He’s focusing on those who might not have found a home in the Cambridge political system in the past.

“As I’ve gone door to door, I’ve seen apathy,” Horowitz says. “These are the people I’m hoping to attract. I’m a new candidate, I’m a young candidate, and I’m hoping to get people involved.”

But Horowitz isn’t standing alone.

“I have some helpful political connections” he says.

Those connections include Tolman, a gubernatorial candidate and the member of a powerful local political family.

“I think he’s an excellent candidate, and he says the same about me,” Horowitz says with a smile.

Horowitz is a candidate with a chance—even in a field of seven incumbents, 12 challengers and only nine seats—says local political pundit Glenn S. Koocher ’71.

“He’s a serious candidate because he’s discussing issues and he’s trying to raise focus,” Koocher says. “The challenge for him is attracting votes at a time when the competition is fierce for those two open seats.”

But winning is not Horowitz’s only goal.

“If nothing else, I want to set an example for younger people who are not very interested [in politics],” Horowitz says.

—Staff writer Lauren R. Dorgan can be reached at dorgan@fas.harvard.edu.

—Staff writer David H. Gellis can be reached at gellis@fas.harvard.edu.