Former Del. Joseph M. Getty (right), a Manchester Republican, announced this week that he will vie for the state Senate seat being vacated by Larry E. Haines. It appears Haines, who represents District 5, will back Getty, too: The Carroll County Times reported Tuesday that the incumbent would endorse Getty if he chose to run, leaving other Carroll County Republicans interested in the job to plow ahead without the support of the 20-year legislative veteran.

So far, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections' candidate list, only Dale Lusher, another Manchester Republican, has filed to run for the seat.

Getty, an attorney, did not run for a third term in the House of Delegates in 2002, citing a 1994 campaign promise to stand by a self-imposed term limit. At the time, he called his withdrawal from politics temporary and did not rule out future races. He added that he would have liked to run for Senate, but that he would not challenge Haines, whose re-election he supported.

In the Assembly, the low-key, thoughtful Getty was respected by Republicans and Democrats, and generally did not stray from his conservative principles. Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. named Getty to head the administration's policy shop. More recently, he has been advising the Senate Republican caucus in Annapolis.