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Al Carr has had a busy freshman session in Annapolis.

The District 18 delegate said he's championed 12 bills that have been signed into law since he was appointed in December 2007 to fill the late Jane Lawton's seat.

Carr said he's proud of his accomplishments. One law state officials to get community input before cutting train or commuter bus service; another strives to enhance small-business growth in Wheaton; and another promotes greater transparency in Montgomery County's public school budget.

"They're all substantive bills that actually affect real people," Carr said.

Carr is running for election in District 18, which includes parts of Wheaton, Silver Spring, Kensington and Chevy Chase, for the second time. He ran in 2006 and lost, but Gov. Martin O'Malley appointed him to the seat when Lawton died.

Carr came to the Statehouse with five years of legislative experience, as councilman and temporary mayor in his hometown of Kensington. He says his career track is rare in Maryland: He is one of the state's few representatives who has held municipal office as well.

"I have a proven track record in my eight years as an elected official of getting things done," he said.

Through it all, Carr has made three issues his cornerstone: environmental protection, civil rights and consumer protection.

Looking to the future, Carr said he'd like to address several social and environmental hot points, including legislation to regulate plastic bags clogging regional waterways, efficiency standards for televisions and outdoor lighting and a law allowing same-sex marriage in Maryland.

He is running lockstep with his Democratic District 18 colleagues: delegates Jeff Waldstreicher, Ana Sol Gutierrez and Sen. Richard Madaleno. The four appear in each other's campaign ads as a show of support and also appear together on District 18 posters.

"There's no one I would rather work with than my three teammates," Carr said of why he's running alongside the other incumbents.

It's a campaign tactic one of Carr's constituents, Kensington resident Judy Higgins, would rather he drop.

"I don't find it helpful to me," she said. "I'm going to vote for who I vote for."

Higgins did say she appreciates how attentive Carr is to his constituents. She sees him frequently at small community meetings and town events.

"He's extremely responsive," Higgins said.

But she feels Carr and his District 18 colleagues are less responsive to the Montgomery County Council. Higgins said many voters feel there's a fundamental lack of communication between their two governing bodies, and it's causing preventable problems.

"If there's an issue, I would think that it would behoove our elected officials to discuss with each other how they feel about it," she said, citing the residential uproar over a proposed Costco store and gas station as an example.

That perception could be a problem for incumbents like Carr, Higgins said.

Carr acknowledges the current political climate isn't as friendly as past election cycles toward incumbents. He's not taking anything for granted; knocking on doors and sending out mailers as fervently as his challengers. But he said he's hoping the voters in District 18 understand their elected officials already in office are the best for them.

"In the current atmosphere, I think people are paying closer attention, and they're less forgiving of their elected officials," he said. "But for the elected officials who have been responsive, who have been working hard, there shouldn't be a problem."

-Residence: 3904 Washington St., Kensington

-Date of birth: Nov. 2, 1965

-Party: Democrat

-Education: Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Rochester; certificate in local government studies from University of Maryland.

-Work experience: Twenty years in the telecommunications industry in sales, marketing, engineering and government relations

-Family: Married for 10 years to Barrie Carr, a teacher; three sons - Miles, 8; Toby, 4; and Oliver, 1 month.

-Top three issues: The economy; education; and sustainable environmental, energy and transportation policies

-Campaign funds: Between Dec. 21, 2007, and January 13, 2010, reported 626 contributions totaling $50,860. More than 90 percent of the contributions are from individuals, and more than 90 percent of the contributions are from Maryland donors.

-Previous political experience: Appointed State Delegate (Dist. 18) in 2007 and is an incumbent. Active on Environmental Matters Committee and subcommittees on Transportation, Environment and Local Government. Co-chair of Green Caucus. Three-term elected Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem for Town of Kensington, 2002-2007.

-Other affiliations: Member of Legislative Black Caucus.

-Website: www.alcarr.org