lakian has so far lent his own campaign morethan $76,000, according to The Boston Globe.

This isn't Lakian's first foray intoMassachusetts politics. In 1982, he ran forgovernor but was defeated in the Republicanprimary.

Lakian has said he decided to run this year tooppose the current Senate majority.

"He just thinks that the Democratic leadershipis moving the country in the wrong direction,"McManus said.

Lakian, a Massachusetts native, has homes inNew York and Woods Hole, Mass. He is married andhas four children.

Other Contenders

Other contenders for the Republican nominationare talk show host Janet Jeghelian, radioadvertising salesperson Gary Todd, Mildred F.Jefferson and James Darwin Carter.

Democrat Grant Finkle and Independent JosephHarrington are also expected to run