5th District

The Associated Press has called several primary races in Maryland, declaring that Gov. Martin O'Malley and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski have topped the little-known Democrats challenging them. Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has won his primary against investor and businessman Brian Murphy, according to the AP, with early results showing Ehrlich ahead by a 4-to-1 margin. The following incumbent Democratic members of congress have also been declared winners: C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (2nd district)

The Evening Sun makes the following endorsements for Tuesday's primary election. You may clip this list and take it with you into the voting booth.PRESIDENTDemocrat .. Paul TsongasRepublican..George BushUnited States SenateDemocrat .. Barbara MikulskiRepublican..Joseph CassillyHouse of Representatives1ST District-Wayne Gilchrist.. .. ..(R)Thomas McMillen.. .. ..(D)2ND District-Helen Bentley.. .. .. .(R)Michael Hickey.. .. .. (D)3RD District-William Brisker.. .. ..(R)Benjamin Cardin .. .. (D)

Brenda H. Reiber, a homemaker and mother of three, was elected to a two-year term as 4th District representative to the Crofton Civic Association board of directors last night. It was the only contested seat in this year's elections in the special tax district.Reiber received 52 votes, defeating Robert Johnston, who had 18, and Ohlen M. Hunt with 14, according to the count conducted after five hours of voting at Crofton Elementary School.As expected, turnout was light for an election with only one contested seat and one seat with no candidate.

As a result of redistricting, Maryland's 5th Legislative District no longer includes a sliver of Baltimore County. The district now falls entirely within Carroll County, and the conservative orientation of the electoral politics reflects that change.Running unopposed for the Republican nomination for the Senate is incumbent first-termer Larry E. Haines. A conservative, Mr. Haines worked the past four years to increase penalties for a variety of criminal activities. He also labored for measures such as exempting church-run nursery schools from state regulations and allowing parents to spank children without running afoul of the state's child abuse statutes.

Donald J. Devine, the conservative personnel director in the early years of the Reagan administration, yesterday launched a campaign to unseat Maryland's powerful 5th District congressman, Democrat Steny H. Hoyer.Kicking off his candidacy with stops in Lanham and Annapolis, Mr. Devine laced into Mr. Hoyer -- the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives -- for being a "tax-and-spend" liberal. He also vowed to reform Congress, which he said has lost touch with the values of the people.

CLARIFICATION An article and a caption under a photograph of Republican Del. Nancy R. Stocksdale on Page 3B Sunday about Carroll's proposed redistricting might have given the impression that Stocksdale has not made up her mind about seeking re-election. She will seek re-election to the Maryland House of Delegates. A slight change in Gov. Parris N. Glendening's legislative redistricting plan for Maryland could leave one of three incumbent Carroll delegates without a job come November. Under the original redistricting plan, three at-large delegates would have represented the redrawn 5th District, which would include a large chunk of Carroll and the northern part of Baltimore County.

The three Democratic nominees for the House of Delegates in District 33 -- David G. Boschert, Mike Canning and Del. Marsha Perry -- have formed The Friends of Marsha, Dave and Mike, a committee that allows them to pool their resources.They will be able to hold joint fund-raisers, buy advertising and send out literature as a team.The candidates have enlisted the help of three who lost in the district Democratic primary. Sylvia Jennings will chair the committee. Hal Counihan will serve as the committee treasurer and Dan Nataf will be the political director.

The Howard County executive said yesterday that he would veto the councilmanic redistricting plan pushed by the council chairman if it passed in its present form.Executive Charles I. Ecker, a Republican, said the redistricting proposal unveiled earlier this week by C. Vernon Gray, D-3rd, "goes out of its way to move the district lines all around, while my plan makes the current district lines as close as possible.""If the present plan is adopted, I will veto it," he said.Mr. Gray termed the veto threat "blatant partisan politics" an said the executive "just wants to put in what is actually the Republican plan at the expense of the citizens."

THERE ARE no primary elections for Howard County's 4th Councilmanic District seat. Incumbent Democrat Mary C. Lorsung is unopposed. She will face the sole Republican candidate, Gregory Fox, in the general election on Nov. 3.But the vacancy created by the decision of three-term Republican 5th District Councilman Charles C. Feaga to run for county executive has spurred four Republicans and two Democrats to seek his western Howard County seat.In the Democratic primary, Bernard J. Noppinger, 63, an Ellicott City printer, faces Debra Ann Slack-Katz, 43, a registered nurse and health consultant who lives in Sykesville.

Taped to the cafeteria door of the Crofton Middle School yesterday were two sample ballots designed to help voters make up their minds before entering a voting booth.On the left was a list of Republicans that included candidates from the 5th Congressional District. On the right was a list of Democratic candidates from the 1st Congressional District.Which one was right?"Well I'll be doggoned," said Carene Housenfluck the chief judge at the Middle School, when shown the two forms. "This is what they gave us. That's what we put up. That's not right."