Rare opening means big, expensive race

Word yesterday of US Representative Martin T. Meehan's imminent departure from Washington released years of pent-up political ambition in Massachusetts. At least seven Democrats said they will run for the state's first congressional opening in six years, and as many as three Republicans have expressed their interest to party leaders.

Niki Tsongas, a Democrat and the widow of US senator Paul Tsongas, is the highest-profile candidate in the race so far. Besides having strong name recognition, she has signed on Doug Rubin, senior strategist for Governor Deval Patrick's campaign, and has attracted big-name donors.

But the contest could be fierce, with at least three state representatives, a mayor, a former mayor, and a veteran sheriff in the mix of potential candidates. Political analysts estimate the eventual nominees will have to raise between $1 million and $2.5 million each.

The contenders will be competing not only against one another for money and volunteers, but with the presidential campaigns. Although the dates of the race have not been set yet by the governor, the primary campaign is likely to occur next fall, just when the New Hampshire primary kicks into high gear.

"Massachusetts is a big export state for presidential politics," said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic consultant. "With the timing, one expects a lot of volunteers and political operatives and activists in Massachusetts to be engaged in the presidential primary up in New Hampshire as well, so there could be a real competition for money, volunteers, talent, and TV time."

Under state law, the governor must schedule a special election between 145 and 160 days after Meehan submits his resignation. Meehan said yesterday that if his nomination is approved by the board of trustees today, he will leave Congress in July, but a spokesman said he did not know exactly when Meehan would submit his resignation.

The primary would take place six weeks before the special election, said Brian McNiff, a spokesman for the secretary of state's office.

The last time a Massachusetts congressional seat was up for grabs was in 2001, after veteran congressman J. Joseph Moakley died.

In 2004, there was intense speculation about how the state's delegation would change if Senator John F. Kerry became president.

The buzz started again last year, after Kerry toyed with a second run, but he decided to keep his Senate seat.

"It's a huge opportunity for upwardly mobile politicians," said Philip W. Johnston, chairman of the state Democratic Party. "An open congressional seat does not happen very often. And when it does, virtually everybody in politics is interested in either that seat or another seat that would become open as a consequence of the candidates running. There's a real domino effect on the whole process."

The Fifth District, which encompasses 29 cities and towns north and west of Boston, is anchored by the old Merrimack Valley mill cities of Haverhill, Lawrence, and Lowell, where lunch-bucket Democrats and moderate Republicans have flourished. The district spreads out to more affluent and liberal towns in southern Middlesex County, such as Concord, Wayland, and Sudbury.

Massachusetts Republicans, hungry to reestablish themselves after their loss of the governor's office in the last election, are optimistic about the district, which supported Mitt Romney with 55 percent of the vote in 2002, said Brian Dodge, a spokesman for the state Republican Party.

But no Republican has held the seat since Paul Cronin, a one-term congressman who was defeated by Paul Tsongas in 1974.

"We want the seat back," said Jeanne Kangas, vice chairwoman of the state Republican Party.

Dodge said three Republicans have spoken to the state party about their interest in running: Michael J. Sullivan, the second-term mayor of Lawrence; Donna Cuomo, a former state representative from North Andover; and Charles McCarthy, who ran against Meehan in 2002.

None returned calls from the Globe yesterday afternoon.

Massachusetts has not sent a Republican to Congress since 1996.

On the Democratic side, the field is even more crowded. Eileen Donoghue, -- a popular city councilor in Lowell, lawyer, and former mayor -- issued a statement yesterday announcing her intention to run if Meehan leaves office.

Three Democratic state representatives also said they would run: James B. Eldridge of Acton, who served as a state Senate district coordinator for the Patrick campaign last year; Barry R. Finegold of Andover, a lawyer and former selectman; and James R. Miceli, a veteran state representative from Wilmington.

Longtime Middlesex County Sheriff James V. DiPaola has also announced he is running, and Stephen J. Kerrigan of Lancaster, a public affairs consultant and former aide to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, has formed an exploratory committee.