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Tony Puca knows his way around an election. The 62-year-old North Potomac resident has run in at least seven state or local races in the past 24 years.

Now he is aiming to represent District 39 in the House of Delegates. He calls it a great experiment.

"Can you do more in office than you can do out of office?" he wondered aloud during a recent interview. "For the last 20 years I have done more for the people in this county than any elected official."

Puca touts his success as a fundraiser for various local organizations — Scotland Community Center in Potomac, Rockville Senior Center and Potomac Community Resources are listed in a campaign flier — as proof he can get things done when red tape blocks other solutions.

"My entire life has been predicated around helping other people and doing things for others less fortunate than myself," Puca said.

If elected, Puca said he will fight for banking reform and regulation, health insurance for all Marylanders and growing the state's revenue base.

On banking, he would declare a state moratorium on foreclosures and force lenders to a state-mediated bargaining table with distressed homeowners before foreclosure action could be taken.

"I think we can try something," he said, to stem the foreclosure crisis. "It's nice to threaten someone and see if it works. If not, at least you tried."

Puca is a mortgage loan officer at First Washington Mortgage. He said he never presented any of his customers with a sub-prime mortgage.

Puca said all Marylanders should have access to health insurance. He proposes allowing all residents to join any county or state employee insurance pool. The state should also give private businesses incentives to buy insurance for their employees, he said.

To raise the state revenue base, Puca said state pension and savings accounts should invest more heavily in hedge funds, which have greater returns in good years, but also are riskier.

The candidate has $7,000 in campaign funds on-hand and hopes to raise $8,000 more.

"I'm doing this because this is how I want to spend the rest of my life," Puca said. "What I can do that other delegates can't do is get things done."

-Residence: North Potomac

-Age: 62

-Party: Democrat

-Education: Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from University of Maryland.

-Work experience: Mortgage loan officer at First Washington Mortgage and owner of Professional Business Services, an office furniture company.

-Family: Four daughters, five grandchildren.

-Top issues: Banking reform and regulation; health insurance; and growing the state's revenue base.

-Campaign funds: $7,000 on-hand

-Previous political experience: Precinct official in 1976, Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, several runs for office, various other fundraising and advisory positions.

-Website: www.tonypucafor

delegate.com