Bill Frick

After unknown Bill Frick emerged out of a large field to become the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee's choice for replacement delegate in District 16 lat September, some are wondering whether it could happen again.

With five in the race to replace Jane Lawton in District 18, a friend of Rick Kessler describes a policy wonk with political instinct - and someone who could break out of Sunday night's candidate forum as the sleeper candidate.

Jeff Carroll, chief of staff to New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone, got to know Kessler while working on Pallone's 1998 re-election campaign. That year, Pallone faced a serious challenge from Republican Mike Ferguson (who would go on to win a seat in another district) and Kessler took some time off from work to show Carroll the ropes.

"He taught me how to do GOTV," Carroll told PolitickerMD.com.

DNC Vice Chair Susan TurnbullThis Sunday, high-ranking Democratic National Committee member Susan Turnbull and her husband Bruce are hosting a fundraiser for Montgomery County Delegate Bill Frick at their Bethesda home.

Turnbull, who was elected DNC Vice Chair in February 2005, has served on the DNC Executive Committee since 1997. She has been especially influential as a member of the Women’s Caucus, which she chaired from 1997 to 2003. In 2001 she was a founding Co-Chair of the DNC Women's Vote Center and was appointed DNC Deputy Chair in the fall of 2003 before her current position.

Del. Frick is the currently the weakest link among his District 16 colleagues, as there will be no shortage of ambitious local Democrats looking to seize on his low name recognition and give him a tough primary in 2010.