Between now and November, a slew of interest groups with varying degrees of influence in Annapolis will generate lists of endorsed candidates for statewide and legislative races.

It's often hard to know what motivates a particular group -- whether it will give its blessing to candidates who are "pure" on their issues or to those who are most likely to win and remember their supporters when it comes time to vote in coming years.

And it's hard to say how much these lists really matter. In some cases -- mostly those in which a candidate is not so well known or a group's blessing in unexpected -- an endorsement can be helpful. In a Democratic primary, for example, a single candidate who racks up the endorsements of all the major constituency groups will stand out.

On the other hand, it's hard to imagine that a labor union giving its nod to Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) over former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) is going to be the deciding factor for too many voters. It's what people have come to expect.

If nothing else, though, the past week has proved that legislative leaders are paying close attention to the process.

We heard from multiple sources that Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) was less than thrilled with a list of endorsed candidates issued by the Maryland League of Conservation Voters, arguably the state's most influential environmental group.

The group's list of 60 early endorsements last week was notable for several reasons, including its inclusion of some challengers to incumbent state senators from Montgomery County.

Among those passed over by the environmental group was Sen. Jennie M. Forehand (D-Montgomery), a 32-year veteran of the legislature. The group instead gave its nod to her Democratic primary rival, former Montgomery delegate Cheryl C. Kagan.

The league similarly sided with Del. Karen S. Montgomery, who is challenging Sen. Rona E. Kramer in a Democratic Senate primary. And the league gave its blessing to the Senate primary bid of Del. Saqib Ali, who is challenging Sen. Nancy J. King in another Montgomery district.

"We're looking for folks, particularly in the Senate, to show real leadership," explained Cindy Schwartz, the group's executive director. "We need people we can count on."

House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve (D-Montgomery) hardly hid his pique with some decisions announced in recent days by another group: NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland. A copy of Barve's letter to the chairwoman of the group's political action committee -- which arrived in our inbox around midnight Sunday -- is so rich we're tempted to print it in full.

"Thank you for endorsing me for reelection," Barve begins. "However, for the first time in 24 years, I am stunned by many of the endorsement decisions of the PAC."

Barve goes on to note his own involvement with the group -- which included serving as treasurer of Maryland NARAL and its political action committee between 1986 and 1990.

"While you are quite vocal as to your supported candidates, you are less so with respect to those who are merely pro-choice," Barve continues. "I had to search on your website and finally found what can only be described as an error-filled list of candidates." Among his examples: "Janet Greenip is anti-choice, but she is no longer a member of the Maryland Senate. Oops!"

Perhaps most notably, Barve takes exception with the group's endorsement of Kagan over Forehand, asking "has Jennie ever done anything but help the cause during her time in office?"

It's safe to say that NARAL won't be the only group with some explaining to do in coming months.

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