Benzan, who attended Cambridge, Ringe & Latin and recently graduated from Howard University, works at the Cambridge Algebra Project.

The project was created by civil rights activist Bob Moses and is designed to teach college-prep level math to all students.

Kilburn says besides education, Benzan is also concerned with housing and health care.

"He's really inspirational to me personally," Kilburn says.

City Councilor Kenneth E. Reeves '72 supports Benzan's candidacy.

While The Crimson could not reach Hoicka for comment, in his campaign literature he lists education, social justice, universal health care and affordable housing as some of his top priorities.

Hoicka is a native of Canada and has a degree in Civil Engineering and Design from MIT. He also has a theology degree from Boston University as well as a law degree from Suffolk Law School.

A spokesperson for Save Central Square and the Central Square Neighborhood Coalition, Hoicka is active in the movement to protect Central Square from the plans of large developers.

Hoicka also works as an advocate for low-income tenants. In recent months he has tangled with Thompson in a case involving the representative's attempts to evict one of his tenants.

The Chronicle reports the apartment Thompson owns on 521 Green St. has failed Housing Authority inspections several times.

Despite Hoicka's public profile as an advocate for multiple causes, he has been the least successful in raising money. So far he has raised approximately $2,600.

Koocher and an aide from the Thompson campaign see Barrios and Benzan, not Hoicka, as Thompson's greatest threats in the primary.

Thompson may have three challengers in the primary, but this is nothing new for the incumbent, who has been in office for five terms.

Thompson aide Daphne Abeel '59 says her boss gets much of his support from working families.

Abeel says Thompson's main focus is on issues that directly affect the community and he works to ensure that Cambridge gets its share of the state budget.