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It's that time in the term when election speculation runs rampant — who's running for what office, which incumbents need to step up their game and what surprises may be lurking in the weeds.

Here are a few morsels that have caught our attention of late:

The presumed Don Munson-Chris Shank primary showdown continues to gather steam, especially with conservative activist Neil Parrott announcing this week that he intends to run for the seat currently held by the House GOP's No. 2. Shank showed up at Parrott's announcement and suggested that he wouldn't have shown up if the two were running against each other next year.

Howard County Republicans have high hopes that a political novice with a curious name and an athletic pedigree might help them win back a Senate seat they lost in 2006. Kyle Lorton, a 1980 University of Maryland alum who played center for the football team but is not to be confused with Denver Broncos' starting signal-caller Kyle Orton, is the man the GOP is hoping can knock off Jim Robey, the ex-county police chief-turned-county exec.

Some eyebrows raised when Doug Gansler's name appeared as a guest of honor at a fundraiser in Potomac for Saqib Ali, who has everyone thinking he's going to challenge Nancy King in a Democratic primary. A source close to Gansler batted down any talk that it indicates support for Ali if he does challenge King.

Speaking of the AG, a pair of house parties in Potomac and Owings Mills with a slew of notable names on the guest list is more evidence that he's gonna be a tough out should he run for governor in 2014. The who's who included his two predecessors, Joe Curran and Steve Sachs, one-time AG candidate Stu Simms, former Baltimore mayor Tommy D'Alessandro, former U.S. Sen. Joe Tydings and former Baltimore County exec Teddy Venetoulis. The Potomac reception, which was slated to be held Thursday night, featured U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who was also that state's AG. The Gansler-Whitehouse wives also regularly dine together, we're told.

Charles Lollar, whose potential gubernatorial bid ended when it was revealed that he didn't meet minimum residency requirements, is set to formally announce his campaign to take on Steny Hoyer. The announcement will be Wednesday in Prince George's County.

Former delegate Dave Boschert is holding a fundraiser this month in Crofton, feeding speculation that he might give Anne Arundel county executive another go or perhaps run to regain his old seat in the House of Delegates, which would mean jumping into a race with incumbents Tony McConkey and Jim King.

— Alan Brody

No fail for Franchot

Peter Franchot met his goal of raising $15,000 by the end of September with room to spare.

When time expired at midnight Thursday, Franchot's campaign Web site reported that the comptroller reeled in $18,040 since the fundraising call was issued several weeks ago.

Of course, it won't be until early next year, when campaign finance reports are released, that we know what kind of financial shape PVRF is in heading into the 2010 campaign and perhaps beyond.

— Alan Brody

A different kind

of song and dance

Prior to Thursday's ceremony honoring Stanley Plumly as Maryland's ninth poet laureate, the dulcet tones of a classical guitarist entertained guests who gathered in the governor's reception room.

Gov. Martin O'Malley's communications director, Rick Abbruzzese, joked with a few reporters that they might start having musical accompaniment prior to future events, including before the announcement of gloomy news like budget cuts.

That prompted one ink-stained wretch to suggest a fitting selection for such an occasion: "Taps."

— Alan Brody

Oh, won't you stay?

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation has agreed to give the Environmental Protection Agency a bit longer to clean up its act.

On Wednesday, the organization announced that CBF and its co-plaintiffs have agreed to put on hold a lawsuit calling on the EPA to use the federal Clean Water Act as a tool for cleaning up the Bay enough to remove it from the impaired-waters list.

The move is a sign that CBF is pleased with steps toward cleaning up the Bay taken by the Obama administration, which included an executive order pledging greater federal involvement.

Last month, the EPA released one of seven draft plans for cleaning up the Bay developed by federal agencies whose actions impact the troubled estuary.

Among the drafts were plans for greater EPA leadership and penalties for states that fail to stop pollution of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

"The draft reports recommend many of the actions CBF identified as necessary to resolve our lawsuit," CBF President Will Baker said in a statement. "In some cases, the reports do not go far enough and CBF will press for improvements in the draft restoration strategy that will be released for public comment in November."

The final strategy, which CBF hopes will include actions the organization sought through the lawsuit, will be released in May.

Baker's statement made it clear that the stay is a tenuous legal reprieve, as CBF continues to negotiate with the feds over commitments and deadlines for Bay cleanup.

"If, during negotiations, we do not believe that EPA is making the necessary commitments the stay order allows us to reinstate our suit and proceed with litigation," Baker said.

— Sean R. Sedam