In October, Congress registered its all-time low public approval rating — 9 percent. To put that figure in perspective, polling put the approval rating for the U.S. “going communist” at 11 percent and for the BP oil spill at 16 percent. Now, that’s low!

Which makes it all the more surprising, perhaps, that some Maryland politicians — and non-politicians alike — are falling over themselves to run for Congress. Besides the usual assortment of perennial and fringe candidates, the list includes a fair bunch of current or former state legislators. Wednesday was the filing deadline for candidates to enter the April 3 primary.

All told, 53 candidates have filed to run in the primary for Maryland’s eight congressional seats. A laundry list of 19 candidates, including incumbent Benjamin L. Cardin of Pikesville, has filed to run for the U.S. Senate.

Among the congressional races, the most popular — and likely the most up for grabs — is in the 6th District. Following the reconfiguring of the district during the decennial reapportionment process, an effort by Democrats to make the 6th less conservative, a whopping 13 candidates have filed. That includes four Democrats as well as incumbent Roscoe G. Bartlett of Buckeystown and six other Republicans.

In the 6th District, longtime Sen. David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market and Del. Kathy Afzali (R-Dist. 4A) of Middletown, a late entrant into the race, are among those taking on the 85-year-old Bartlett. Another well-known name is that of former delegate and long-standing political gadfly Robin Ficker. Meanwhile, former state senator Alex X. Mooney, now the state GOP chairman, had considered running but instead endorsed Bartlett. On the Democratic side, state Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D-Dist. 15) of Germantown is the presumptive favorite.

In the 2nd District, state Sen. Nancy Jacobs (R-Dist. 34) of Abingdon and Del. Richard K. Impallaria (R-Dist. 7) of Middle River, who filed to run close to the deadline, are among five party members competing for the chance to take on five-term Democratic Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Cockeysville. Jacobs said she doesn’t believe Ruppersberger has ever encountered a serious challenger.

In the 5th District, Del. Anthony J. O’Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) of Lusby, the state House minority leader, is facing two fellow Republicans in the primary. The winner goes up against U.S. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer of Mechanicsville, the second-ranking Democrat in the U.S. House. O’Donnell said he is convinced Hoyer is “part of the problem in Washington, D.C., right now.”

Meanwhile, in the U.S. Senate race, state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington is challenging Cardin.

So, sifting through the candidate lists, why would so many state lawmakers want to join Congress at this low point in the institution’s history? Masochism? A messianic complex? Perhaps there’s a simpler explanation, at least to explain the Republicans’ presence in races for a place on the national stage. Maybe federal gridlock and discord are viewed as welcome alternatives to the state government’s lock-step, one-party domination.