Last Call

The three Democrats running for the Worcester 3rd House seat get their last chance to have a sizable impact on the race tonight, when they meet at Fitchburg State College for a debate. The forum, sponsored by the Sentinel & Enterprise, kicks off at 6 p.m. Republican Edward Niemczura gets a spot on stage as well.

We'll be "tape-delayed" blogging tonight, perhaps a first. Not only is 6 p.m. not a good time for most folks getting home from work, we've got some school open-house duties this evening. When we're done and the kiddies are in bed, we'll fire up the TiVo and give our thoughts as the debate progresses. Perfect? No, but it's the best we can do.

So, here's a breakdown on what needs to happen tonight, candidate by candidate:

Steve DiNatale: Work out the jitters early and give a performance similar to the second half of last Thursday's debate. DiNatale dominated the last part on Thursday, but was slow to warm up. If he comes out humming, he's in great shape.

David LeBlanc: A few more issues, a little more passion, a sign that offers something DiNatale doesn't DiNatale grabbed the public safety mantle early as a top issue, and LeBlanc could only look like a follower on that issue. LeBlanc also needs to tell voters what he's going to do. In his closing statement last week, he didn't name one issue or priority. Not one. Just a woeful use of two minutes (actually, he used less than a minute, another head-scratching move). LeBlanc needs a very strong performance after last week.

Mary Whitney: Hammer away at resume, and work to play to the connections she's made in 30 years in politics. Also, get rid of the disturbingly bad malaprops. Last week she said she "successfully succeeded" on GE and Putnam Place, and later, on her qualifications, said "many, many knowledge is in my head." Not so good. She also needs to find that one issue that separates her from the other two to stand out with voters.

Edward Niemczura: Introduce himself, go heavy on the bio, and being the process of creating himself as an alternative to the Democrats. Be engaging, aggressive, and direct. Be the option of the three liberal Democrats. But most importantly, it's his chance to make a first impression, and we all know the importance of that.