Potential competitors are emerging to contest Rep. Anthony Verga's expected run for an eighth term in the Legislature.

Astrid af Klinteberg, a former city councilor, told the Times she's running, and Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Mayor John Bell's former campaign manager, said she is thinking about a race.

Both are lawyers and Democrats. Both also credit Verga with doing a good job and assume he is running again, but said they could do better.

Af Klinteberg, 42, who practices juvenile law, said she would bring the same feisty advocacy to the district, which comprises Gloucester, Rockport and Essex.

An activist in Democratic circles, she describes herself as a "fighter for kids."

In her two terms on the council, representing Ward 4 (Annisquam, Bay View and Lanesville), af Klinteberg seemed to enjoy challenging authority. She campaigned to end smoking in public places.

Ferrante, 35, would be running her first campaign. She said she would make a decision about running by March. In the meantime, Ferrante said she would be raising money and evaluating the opportunity.

Her strengths, she said, are "advocacy and energy."

Ferrante worked for the Massachusetts Fisheries Resources Commission and was an organizer of the Northeast Seafood Coalition, which has fought federal cutbacks in time at sea for the fishing fleet.

As a courtesy, Ferrante said she informed Verga of her interest in running a week ago.

Verga, 72, said he is definitely running again.

In 2006, Verga was challenged in the Democratic primary by Max Schenk, a sanitarian for the Board of Health who also chairs the Conservation Commission.

An oversight in filing his papers kept Schenk off the ballot, but he ran a sticker campaign, getting 25 percent of the votes in the Democratic primary.

Verga said he is ready for challengers.

"I've got lots of experience, more than young people have," said Verga, who is House chairman of the Joint Veterans and Federal Affairs Committee.

"It's pretty important to have knowledge of politics in Massachusetts," Verga said.

Before entering politics, Verga was executive director of the Gloucester Fisheries Commission. Before that, he was a fisherman.

"I'm not afraid of work," said Verga, who has paired with Sen. Bruce Tarr, a Republican, on most issues.

In 1994, Verga ran and won the seat Tarr surrendered when Tarr ran and won the Senate seat.

No Republican has emerged as a possible opponent to the winner of the Democratic primary.