Executive Race Tops Full Ballot

There are also two open seats on the County Council. In District 4, two men and a woman are running to replace Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Bowie), who is running for a state Senate seat. They are Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson, Darrell Carrington, a former county social services official, and Ingrid M. Turner, a retired Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps commander.

A crowded field of eight candidates is running to replace Thomas R. Hendershot, including several with ties to the county executive. Hendershot is barred by term limits from running again but has been a strong ally to Johnson on the council, and his wife, Florence Hendershot, is running to replace him. Also running are Derrick L. Coley, who works for Johnson's chief of staff, and Ken Laureys, who works for Johnson's office of community relations. Other candidates are a former School Board member, the mayor of Landover Hills, the director of Community Ministries, and city council members from College Park and New Carrollton.

Three retirements and a bid for lieutenant governor have resulted in four hotly contested races for the General Assembly.

In the 21st District, two incumbents, Del. Brian R. Moe and Del. Barbara A. Frush, are looking to retain their seats while six Democratic challengers are hoping to replace Del. Pauline H. Menes. A Republican is running unopposed for the GOP nomination for the seat. Menes is retiring after 40 years in the General Assembly. Ben Barnes, a lawyer who is on the slate with Moe and Frush, is considered a favorite in the race. But Joseline Pena-Melnyk, a lawyer and College Park council member, is running a vigorous campaign. She recently received an endorsement from former county executive Curry.

In the 23rd District, County Council member Peters (D-Bowie) and Bobby Henry are vying for a seat being vacated by longtime Sen. Leo E. Green. Peters has served on the council for four years. Henry is a lawyer and an associate minister at Jericho City of Praise. Peters has never run outside of his council district; Henry received 45 percent of the vote in an unsuccessful bid against Green four years ago. Newcomer Gregory G. Holmes is also making a run for the seat.

In the 25th District, five Democratic candidates are trying to capture the seat being vacated by Del. Anthony Brown, who is Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's running mate in the governor's race. Dels. Melony G. Griffith and Dereck E. Davis (both D-Prince George's) are also seeking a return to office. Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Prince George's) is unopposed.

And in the 26th District, Del. Obie Patterson (D-Prince George's) is seeking to replace Sen. Gloria G. Lawlah (D-Prince George's), who is retiring after 16 years in the General Assembly. C. Anthony Muse, a former delegate who ran for county executive in 2002, is challenging Patterson for the open seat.

In other spirited races, Sen. John A. Giannetti Jr. (D-Prince George's) is facing a tough challenge from Jim Rosapepe, a former delegate who served as U.S. ambassador to Romania in the Clinton administration. One other Democrat has filed in the race in the 21st District.

In the 26th District, 10 candidates are vying for three seats. Del. Patterson, who is running for Senate, gave up one of the seats.

In the 22nd District, four candidates, including three incumbents, are running for three seats in the House of Delegates. Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince George's) is unopposed.

The 23rd and 24th districts have a similar situation, with four candidates vying for three seats. Three of the candidates are incumbents. Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Prince George's) is running unopposed.

In the 27th District, Sen. Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. is running unopposed. But voters will have seven Democratic candidates to choose from and four Republican candidates to select from in the House of Delegates race.