In the meantime, Davis-Mullen will continue to push the issues, though the differences between the candidates are small.

“The major issues of her campaign are affordable housing, public education and development,” Sharma says.

Davis-Mullen is an acknowledged policy-setter in the city’s schools, having pioneered a “neighborhood schools” initiative in the mid-`90s.

“She has been a leader on schools,” Roache says. “She’s got an issue that comes out number one all the time.”

“She’s a Southie High graduate, she’s a good strong woman, [and] she’s a viable candidate,” says Roache, who nixed planning a mayoral run of his own because preliminary studies showed that he would have to spend $2 million to give the mayor a run for his money.

Despite the school issue, the distance between Menino and Davis-Mullen is not issue-based, but personality-based.

“I think it’s more of personality clash than on any specific issue,” says James M. Kelly, one of the mayor’s strongest opponents on the city council.

“Peggy is very outgoing and opinionated and does not hesitate to offer her thoughts on an issue,” Kelly says. “The mayor, on the other hand, is extremely sensitive to any type of criticism.”