Voters try to sort out candidates

Contenders vie for attention in crowded primaries nationwide

LOWELL, Mass. — It is a clown car of a congressional race, with so many Democrats running for an open seat in this district, northwest of Boston, that they do not all fit on one stage.

In their first debate, when 14 candidates were in the race, one had to sit in the audience.

At another event, the contenders took part in a form of speed dating called “candi-dating,” switching chairs every 15 minutes to try to charm a new set of voters.

As the candidates try to stand out from the pack, voters are left scrutinizing an unwieldy Denny’s-size menu of options.

Linda Copp, 69, a writer, said she hoped some would drop out. “Otherwise,” she said, “someone is going to win with very few votes.” Her fear is well founded. The only independent poll of likely Democratic voters shows the leader of the pack with just 11 percent of the vote — with 58 percent undecided ahead of the September primary.

Thomas Schilling, 52, a psychology professor at Fitchburg State University, attended a recent debate, held on the Fitchburg campus, because he wanted to look the candidates in the eye, hear about their passions and gauge their sincerity.

But after almost three hours, he was not any closer to choosing one to back.

“Now it’s a much more difficult job,” he said. “I became more aware of some of the lesser-known candidates and found them quite impressive, so I’m leaving here with a tougher choice than I came in with.”