The dean of state legislators, Democrat John Vasconcellos, is unopposed in his party for re-election to a second term in the state Senate's 13th District.

On the Republican side is John Longwell, a physician and clinic owner.

The only contested primary race is between Libertarians Kennita Watson and John H. Webster.

The 67-year-old Vasconcellos, who was elected in 1996 after serving 30 years in the state Assembly, is chairman of the Public Safety Committee and sits on several other committees, including appropriations, education, and health and human services.

Longwell, 57, who is making his first run at public office, advocates access to health care for everyone and the ability for them to choose their own insurance and doctors, giving more power on decisions affecting education to local school boards and parents, increased freeway construction, and more affordable housing.

Watson, 39, a software quality engineer who has run several times on the Libertarian ticket, wants to give voters an alternative to standard party politics and supports the Libertarian Party platform on the protection of individual rights.

Webster, 54, a software engineer who ran for the 13th Senate seat in 1992, said he's running to restore individual rights that have been subverted by the nation's justice system. Those, he said, would include the reform of laws on drugs, guns and child abuse.