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Two Prince George's County delegates are contemplating joining an already crowded field of confirmed county executive hopefuls and rumored candidates next year.

First-term Dels. Gerron S. Levi and Aisha N. Braveboy confirmed Monday they have reached out to Democratic Party leaders or are being urged to explore a bid for the county's top job.

Levi (D-Dist. 23A) of Woodmore met with Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Dist. 27) of Chesapeake Beach last week, according to a source who was aware of the meeting but was not authorized to share details. She said Monday that she expects to be in the race.

Braveboy (D-Dist. 25) of Mitchellville, who is close with term-limited County Executive Jack B. Johnson, would not rule out any possibilities regarding her political future, including running for re-election, challenging state Sen. Ulysses Currie (D-Dist. 25) of Forestville or seeking the county's top job.

In an interview, Levi, who is a federal lobbyist for the AFL-CIO, said she has received encouragement from people whom she has discussed the possibility of running for county executive. She emphasized her vision for the county's economic future coming out of the current recession.

"We're in the global challenge of a generation," she said. "I think those elected officials and others who believe they have a vision for helping their communities prepare for that have to step forward and see if the electorate out there agrees with them."

Braveboy, an attorney, said she has the budget expertise to lead the county out of troubled fiscal times.

"I look at myself as someone who has a great deal of experience working in government," she said.

Their potential entry into the contest would add to an already muddled Democratic primary field that includes former state delegate and two-time executive candidate Rushern L. Baker III and County Council members Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) of Temple Hills and Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville. Other rumored candidates include State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, Sheriff Michael A. Jackson and Sen. Anthony C. Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington.

During her first term in Annapolis, Levi, 41, has been vocal on prisoner re-entry programs, truancy and other educational issues. She considers the state of the county's public schools and high crime trends to be closely aligned with the county's economic prosperity.

"I think we have to continually work on changing the perception of the county and maximizing the tremendous assets that we have," Levi said.

She is not intimidated by the stout competition expected to be on the ballot in next September's primary.

"What I'm focusing on right now with my committee is how to set up the infrastructure for a winning campaign," she said. "I think this is a critical time for the county. I believe I'm going to offer a vision to meet this critical time. So far, I'm not hearing a great deal about where various candidates in the race want to take the county: Where are we going from here? What is the roadmap for the next four to eight years?"

Braveboy, 35, has focused on business, employee wage and real estate issues. But she emerged as a key player in 2008 on an O'Malley administration bill that sought to require DNA collection upon arrest of serious crimes. Her advocacy as head of a Legislative Black Caucus work group led to several key concessions in the final product, but it also reportedly ruffled some feathers among some House lawmakers.

Her previous work in Prince George's County government — she was a legislative liaison and land acquisition manager during Johnson's first term — gives her valuable administrative experience if she decides to run for executive, she said. That, coupled with her work in the legislature, would "set me apart" from other candidates.

However, Braveboy, who is hosting a bowling fundraiser tonight in Forestville, said she is keeping all her options open for now and does not expect to make any final decisions regarding her political future until at least next spring.

One clue that lends credence to her seeking higher office is her hiring of a Bel Air-based fundraiser whose client list features some of the state's more prominent Democrats.