Marie St. Fleur is a former state assistant attorney general and mother of three whose own parents fled Haiti from "Papa Doc" Duvalier's death squads. Backed by bigshots from [Tom] Menino to ex- Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, her old boss, she has been branded the candidate "with the downtown resume" and scant political experience by her critics. But her supporters claim she's the second coming of Golar Richie.

Barry Lawton - the best choice, I believe - teaches at Jeremiah Burke High. He is a longtime community activist with experience at the State House. He's a Boston Orchestra and Chorale singer who has charmed House Speaker Tom Finneran with Sinatra songs (and dead- ringer imitations) at local events. And he's organized labor's man in the June 8 Democratic primary.

Ms. [Althea] Garrison used to be a guy named A.C. "Al" Garson before petitioning a court in 1976 for a name change to Althea [Garrison], to be "consistent with the petitioner's appearance and medical condition, and is the name by which he will be known in the future." After all, it takes a good man to walk the Dorchester Day parade in 4-inch spike heels as Garrison did in 1992.