Crowded Fields Are Primed For the Primaries

The state's other Republican in Congress, Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett, faces four challengers for the GOP nomination as he seeks a ninth term. His district includes Frederick County and part of Montgomery. Bartlett has handily won reelection in each of his previous runs, though the victory margin dipped in 2006.

Competing for the chance to face the Republican nominee in Bartlett's district is Army veteran Andrew Duck, the Democratic challenger in 2006 as well. Duck, who served in the Iraq war, said he thinks the United States has been distracted from the war on terrorism by an unsuccessful effort in Iraq. Four others are also in the race for the Democratic nomination, including former Frederick mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty.

The most powerful member of Maryland's delegation, House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D), faces four challengers, including one Democrat, in the 5th District, which includes parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's County, as well as Southern Maryland's three counties. Hoyer won reelection in 2006 with more than 80 percent of the vote.

Three-term incumbent Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D) faces two Democratic opponents in the 8th District, which includes much of Montgomery and part of Prince George's. They are retired lawyer Deborah A. Vollmer, a board member of the Greater Bethesda-Chevy Chase Coalition, who pledges her first action in Congress would be to end the war in Iraq; and activist Lih Young, a Rockville resident.

Five Republicans are competing in the heavily Democratic district. They are ophthalmic surgeon Steven J. Hudson, nongovernmental organization president Meyer F. Marks, lawyer Brian Mezger, software company executive Jay Roberts and lawyer Bruce Stern.

In the 3rd District, which includes portions of Anne Arundel and Howard, first-term Rep. John P. Sarbanes (D) faces a challenge for the Democratic nomination from John M. Rea, 47, an Annapolis print company salesman whom Sarbanes defeated in 2006. Rea, who has run unsuccessfully for City Council, County Council and Congress, says he would do a better job than Sarbanes at dealing with the growth anticipated at Fort Meade because as an Anne Arundel resident, he better understands the issues the army base's expansion will bring. Sarbanes is a resident of Towson.

Republicans will choose between Thomas E. "Pinkston" Harris, Christopher Panasuk, a Verizon technician, aerospace engineer Paul Spause and John Stafford, an investment strategy newsletter editor.

In the 7th District, six-term Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, a well-known leader in the state's congressional delegation, Cummings faces one challenger, Baltimore activist Charles Ulysses Smith. Smith ran against Cummings in 2006 and got 2.3 percent of the vote.

Cummings, whose district stretches from inner-city Baltimore to affluent Howard County, promises to continue his work on affordable child care, education and ending the Iraq war.

The district is heavily Democratic, but two Republicans vie for the chance to take on the Democratic nominee in November: small-business operator Ray Bly of Jessup and dentist Michael Hargadon of Woodstock. The two have said district residents should have more choice in their elected leaders.