Senate seat showdown

The Globe takes a look today at the candidates battling for the local state senate seat vacated by Robert Travaglini. Eastie's state Rep. Anthony Petruccelli and Revere City Councilor Dan Rizzo square off in a special election on May 29 -- the day after Memorial Day -- in a Democratic primary that is winner-take-all, as there is no Republican challenger.

Rizzo (bottom photo) actually lives just outside the district, in the one Revere ward that is not part of the First Middlesex and Suffolk seat's territory, but the law only states that he needs to live in the district on the day of the general election, June 26. He'll move if he survives the primary.

Besides East Boston and most of Revere, the district includes Winthrop, the North End, the West End and parts of Beacon Hill and Cambridge. Travaglini held the seat for 13 years, rising to the chair of Senate president, and Petruccelli (top photo) is favored to win the special election, as he has the backing of Trav as well as Mayor Menino.

Rizzo stands to take Revere, while Petruccelli will take Eastie and the other three Boston neighborhoods. Cambridge (about 30% of the vote) and Winthrop (15%) are the real battlegrounds.