State's Attorney Douglas F. Gansler and County Council President Thomas E. Perez introduced themselves to about 50 party leaders, who came from as far away as Cecil County and Ocean City to plan for next year's statewide elections.

The two men previewed vastly different messages in the backroom of the Rustic Inn in downtown Easton. Perez stressed the role of the attorney general in protecting consumers, while Gansler crafted his image as the tough law-and-order candidate.

If 73-year-old incumbent J. Joseph Curran Jr. (D) decides to retire, as has been widely speculated, the attorney general's office would be a prime target for several ambitious and anxious Democrats.

While neither man has officially declared his candidacy, Perez and Gansler lead a long list of potential candidates. Gansler has already raised $1 million for the campaign.

Others mentioned as potential Democratic candidates include Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D), Del. Anthony G. Brown (D-Dist. 25) of Upper Marlboro and Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda, chairman of the Judicial Proceedings Committee.

On the Republican side, Frederick County State's Attorney Scott L. Rolle and Transportation Secretary Robert L. Flanagan may be in the running -- if Curran retires. Both would hope to campaign on the coattails of Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.

"I think Joe Curran will run again," said Rolle, Frederick's state's attorney for 10 years. "But if or when he decides to step down, it would be an option that I would certainly consider."

Rolle said he has spoken with Maryland Republican Party Chairman John M. Kane and Ehrlich (R) about a potential attorney general run in 2006.

The scene in Easton on Saturday was focused on the Democrats.

Gansler, who was first elected state's attorney in 1998, exhorted his fellow Democrats not to cede the crime control and homeland security issues to the GOP.

"These are not Republican issues," said Gansler, who was escorted to the meeting by former U.S. Sen. Joseph Tydings (D) of Harford County.

Perez, a Takoma Park civil rights lawyer serving his first term on the County Council, spoke of his work in the Clinton Justice Department and as a top aide to U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) as a guardian of consumer interests.

He touted his efforts to stem the rising costs of prescription drugs for Montgomery residents by seeking to re-import drugs from Canada.

Then, Perez took the Democratic Party to task for abandoning religion and discussions about values -- two core components of the national Republican Party's message.

"I don't understand why the Republicans have become the party of values," said Perez, a Roman Catholic. "God cannot become a four-letter word for Democrats."

Rita Davison of Rising Sun, a member of the Cecil County Democratic Central Committee, said she was inspired by Perez's message.

"Democrats need to get back in touch with our values," said Davison, a Christian. "God needs to come first."

Gansler's rise to prominence has come through prosecution of high-profile criminal cases, a fact noted by Tydings in his opening remarks. But prosecutorial functions make up a small part of the duties of the attorney general.

Curran was a long-time legislator and lieutenant governor before he was elected. During his five terms in office, Curran has emphasized his role as the bulwark of consumer defense role. He has waged high-profile battles against slots and tobacco lobbies, sometimes to the dismay of conservatives within his party.

Younger Democrats are getting restless for change in the party, as emphasized by the willingness of Gansler and Perez to both travel to Easton on a Saturday morning, more than 19 months before from the 2006 primary.

At the meeting, speculation circulated that Curran would retire to clear the way for his son-in-law, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, to run for governor. Curran has said that he is running for re-election, but both Gansler and Perez talked openly about their interest in the office.

"Given that Martin O'Malley is likely to run for governor, the possibility that Joe Curran may not run is possible," Gansler said. "You don't want to wake up two months before an election and say 'I need to learn what the issues are around the state.'"

While Gansler is certainly ahead in fund-raising, Perez's potential candidacy has also drawn his attention. Gansler said on Monday that Perez, a leader in the Latino community, "speaks for the liberal wing of the party." He noted that Perez has been in elected office for only two years.

Perez said he was proud to be fighting for "bread-and-butter issues" such as affordable housing, access to health care and quality education, adding that his legal career has included the prosecution and conviction of criminals.

"That's what an attorney general does, that's what a County Councilman does -- they fight for the underdog. They fight for fairness and inclusion," Perez said Thursday. "There is a thirst among Democratic Party activists that we need change to reflect the core values that this party is all about."

As for being termed a spokesman for the "liberal wing" by Gansler, Perez said: "People who try to label other people are trying to avoid issues."