Cambridge residents are accustomed to having an experienced legislator represent them on Beacon Hill.

Former U.S. House Speaker Thomas "Tip" O'Neill's political career began in the 27th Middlesex District. Its most recent state representative, Charles F. Flaherty, doubled as the Massachusetts House Speaker, before resigning amid corruption indictments this spring.

No doubt, the experience factor played a role in former mayor Alice K. Wolf's victory over City Councillor Anthony D. Galluccio in last Tuesday's Democratic primary.

Wolf, 63, has held virtually every civic office, from mayor to state party caucus member to school committee member. Galluccio, 29, has served on the city council a mere three years.

"Alice has been in government for a long time, and her votes are well-known. There is no surprise where her stands are," says Geneva T. Malenfant, president of the progressive Cambridge Civic Association. "With Galluccio, he's only been city councillor one and half terms, and some of his views seem to have changed between last year and this."

City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 adds: "Charles Flaherty, who represented this district for 30 years, was a progressive politician who had a lot of experience in government. Alice Wolf has come up through the ranks in Cambridge and has 25 years in local government experience. Galluccio has just begun his career in local government."

In representing the district, which stretches from wealthy, progressive Harvard Square to the ethnic blue-collar sections of northwest Cambridge, O'Neill coined the phrase "all politics is local."

But by a 90-vote margin out of 7,600 cast, voters chose Wolf, a non-native Cantabrigian known more as a detached idealogue, over lifelong resident Galluccio, who has strong ties to the working class.

The division is evident in unofficial election results: 76.5 percent of upscale west Cambridge voters went to Wolf, while Galluccio won North Cambridge by a 2:1 margin.

Cambridge Mayor Sheila Doyle Russell says many North Cambridge voters consider Wolf, a former IOP fellow, a limousine liberal, rather than one of their own.

"She's much more liberal than long time North Cambridge residents. Some feel she doesn't represent their views," Russell says.

"There's always been a kind of division between working class folks and white collar folks. I think it remains to be seen if Mrs. Wolf will represent them as before. She claims she will. Let's hope she does," Russell says.

Wolf is guaranteed election Nov.5--she has no Republican opponent. Then she'll begin the difficult task of representing both factions in this district.

Reaching Everyone

Wolf strategically placed her campaign headquarters in the heart of North Cambridge, just three doors down from Galluccio's, and just across the street from a steakhouse frequented by O'Neill.

"People want neighborhood services, and I will be working on those," Wolf says, taking a line from O'Neill's campaign notebook.

She adds that she's concerned with all voters and cites her campaign's emphasis on economic security and better schools and job training.

City councillor and former mayor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 says Wolf's support of expanded public health benefits, a higher minimum wage and the "expiring use" provision, designed to create affordable housing, endeared her to working class voters and tenants in this formerly rent-controlled city.

"She did very well in public housing and very well with minority constituents," Reeves says.

Galluccio earned the backing of numerous labor unions and an endorsement from two newspapers.

And in one black precinct, Galluccio beat Wolf by a two-to-one margin because of Wolf's opposition to the opening of a predominantly-black school in west Cambridge.

"Anyone who's opposed to bringing young black youths into the city does not deserve black votes," Damon Brooks, a black resident, told the Cambridge Chronicle.

Wolf says she'll stay in contact with voters, and seek clout by campaigning for U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and President Clinton.

"We made a conscious effort to reach out to all people in the district," Wolf says. "Remember, I was a local elected official and have worked with people all over the city."

Speaking of Wolf's 20-plus years of political experience, Reeves says: "I think she will do all that is humanly possible to represent every voice in the district. I don't think she will be anything other than gracious."

Graciously bridging the gap is Wolf's mission. The liberal Democrat, who once took a freedom of speech lawsuit all the way to the Supreme Court, and won, is working hard to please more moderate North Cantabrigians, who stick with the Democratic Party because of its ties to labor.

She acknowledges the difficulty of filling the shoes of Flaherty, who enjoyed immense popularity and ruled the state house in the old-time political tradition.

North Cambridge hasn't changed much over the years, but in the aftermath of rent control's abolition by statewide referendum two years ago, there's been an influx of upscale residents in all neighborhoods.

For Wolf, that means embracing Flaherty and O'Neill's tradition while pursuing her own issues.

"All politics is definitely still local. This district is used to good constituent services, and I will continue work on those things," she says.

Sounds like something with which everyone would agree.

The Cambridge City Council did not meet Monday, due to Yom Kippur. It will meet next Monday at City Hall at regularly scheduled time