ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - With little to no opposition for Maryland's statewide Democratic officeholders from within their party, attention has turned to next month's competitive primaries for state Senate seats in the Washington suburbs.

Attorney General Doug Gansler already is guaranteed re-election without a challenge of any kind, not even from a Republican in the general election. Comptroller Peter Franchot, who will face one of three Republicans in the general election, doesn't have an opponent in this year's Democratic primary. Gov. Martin O'Malley, while preparing for a close race with Republican Robert Ehrlich, has only long-shot opposition for the Democratic nomination from Ralph Jaffe and J.P. Cusick.

Primary races for state Senate seats feature a variety of competitive contests in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Incumbents in several contested Senate primaries on Sept. 14 are up against opponents from the House of Delegates.

Sen. Nancy King, who was appointed to her seat in 2007, faces Delegate Saqib Ali, who is finishing his first term in the House. The fiercely competitive Montgomery County race has included peppery criticism in mailings and on the Internet. King's campaign has put up a website critical of her opponent's record in the House. It also features a photograph of Ali asleep on a couch in the House lounge, suggesting he was sleeping on the job.

Ali, who has sent out mailings criticizing King, said many claims made on the website are "flat-out untrue" and taken out of context. He said the photo wasn't taken during active legislative proceedings.

"This is something that's really beyond the pale," Ali said in an interview.

King said she can back up the criticism on the website with extensive research, and she noted the testiness of the primary in Maryland's largest jurisdiction.

"We eat our own in Montgomery County," King said.

Sen. Jennie Forehand, who has served in the Senate since 1995 after representing the county for 16 years in the House of Delegates, is facing a challenge from former state Delegate Cheryl Kagan in the district that includes Rockville, the county seat of Maryland's most affluent jurisdiction.

Forehand said this race is her toughest yet.

"I think the aggressiveness of the campaign and the cost are really much greater than I've ever seen," said Forehand, who noted she has had to work a lot harder to raise more money than she has for any of her previous campaigns.

Sen. Rona Kramer, a two-term Montgomery County senator, is being challenged by Delegate Karen Montgomery. Sen. Mike Lenett, who is finishing his first term, is competing with Delegate Roger Manno in another Montgomery County district.

Then, there are some potentially close matchups in neighboring Prince George's County.

Sen. David Harrington, who was appointed to the seat in 2008, is being challenged by Delegate Victor Ramirez. Sen. Nathaniel Exum, who has held the seat since 1999, is up against Delegate Joanne Benson. Douglas Peters, who is finishing his first term, has three primary opponents in Mike Anderson, Darrell Carrington and Bobby Henry.

Democrats in Montgomery and Prince George's aren't the only ones with competitive primaries.

A Republican showdown in Washington County between a veteran lawmaker and a younger challenger who has been the minority whip in the House has been drawing attention in western Maryland for months. Sen. Donald Munson is hoping his experience will enable him to win his sixth term, while Delegate Christopher Shank is campaigning for a change. There is no Democratic candidate in that race, so the winner of the GOP primary has a clear path to winning the seat.

In Anne Arundel County, Republican Delegate James King, who owns a bar and restaurant in Annapolis, is trying to unseat Edward Reilly, a former county council chairman who was appointed last year to replace Janet Greenip, who retired.

On the Eastern Shore, Delegate Jim Mathias, Ocean City's former mayor, is running against Charles Lehrer in the Democratic primary to take on Republican Michael James, general manager of the Carousel Oceanfront Hotel and Condominiums in Ocean City. They are running to fill a vacancy created by retiring four-term Republican Sen. J. Lowell Stoltzfus.

While most of the Maryland General Assembly primary drama is in the Senate, there will be new faces in the House of Delegates in 2011. About two dozen delegates have either retired or left to run for other offices.

There are 13 Democrats running in District 16, a Montgomery County district which has three seats. Two incumbents in District 14 in Montgomery County are seeking other offices. Delegate Herman Taylor is taking on Rep. Donna Edwards in a congressional Democratic primary, and Montgomery is challenging Kramer in the Senate.

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