Healey, Patrick trade spaces

BEVERLY -- The Republican and Democratic candidates for governor ventured into what might seem like enemy territory yesterday, but they received warm welcomes.

Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deval L. Patrick hazarded a visit to Beverly, the North Shore hometown of his Republican opponent, Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. Hundreds of Healey's neighbors flocked to hear Patrick speak at First Baptist Church on Cabot Street, more than 2 miles from Healey's sprawling colonial.

"It would be nice if this many people came to church each Sunday," said Liz Crean , 53 , a Patrick supporter and member of First Baptist .

Healey ventured into South Boston, the legendary home of rough-and-tumble Democratic politics in Massachusetts , greeting parents and children in costumes at the annual Halloween celebration at Castle Island. By her side was state Representative Brian P. Wallace, a Democrat who represents the neighborhood and who yesterday became the only Democratic lawmaker to publicly endorse Healey.

"With me, it's a lot about loyalty," he told reporters. "When we needed her, she was there. She needs me, I'm here."

The forays came nine days before Election Day in a campaign that political observers have called the most rancorous in recent memory. After Healey's blitz of negative television ads attacking Patrick's legal advocacy for violent criminals, Patrick appears to have opened a strong lead over Healey; a Globe poll released last week showed him 25 points ahead. Patrick, who was endorsed by four of the region's major newspapers yesterday, including The Boston Globe, is trying to keep his troops from growing complacent. Healey is scrambling to overcome the yawning gap.

In South Boston, she got a boost from Wallace, who told reporters he decided to back Healey because she had responded to his district's needs over the last four years. He pointed to the prominent role Healey played in creating the state's first high schools for students who are recovering from drug and alcohol abuse.

"So as far as I'm concerned, her word is good," Wallace said.

Several hours later in Beverly, Patrick, whose campaign trumpeted his endorsements yesterday by the Globe, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the MetroWest Daily News, and The Providence Journal, did not even mention the fact that he was in his Republican rival's backyard.

He gave the same stump speech he gives everywhere , saying the focus of his campaign is to give people "a reason to check back in" to civic life and that he wanted to focus on such issues as education, healthcare, and the economy.

When a supporter booed at Patrick's mention of Healey's campaign, he scolded: "That's not what we're about."

Asked later how it felt to campaign in Healey's hometown, Patrick joked, "I thought she lived in Prides Crossing," referring to an affluent section of town. Healey's campaign said her home is not in Prides Crossing.

"I think the welcome is very warm," Patrick said of Beverly. "I've been up a couple of times."

Kim Stone, 51, waited near the back door of the church until Patrick finished talking with reporters to greet him and take his picture. She said the welcome didn't surprise her.

"We're all very liberal-minded here and very community-oriented, so it just goes right along," she said.

Earlier, at Castle Island, Healey seemed upbeat as she trudged up the grassy hillside to Fort Independence . At the area where families waited to enter the haunted house, she leaned over a double stroller that held infant twins dressed as alligators.

"How old are they?" she said with a smile.

"Six months," said their father, Joe Hobbs, 31, of Dorchester.

"Take lots of pictures -- they're so cute," she said.

Healey seemed amused when a reporter asked about Patrick's visit to her hometown.

"I wish him luck and hope he has a great day in Beverly," she said. "It's a fantastic city."

Lisa Wangsness can be reached at lwangsness@globe.com.