As politicians position themselves for the 2010 elections, sure as the sun comes up in the morning, the ones who hold office will try to use this legislative session to attract attention and lure as much support as they can.

But, the session is tricky. Unsuspecting candidate-lawmakers can find even their best issues -- the points they truly believe define them -- jumping up to bite them in places it hurts them most.  Here's an example to illustrate the point:

On Monday, Senate President Jeff Atwater, R-North Palm Beach, joined House Speaker Larry Cretul, R-Ocala, in filing a resolution calling on Congress to support an Amendments Convention for the purpose of passing a balanced budget amendment.

Apparently, oops ...

The Capitol press corps came down on Atwater like a ton of bricks. He spent much of the speech's aftermath swatting down reporters’ questions asking if calling for this amendment was hypocritical in light of how Florida’s balanced budget relied on federal stimulus money.

Over the next two days, in four different press stories, Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, lambasted Atwater for being a hypocrite in wanting Congress to balance the budget while relying on federal stimulus money to balance Florida's budget. Fitzgerald also pointed out that Congress hasn't once supported a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution since it was ratified in 1788.

As Atwater balances presiding over the Senate and running for chief financial officer, he might as well break out his flak jacket. Every time he climbs up on a bully pulpit, he'll be fielding buckshot.

Atwater is not alone. Other officeholders/office-seekers are trying to use the spotlight  to further their 2010 electoral ambitions.

Gov. Charlie Crist is running for the U.S. Senate. Attorney General Bill McCollum, CFO Alex Sink and Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, are running for governor. Rep. Pat Patterson, R-DeLand, hopes to upset Atwater in the Republican primary for CFO. Lt. Gov, Jeff Kottkamp, Sen. Dave Aronberg, D-Greenacres, and Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach have joined the attorney general race.

Add to those at least 10 state senators and representatives running for Congress, with others on the sidelines still contemplating it.

While legislators will not be able to fund-raise for state office during the session or use staff for campaign activities during regular business hours, those running for higher office will attempt to turn the media spotlight until it focuses on them. But, they do so at their own peril. If they misstep or misspeak, that media glare can turn into a burn.

Political opponents also are ready to throw obstacles in the path of their rivals. The session is only three days old, and McCollum and Sink have already taken shots at each other’s records on everything from attempts to control costs to ethic reforms.

A relentless reporter corps trying to do its job can pose an obstacle, especially in pointing out a politician’s inconsistencies.

Kottkamp is an example. NewsMax.com ran an interview with Kottkamp on Feb. 28 in which the lieutenant governor criticized the Obama administration’s handling of the economy. The only in-state story on Kottkamp’s interview focused on how his comments stood in stark contrast to the Crist administration’s support of the stimulus money.

All of the candidates face serious challenges as they attempt to move from one office to another.

The budget could give Crist some major headaches. Both the House and the Senate leadership are already grumbling that the governor’s budget is too costly and relies on unsecured funding. A protracted fight over it doesn't help Crist’s aspirations.

Lost in the shadows of the Crist-Marco Rubio battle, Kottkamp will be fighting for attention in his run for attorney general.