Election for Barrios seat: Wolf out, Galluccio in

There could be at least one Cambridge candidate on the ballot in the election to replace outgoing state Sen. Jarrett Barrios.

City Councilor Anthony Galluccio is running for the seat, he told the Chronicle Tuesday.

“I do intend to run and I’m planning a formal announcement,” said Galluccio.

Cambridge politics: What do you think?

Earlier in the day, state Rep. Alice Wolf, D-Cambridge, who had been seriously considering starting her own campaign for the elected post, announced she was not running.

Barrios is officially leaving his state Senate seat July 5 to become president of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation.

“After much thought, I have decided not to run for the senate seat being vacated by Senator Barrios,” said Wolf in a statement. “There are many factors that played a part in my decision, and the strongest factor is that I love my job serving in the House of Representatives…”

Galluccio said he hopes to be elected to the state Senate so that he can work with Wolf at the State House.

“I have a great deal of respect for Alice… and I was not looking forward to running against her,” said Galluccio, who worried that an election showdown between the two Cantabrigians with similar platforms would divide the city.

Cambridge voters will head to the polls to elect a replacement for Barrios on Oct. 9. The primary election is scheduled for Sept. 11, according to Brian McNiff, spokesman for the State Secretary.

There could be a large field of competitors for the election.

Among the political hopefuls considering a run are Chelsea City Council President Roseann Bongiovanni, state Rep. Eugene O’Flaherty, D-Chelsea and Dan Ryan, a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, D-8th.

Potential candidates have until July 31 to submit their nomination papers to their local election commission with a minimum of 300 voter signatures, according to McNiff. The signatures must be certified by the State Secretary’s office by Aug. 7. Nomination papers are available at local city and town halls.