By Patrick McGroarty
News Editor

It has been a tough year for Fifth Suffolk State Representative Marie St. Fleur, but neither she nor her opponents seem interested in making her tribulations an issue in the upcoming election. St. Fleur faces three challengers in her bid for re-election: Democrats Severiano Cruz and Roy Owens and Republican Althea Garrison.

The race gained momentum early this year when St. Fleur was tapped as Attorney General Tom Reilly's choice as a gubernatorial running mate on January 30. But when the Boston Globe reported the next day that St. Fleur had three delinquent tax debts within the last ten years and $40,000 in unpaid student loans, she withdrew as a candidate for lieutenant governor and Reilly's campaign for the corner office had been dealt a debilitating blow. A week later, St. Fleur refocused on her race for re-election in the fifth.

Hiep Chu, executive director of Viet-AID and a St. Fleur supporter, said he was impressed by St. Fleur's openness during a public meeting with constituents at the Vietnamese American Community Center in March.

"She was really forward that she's sorry and her intent was not to have an impact to the district or for people to feel embarrassed about it," said Chu. "Personal issues, that's one thing, and as long as she is able to do good for the district it sounded like all people [at the meeting] would support her."

Key to her campaign, St. Fleur says, has been the willingness of her constituents to look to her record rather than her personal struggles.

"I'm blessed by a group of very positive and very loyal supporters who believe that I continue to do positive things in the fifth Suffolk," said St. Fleur.

St. Fleur may also feel blessed that her three challengers are, by their own admission, underdogs. Cruz, a MBTA bus driver making his first run at elected office, said on Monday that he is still formulating the details of his campaign platform, with just eight days until the democratic primary. Garrison is an employee in the State Controller's office who served one term as a state representative and makes frequent runs at city and state elected office. She said her campaign consists of just two volunteers, whose names she would not provide. She also declined to identify any individual supporters in the Dorchester community. "I'm the underdog. I have to win this race on my own ability, my own credentials," she said.

Minister Roy Owens, also on the Democratic ballot next Tuesday, did not return several messages left to a number listed on his campaign website (electroyowens.com), which bears the slogan, "All it takes is a little bit of faith."

Both Cruz and Garrison said they decided to run independent of the attention the race gained during a period of speculation that St. Fleur might not run for re-election. The two challengers also said they had no intention of making use of news that St. Fleur's husband, Jean B. Lauture was arrested last month in a prostitution sting.

"I'm not interested in addressing those issues and people I talk with aren't concerned about that," Garrison said. Garrison added that she would not confront any opponent directly until after the primary. "I still have two other opponents. Maybe if [St. Fleur] wins the primary approval I'll address her campaign."

The only time Garrison has been interested in media coverage involving St. Fleur was this past Sunday, when Globe columnist Elaine McNamara wrote, "…[St. Fleur] will also be coasting to re-election from the Fifth Suffolk District. St. Fleur is running unopposed, the beneficiary of the good will of constituents…"

Garrison said she was offended, and plans to draft a letter to the editor.

"I thought that was terrible," she said. "Cruz, Roy and I are all campaigning very hard."

Cruz says he was urged to run by friends in the district, including both Garrison and Owens.

Garrison said she speaks regularly with Cruz and that she originally urged him to run as a Republican. She decided to enter the race herself when he came on as a Democrat. She says there is a need for conservative leadership in her district, especially on issues like public safety, where she says St. Fleur has not been effective enough.

"If you've been in office six years or more, it shouldn't be an issue. You should take that issue off the table," said Garrison. "She has fallen into her role as a bureaucrat, and they don't get things done."

But St. Fleur says she has a strong record of improving public safety, including a commitment to funding to anti-violence organizations like the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute.

"I think for many folks the safety issue comes from an increase in gun violence," said St. Fleur. "That, and there is increased drug activity in the neighborhood. We're going to figure out how we can build more relationships and a higher level of trust between the police department and residents."

Garrison favors increasing funding to the Boston Police department as the primary step in combating crime.

"I don't care what people say, I don't believe in gun control," said Garrison. "It's a violation of the first amendment. People should have a right to bear arms."

Cruz also said public safety would be central to his work as state representative.

"Sometimes these kids, some of them really are not all that bad," said Cruz. "They get hooked into hanging on with the wrong kids. Someone needs to reach out to them"

Like Garrison, Cruz said his campaign had little to do with the policy of opponents, but that he felt voters were ready for a change in leadership style.

"I don't know a whole lot about [St. Fleur], but I feel I could be more in touch with the community than the representative is right now. I believe we need people out in the community who will say, "Hey, how are things, what can we try to do to help you?"