It's six Republicans--a doctor, a talk-show host, a radio advertising sales manager and three millionaires--versus one Democrat, a 32-year incumbent senator with the most famous last name in Massachusetts.

Some call this year's U.S. senatorial campaign a case of anti-incumbent fever. Some call it "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." And some simply call it crazy.

But these six political outsiders are betting that 1994 will be the year that voters finally end the tenure of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54-'56.

Kennedy is more vulnerable this year than he has ever been, according to the Republican candidates who hope to challenge the Democratic senator. They say that in his most recent term, Kennedy voted against measures to curb government spending and sponsored legislation that has hurt small businesses--a particularly important sector of the Massachusetts economy.

But before they face Kennedy in November, the six Republicans have to square off against each other in the September primary.

And to be successful in their bid for the Republican nomination, the candidates will have to go beyond their common disdain for Kennedy and distinguish one GOP platform from the next.

That might seem a difficult proposition at first glance. When it comes to the campaign's most important issue--the economy--all six share similar views and espouse equally conservative fiscal policies.

But their positions on issues such as abortion,health care and foreign policy vary widely,pushing the outer limits of the conservativepolitical spectrum.

And as Republicans in a staunchly Democraticstate, all the candidates believe that it may betheir political amateurism and unconventionalcampaigning which will vault them to unexpectedvictory.

JANET JEGHELIAN

Janet Jeghelian, one of the two leadingcandidates in the polls, is no stranger topolitical debate. For 10 years, she co-hosted the"Ted and Janet" show, Boston's top-rated radiotalk show.

Jeghelian, who considers herself a "moderateconservative" in the mold of Gov. William F. Weld'66, debated current events with her liberalco-host, Ted O'Brien.

"We had to be creative and imaginative, readyfor every crisis," Jeghelian says. "There are 10talk-show hosts running for Congress in 1994: ifwe're going to do the talk, we might as well dothe walk."

Jeghelian is the only Republican candidate inthis race who has held any public office, servingduring the 1970s as the first "Female Selectman"from Westwood, which is still her home town.

"[Local government] is the purest form ofdemocracy," she says.

A professional physical therapist, Jeghelianhas treated U.S. Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy andArthur Hays Sulzberger, publisher of the New YorkTimes.