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Keller @ Large: Galvin-Zakim Campaign Ad Battle

BOSTON (CBS) - The middle-aged man's brow furrows as he recalls his ordeal. "I felt there was a scam going on and my retirement money was disappearing," he says.

But never fear! It's longtime incumbent Secretary of State Bill Galvin - described by a voice over in this Galvin campaign TV ad as "the most feared securities regulator" - to the rescue.

"Bill Galvin investigated, found fraud, and got my money back," says the relieved man.

If Galvin has his way, the upcoming September 4 primary will draw many older voters who, even if they weren't directly helped by Galvin's office, will see a familiar name and vote for it. But Boston City Councilor Josh Zakim, who is giving Galvin his toughest primary challenge in years, has a different voting-day vision.

"We are recognizing the need for progressive activist leaders who represent our values," he says in one of his TV ads, as the screen fills with a message that is he "the only progressive choice for secretary of state." Massachusetts, concludes Zakim, "must show people what progress looks like."

Zakim hopes younger voters will shun name recognition in favor of a fresh approach. But with low turnout likely on an election set for the day after Labor Day due to conflicts with religious holidays, both candidates are heeding a classic political maxim - if you can't persuade them to vote for you, excite them to vote against your opponent.

Another Zakim ad intones: "Bill Galvin says he hates the word progressive and his record proves why," as a list of Galvin votes social issues - most notably to "ban abortion" - scrolls by. "On September 4th we have a choice," says the female voice over, "even if Bill Galvin doesn't respect ours."

And a Galvin attack ad verges on Trumpian when he tags his challenger with the nickname "no-show Zakim: for [failing] to vote in 15 elections, even skipping John Kerry for president and Deval Patrick for governor." (Interesting side note: Galvin evokes partisanship here even though he lost the party convention endorsement fight.)

On one thing at least, these two agree - they both want to appear simpatico with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, even though she is staying neutral in their race.

There's other mud flying as well. But the scattershot nature of these campaigns reflects a mystery about the primary that other candidates are also wrestling with - no one's quite sure who will bother to show up at the polls the day after a major holiday weekend.

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