Boston city councilor Stephen Murphy confirmed to the Phoenix on Friday that he is " taking a serious look " at running for Congress from the Ninth District. Congressman Joe Moakley, who currently holds the seat, is not running for re-election because he is suffering from incurable cancer. Murphy, an at-large councilor, says he will soon be having a telephone conversation with Moakley to discuss the race.

Other frequently named potential candidates for the seat include Max Kennedy (a son of Robert Kennedy), who recently moved to West Roxbury; State Senator Marc Pacheco of Taunton; State Senator Brian Joyce of Milton; and State Senator Stephen Lynch of South Boston. But Murphy believes his strong citywide support (he finished second in the at-large race two years ago) works in his favor. " The city is divided into two districts [the Eighth and Ninth], and this is a very strong side for me electively, " he says. " I have finished first in Hyde Park and West Roxbury. I finished first in Savin Hill. My worst neighborhood is South Boston, and I do very well over there. It's a very strong part of the city for me, and since no one else from the city is running, and I know I have a strong political base and I believe it should be a city seat, I'm taking a serious look at it. "

But he's not yet ready to make a final decision on entering the race. " I first have to convince people I should be re-elected to the council, " he says, " and I don't think it should be that hard to do. This is my only job; I work 80-100 hours a week at it. I assume, and I hope correctly, that I should have no problem with touting my record as a member of the council, and then we'll take a look at that other venue. You have to seize opportunities when they come, and for a lot of us, we know opportunities only come once in a great while. "

Issue Date: May 7, 2001