Senate race a study in sharp contrast

The differences between state Senator Harriette Chandler and her challenger, Stephen Paige, run deep.

Chandler is a Democrat who was born before World War II and has served in the Legislature for nearly a decade. Paige is a self-described moderate Republican in the mold of former governor William Weld, a baby boomer and a store owner.

Chandler favors keeping taxes level until the economy recovers. Paige wants to lower them. She supports gay marriage. He opposes it.

Their conflicting views have fueled a spirited, sometimes fierce, debate in the race for the First Worcester District, which includes Berlin, Boylston, and part of Northborough.

One of Governor Mitt Romney's 130 recruits, Paige said his race was targeted as a focal point in the governor's drive to overturn Democrats across the state. The move was a result of Romney's good showing in the district in the previous election, he said.

A recent governor's event in the district drew close to 175 people and was one of the most well-attended events of its kind in the state, Paige said.

Paige has sought to paint Chandler as a ''far left" politician who is out of step with her more conservative constituents, citing her support of gay marriage.

''Voters of the district feel very strong about that, and [Chandler's] just ignoring that," he said. ''She'd probably be a much better senator for a place like Brookline than she would be for Worcester."

Chandler writes Paige's criticisms off as ''generic" Republican labels, designed to create a negative political halo around Democrats. Gay marriage is a matter of discrimination, not democracy, she said.

Chandler, 66, said her record shows she is a staunch advocate for her district.

In her last term, she voted to override Romney's vetoes for research funding for breast cancer, prostate cancer screening, universal lunch programs, and programs for the blind. ''I don't think I am out of synch with my district," she said.

A Worcester resident who has three children, Chandler began her legislative career as a representative in 1995. In 2000, she defeated Republican Chris Loconto for an open Senate seat. In 2002, she repelled a challenge by Republican Robert Amorello, taking 31,016 votes to Amorello's 19,418.

A jewelry store owner in Westborough, Paige, 48, has spent five years on West Boylston's School Committee, serving as its chairman for the last three years.

He has lived in West Boylston since 1983 and has three daughters. He had never run for legislative office before.

In a recent interview, Chandler was quick to jump on her opponent's limited political experience, noting that he did not have an opinion at a recent debate on the state's threat to close the Clinton District Court.

Chandler said she fought hard in her last term to keep the court open.

Paige said he does have an opinion: The state should streamline the court system to free up money to keep the Clinton court open.

The two clash on the wisdom of rolling back the state's income tax to 5 percent.

Paige said the tax cut makes economic sense. ''My concern is that we are sliding back into a recession, and lowering taxes is imperative at this point in time" to help businesses and taxpayers, he said.

Chandler countered that cutting taxes would come at the expense of local aid for cities and towns.

The tax rollback vote came at a time when the state was flush with revenue and is now outdated, she said of the 2000 referendum question.

Chandler has outspent Paige by a large margin, collecting $82,515 so far for her campaign. Paige has raised $24,495, but he thinks he can remain competitive in the race.