Democrats and Republicans will be neck and neck in the Boston Marathon on April 16, as a bipartisan Harvard team of 15 politicians, journalists, staff and students from the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) will run together in the spirit of "FUN-raising to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association."

The race will mark the culmination of KSG students' efforts to co-opt some of Washington, D.C.'s political infighting for the Marathon's fundraising.

"We felt we could raise a large amount of money for a great cause through this fun Democrat-Republican challenge," said Angela Calman, the KSG student responsible for bringing the event, dubbed "Running Scared 2001," to life.

Leading the team on the Democratic side is former Clinton strategist and current NBC political analyst Paul Begala.

Former Institute of Politics Fellow and former John McCain presidential campaign manager Rick Davis is leading the charge for the GOP.

"I'm challenging former McCain campaign manager and GOP bigshot Rick Davis to a little contest to see who can run the fastest and raise the most," Begala said in a letter to fellow party members.

They have already collected $25,000 through mail-in donations and a two-day treadmill marathon held last month at the KSG.

But students expect the campaign's cash cow will be an auction to be held next Tuesday at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Andrea Mitchell, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for NBC News, will host the evening.

After attendees are treated to a "wine, cheese and carbo-loading" reception, politicians and media from both parties will bid on a host of hot-ticket beltway items.

Among the prizes up for grabs are four behind-the-plate tickets to a Boston Red Sox game, a weekend stay at the Kennedy Suite (the preserved senior dorm room of John F. Kennedy '40 in Winthrop House), and two tickets to the Lincoln Center premier of HBO's "Sex in the City."

While this year's planning and team members came solely from the Kennedy School, Calman said that she would like to involve other Harvard students in the efforts for next year's Marathon.

"We'd love next year to have undergraduates on board, especially those who want to change the world, or at least a little piece of it," Calman said.