By Laura A. Kiernan, Globe Correspondent, 12/05/99

It's been hard to get voters to pay attention, but there's a real battle going on for the District 10 state Senate post left open after the death last summer of Senate president Clesson (Junie) Blaisdell, the Keene Democrat who held the seat for 29 years. A special election to choose Blaisdell's successor comes Tuesday, and the outcome is of interest far beyond the southwest corner of the state.

Just a year ago, the Democrats took control of the state Senate for the first time since 1911 - but their margin was as narrow as it could be, with 13 seats to the GOP's 11. If Republicans win Blaisdell's seat, the Senate would be in a 12-12 partisan tie, making the Democrats' position of power look like a passing blip on the political screen.

''People need to know how important this is,'' said Josh Boisvert, director of the Senate Democratic caucus, who is among those credited with helping to put the Democrats over the top.

''It was a huge win for us in 1998,'' said Boisvert, who is now helping Democrat Bill Lynch run his campaign. ''We have to show the momentum is moving and that this is a state that is changing.''

But Republican political consultant David Carney of Hancock, who is helping the GOP candidate, Tom Eaton, a well-known Keene businessman, has tried to downplay any statewide significance. Carney says the voters aren't thinking about winning ''bragging rights'' or upsetting the balance of power in Concord, they just want the person who will do best by them in the State House. But Carney, an aide to former governor John Sununu who worked in the Bush White House, is a nationally known campaign strategist, and his involvement in Eaton's election is evidence enough for some that the GOP considers this an important contest.

Keene is a Democratic stronghold, after all, and an upset would, Carney concedes, provide ''a little more momentum in the political chattering class.''

No doubt. No matter which way it goes.

Area roots run deep for both candidates

Both Lynch and Eaton have deep roots in the district - a crucial factor in local elections where the challenge is persuading every person you know to get out and vote. Special elections are generally of little interest. There aren't any other races going on to lure voters. To make matters worse, this one is sandwiched between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Talk in Keene is that 20 percent or less of the district's 28,000 registered voters will cast ballots, and that means the race could be won with as few as 3,500 or so votes. District 10 includes the city of Keene and nine surrounding towns.

In addition to serving as mayor of Keene, Democrat Lynch, 65, a part-time insurance executive, was a member of the New Hampshire House and is now Cheshire County treasurer. His wife, Margaret Lynch, is a longtime Democratic state representative, a member of the influential House Finance Committee and a Blaisdell cousin. Governor Jeanne Shaheen was scheduled to be at Lynch's headquarters in Keene late last week to endorse his candicacy. Lynch differs with the governor on the income tax (he supports it, as did Blaisdell), but he welcomes her appearance on his behalf.

''One issue or two issues do not make or break a relationship,'' Lynch said during an interview here last week in his office on Main Street. ''The governor has been very successful in managing the state.''

It's the same theme Shaheen and her aides have emphasized in the aftermath of the contentious battles over education financing, her promise to veto an income tax and her support instead of a controversial statewide property tax.

Republican Eaton, 50, owned and operated The Fletcher Funeral Home in Keene for 24 years. He started working there, washing cars, when he was 17 years old. It's been a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week job, said Eaton, who just sold the business but remains its director.

''They call you and you're there,'' he said about his work.

The business has been the foundation for a sizable constituency, which Carney says has been evident in the turnout of support for Eaton's campaign. ''It shows me Tom has an unbelievable network of friends,'' Carney said.

It is Eaton's first run for office, but his family, which for years ran a general store in Stoddard, has plenty of political experience. His late father, Charles, was a state senator in the 1960s; his mother was the School Board chairman and postmaster, and his brother Dan served for 14 years in the state Legislature and 20 years as town moderator Stoddard.

''I am new and I am fresh and I don't have any ties to any groups ... in Concord,'' Eaton said during an interview at his home on Beech Hill, overlooking Keene. Eaton portrays himself as a nonpartisan moderate who can work with all sides. Last week, he won the endorsement of the National Federation of Independent Business.

Eaton says he sees an income tax as a ''last resort'' and wants to look at other revenue options. He says he is open to expanded gambling at the state race tracks, which Shaheen supports and Lynch opposes. Eaton says he would vote in favor of a constitutional amendment that would keep the courts out of the school financing business. ''A judicial judgment is not the same as a local judgment,'' he said. All these issues, he said, should be put to the voters, through referendums.

Schools, health care are on their minds

Education financing and access to health care are the issues cited most often by both candidates. Lynch opposes a constitutional amendment to keep the courts out of school financing. He told the Keene Sentinel that the courts had to get involved in the school case because the Legislature had been messing around with the issue for 20 years, and gotten nowhere.

