UTILITY deregulation, with all its romantic appeal, is not the only political matter in the hearts and minds of Maryland legislators this year.

At least three of the Assembly's would-be members of the U.S. House of Representatives hail from Montgomery County. Each has found a way to demonstrate hard work on behalf of their hoped-for congressional constituency.

They have their collective eye on the 8th District seat held by Rep. Constance A. Morella, a Montgomery Republican who served in the Maryland House before winning the congressional seat in 1986.

Morella won, not by compiling a record of major legislative accomplishments in Annapolis, but by presenting herself as the very essence of what Montgomery appears to look for as its representative in the national assembly.

An engaging campaigner, Morella has the right amalgam of common touch and intellect. She taught Shakespeare at Montgomery Community College while raising her late sister's children.

The moderate Republican might well be unbeatable in a county that looks beyond ideology to a more general representativeness. Even in the last election, where some Maryland Republican officeholders might have been hurt by unhappiness with Republican impeachment zeal, Morella's normally comfortable 60-40 margin held.

Eventually, of course, she will step down and the seat will be open -- a much easier proposition for the would-bes.

Thus do the speeches and causes of Dels. Mark K. Shriver and Cheryl C. Kagan and state Sen. Christopher Van Hollen Jr. attract more than the usual attention.

Shriver spoke at some length on the House floor last week in defense of a pilot program to test the value of nutrition programs to improve children's learning abilities. He is also calling attention to a successful program that denies a driver's license to those who fall behind in child support payments. (The total of overdue payments is $1.2 million -- but about $66 million has been leveraged by threats of losing licenses.)

Kagan has been working to have state police improve and hasten their screening of potential gun buyers to filter inappropriate owners. And Van Hollen is a leader in the effort to pass a $1 tax increase in the per-package price of cigarettes.

All or none of the above might run for Congress sooner or later. Montgomery is fortunate to have a deep bench of congressional talent -- as always. For the candidates in waiting, it raises strategic questions:

Even if beating Morella is a long shot, would it make sense to take a run at her anyway to establish a claim? Does losing mean you're a loser, even against Morella? Does a losing effort carry sufficient name recognition to make it worthwhile? Must one of them run to head off Ralph Neas, the Democratic contender in 1998 who says he will run again next year?

Each of the three will have what is known in political circles as a free shot next year, meaning they could run and lose and still be in public office. They wouldn't have to resign to run because the next Assembly election is in 2002.

Votes on two issues profile House of Delegates

In rapid-fire order last week, the House of Delegates defined itself on a pair of issues: assisted suicide and the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

On the gay rights bill, the Assembly's clipped Republican wing, its rural representatives and a significant number of Democrats in swing districts voted no. Montgomery County and Baltimore Democrats, the heart of the Democratic Party in Maryland, voted yes. The bill carried 80 to 56 with one delegate not voting and four absent.

That same lineup was reversed essentially on the assisted suicide ban -- though the outcome was different.

The ban carried 78-54 in a vote that saw the House split along the same lines: Lawmakers from Republican, rural and swing districts favored the ban; Democrats from the state's central and urban strongholds voted against a ban. The difference was in the swing districts, where some legislators who were against gay rights voted not to ban assisted suicide.

New counsel and home for Republican Party

Christopher R. West, a Republican activist and the party's former executive director, will serve as the party's legal counsel, according to Richard D. Bennett, the party's chairman. West will be responsible for keeping the party in conformity with state and federal election laws.

Bennett also announced that Dick Hug, fund-raising chairman for Ellen R. Sauerbrey's financially successful 1998 campaign for governor, will be the state's finance chairman.

Hug's efforts pushed Sauerbrey beyond Gov. Parris N. Glendening in last year's race. Though Glendening won by a healthy margin, the GOP was heartened by the Sauerbrey-Hug performance in the critical area of campaign cash.

At the same time, Bennett announced that the Maryland GOP will relocate its headquarters to 15 West St. in downtown Annapolis, mere steps from the State House.

Pub Date: 3/30/99