Hayes puts in his roadwork, Lowell Sun, Sunday, August 17th.

Hayes ... putting in his road work

KURT HAYES, the Republican candidate in the 37th Middlesex District race for state representative, may need a new pair of shoes by the time this election season ends.

He's putting his best foot forward and trying to visit every home across the district, which spans Shirley, Harvard, Boxboro, Lancaster and parts of Acton and Lunenburg.

The IBM exec from Boxboro, who ran as an Independent last year in the 5th Congressional District election that Niki Tsongas eventually won, made a positive impression on an unenrolled Acton voter, who tends to vote Democratic, earlier last week.

Hayes stopped by her house to drop off his brochure and shake her hand. "I've lived here 32 years, and the only other time I remember a candidate stopping by my house to talk politics was State Sen. Pam Resor, whom I know," said the voter. "I was impressed with Hayes and liked the fact he's out there meeting people and letting them know what he stands for. He's personable, and I may vote for him."

MAYBE Jen Benson, Hayes' Democratic opponent, should pay attention. Benson, who hails from Lunenburg, was hand-picked by current 37th District state Rep. Jamie Eldridge to be his successor, since Eldridge is running for the retiring Resor's state Senate seat. According to published reports, Benson hasn't participated in various Town Hall forums that Hayes has shown up at this summer.

Hayes is also making waves -- and likely earning votes -- with regular drawings for free $50 gas cards on his Web site.