Lynch emphasizes his experience with the complex legislative process. ''To me the real issues is if you're going to be a state senator ... you need to know what this whole political life is about,'' he said.

Lynch's political life extends to past presidential primaries; he worked for Edmund Muskie of Maine, Birch Bayh of Indiana and for US Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts. He says he hasn't had time this season to get involved, but he does like former US senator Bill Bradley. So, when Bradley was passing through Keene the other day, his campaign called to see if Lynch would be at his state Senate campaign headquarters so Bradley could stop by and say hello. Lynch said no. He had a date with the Lions Club for lunch and he wanted to be there, especially with just a few days to go before the election. He has been a Lion for 28 years.

''You have to go to the Lions Club and show these people mean something to you,'' Lynch said, ''and they do.''

As for Bradley, Lynch said, ''Maybe it's just the fresh face. the fresh ideas ... maybe sooner or later I'll get to meet him.''

Eye of suspicion cast upon outsiders

There has been some fingerpointing from both camps about whether out-of-towners have been involved in the campaigns, presumably trying to butt in on local affairs. Just the other day, Terry Clark, Lynch's campaign manager repeated the now-famous ''Trent Lott'' story. Supposedly, US Senator Trent Lott of Louisiana, the Senate majority leader, called Eaton and urged him to run for Blaisdell's seat. It never happened, says Eaton, who has been unable to stifle the Lott buzz. He says the only time he ever had contact with Lott was during a White House tour about 18 months ago with other Republicans. Lott breezed through quickly ''yakked with us and left.'' Says Eaton, ''he has no idea who I am.''

''I think they're just trying to scare the local people,'' Eaton told us during the primary season when the Lott talk was hot. The suggestion, according to Eaton, is ''be careful. The big boys are going to come in.''

The Eaton team points out that a car with Tennessee license plates - Vice President Al Gore's home state - has been spotted outside Lynch campaign headquarters. True, says the Lynch campaign. The car belongs to Gene Dunn, a ''political junkie'' who is one of many young Democrat volunteers working for Lynch, and she's not involved with the Gore campaign, according to Lynch's team.

And so it goes.

Yet another reason is redistricting

Just one more resason the Democrats want to hold on to that Blaisdell seat: in 2001, after the year 2000 census is completed, the Senate will have the authority to redraw Congressional and legislative district lines based on new population figures. Who knows if that would mean any changes, but each party would like to be in charge of redistricting.

Of course the balance of power will be up for grabs before that, in November 2000, when the governor, the entire Senate and House will be up for re-election.

Strategist will take role with Humphrey

After the District 10 race is done for political strategist Carney Tuesday, he'll be off to help out another New Hampshire republican - former US senator Gordon Humphrey. Carney has come on board as a ''general consultant'' for Humphrey, who is expected to seek the Republican nomination for governor. Humphrey noted Carney's hefty national resume, including working for the the Bush White House, the Bush/Quayle and Dole/ Kemp presidential campaigns and with the National Republican Senatorial Campaign committee.

P.S.: Humphrey, who also served as a state senator, will be moderating the Presidential Candidates dinner and forum tonight at the Center of New Hampshire sponsored by Gun Owners of New Hampshire and the National Rifle Association.

Nashua mayor tries to score style points

Nashua Mayor Don Davidson 's style has been a persistent issue while he's been in office; critics have complained loudly that he isn't always Mr. Nice Guy. Now, facing a runoff election Tuesday, Davidson has acknowledged that last spring he used as much as $8,500 in city money to hire local consultant Natalie Manor to work on his ''communication skills.''

It was Davidson's opponent, Executive Councilor Bernard Streeter who last week (with help from a tipster) revealed that the mayor has sought out the advice and paid for it with city funds, according to the Nashua Telegraph. Streeter, who has criticized Davidson's style as arrogant, said using public funds for ''personality enhancement'' was ''appalling,'' according to one report.

Davidson told the Telegraph that Manor coached him on speaking style and body language and watched him this spring when he made public presentations. He said that the expenditure is covered by a professional development fund for city employees and that he stopped charging the city for the advice after he declared he was running again for mayor. Does style matter? The voters will decide Tuesday.

Got a tip or a comment from the campaign trail, state government, or town hall? The Political Diary wants to hear from you at: Boston Globe/New Hampshire Weekly, 1650 Elm St., Manchester, NH 03101, or by e-mail at kiernan@globe.com. Plese include home and work telephone numbers.