“I know the issues in every city and every town; I’ve been working on them for two-and-a-half years,” he said, adding that he possesses a “unique understanding” of the districts.

TIMOTHY R. FLAHERTY

Flaherty, a Cambridge resident, said he ran against Galluccio for the Senate seat in 2007 “because as a strong progressive I was concerned about healthcare and essential human services.”

“My feeling is that [these issues are] even more important now, because in the down economy, these services need to be protected,” he said.

Flaherty cited his experience as “a major felony prosecutor” as good preparation for the Senate post.

“I ran a drug unit; I prosecuted multiple murder cases,” he said. “All of that taught me how important it is for government to be competent and very progressive.”

Flaherty’s five-point plan for creating new jobs in the state includes granting a tax credit to high-tech manufacturing companies, increasing loans to biotech startups, and fostering the growth of the film industry in Massachusetts.

He added that “Harvard needs to make a greater contribution to the communities of both Boston and Cambridge.”

If private universities in the district refuse to make greater contributions to the community, Flaherty said legislators can revoke these institutions’ tax-exempt status.

“The race has come down to a two-man race between me and the Everett candidate [DiDomenico],” Flaherty said regarding his chances of winning Tuesday’s primary.

DANIEL C. HILL

Hill, a lawyer from Charlestown, said he decided to run for a Senate seat in November 2009, even before Galluccio resigned.

“I certainly didn’t expect there to be an open seat,” he said. “I was planning to run against the Senator in the September primary.”

“I’m uniquely qualified in this election because I’m not a member of the political establishment,” Hill said. “I think that distinguishes me from the other candidates in that I can make decisions with objectivity and without the consideration of lobbyists and special interests who have donated to my campaign.”

Hill described his efforts as “an underdog campaign” with no professional staff.