Coverage of 5th District race leaves some wanting more

EIGHT PICTURES and more than 1,000 words of free advertising were provided by the Sunday Globe to the Republican and Democratic candidates in the race for the Fifth Congressional District seat ("Family ties pushed to the forefront," City & Region, Sept. 16).

Thirty words at the end told readers that there are three other candidates in this race, including me.

Voters I meet every day in the 29 towns and cities of the district express anger that the media collude with the two-party system by covering only the two party candidates.

"We only cover those candidates who poll at a certain level," or "We're in business to sell papers or get ratings," might be the media reply. The first answer is a chicken-and-the-egg issue. In terms of sales or ratings, my story is compelling: that of the upstart independent who has stood up from among the people to represent the Fifth and is gaining momentum among independents and frustrated Democrats and Republicans in the district.

KURT HAYES
Boxborough

THE BOSTON Globe has reduced the special election in the Fifth Congressional District to a contest involving a relatively meaningless issue: who can best exploit the memory of a deceased family member. Your simplistic approach to the race with the article "Family ties pushed to the forefront" does a grave disservice to the Fifth District's electorate, many of whom may believe that voting on Oct. 16 is hardly worth the trouble.

A disclosure: I have an interest in this special election as a volunteer for the Tsongas campaign and as a voter. This is a critical race that involves such key issues as the war in Iraq, healthcare reform, economic stability, and climate change. Niki Tsongas and Jim Ogonowski represent widely different views on these issues, and voters deserve to hear about their views in greater detail.

While the candidates' family backgrounds may be of interest to some, it would be far more useful for your readers to know why Ogonowski believes his brother's death is relevant to the job he would do in Washington, or what specific lessons Tsongas learned during her husband's tenure that could benefit her constituents. Your readers deserve this much and more.

ANITA SAVILLE
Chelmsford