Candidates for some higher office are almost impossible to avoid at the Capitol during the current legislative session, and opinions diverge over whether such blatant ambition is a good thing to have on display or not.

In the olden days, way back in the 1990s and earlier, candidates waited until spring in the election year to announce their intentions. That meant that no legislative sessions would come between the announcement and the election, and candidates already serving in one office of another could largely get the official business out of the way before the campaign began.

As the financial stakes have risen in recent election cycles, so has the need to begin early fund raising. A few candidates barely waited until the votes were counted in the 2008 election before announcing for 2010.

Even though state law prohibits state officials from soliciting donations during the legislative session, there's no way to prevent their electoral goals creeping into every committee hearing and floor debate -- if only in the backs of people's minds.

And they're everywhere. By one quick count, 19 legislators, constitutional officers and lobbyists have made known their interest in a specific office, from Atlanta mayor to insurance commissioner to grabbing the seats of their colleagues who hope to move up.

Of course, the people working at the Capitol probably all harbor some level of political desires, even the doorkeepers and college interns. It's just having the cards on the table that is presenting a new dynamic.

House Majority Leader Jerry Keen was kicking around the idea last fall of running for governor or lieutenant governor until he concluded the moment wasn't ripe. Then the St. Simons Island Republican announced he wasn't running.

He made clear he wanted to keep his current job so no one questioned his motivation for taking any policy stand in the House.

"I didn't want anybody to say, "'Well, that's just because Keen's running for this or that.' And that's the decision I made," he said. "I thought it was in everyone's best interest for me, once I knew I'd made a decision, to go ahead and make it known."

Last week, Rep. Austin Scott of Tifton was accused of grandstanding by Rep. Keith Heard, D-Athens, during a racially tinged debate over a ceremonial resolution. Scott has already acknowledged his interest in the GOP gubernatorial nomination, and Heard said that was his reason for forcing a vote on the resolution to make President Obama an honorary member of the Legislative Black Caucus.

Scott prevailed in getting the resolution sent back to committee, and he may gain votes from the news coverage. But he risked his reputation with his colleagues who may consider every comment from him as politically motivated.

The scenario gets more complicated when two opponents are in the same body, like Sens. Eric Johnson of Savannah and David Shafer of Duluth who both aspire for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor. If that isn't enough, there are Sens. Ralph Hudgens of Hull and Seth Harp of Midland who both aim for the GOP nod for insurance commissioner since the current occupant, John Oxendine is running himself for the next rung, governor.

Friday, Hudgens and Harp clashed over a minor insurance bill on the Senate floor. Hudgens was presenting House Bill 550 the would change how mutual insurance companies compensate policyholders when they convert to for-profit companies issuing stock. Harp argued against it.

The details seemed less important than the vote, which insiders viewed as a gauge of relative support in next year's primary face-off. Hudgens fell short, 23-26.

Hudgens was quoted in the Athens Banner Herald the day before as saying he jumped into the race after being urged by lobbyists and insurance company representatives. Also this month Hudgens drew national attention for his sponsorship of Senate Bill 169 which would restrict in-vitro fertilization.

Harp may garner the image of disregarding his ambition because of his association with two controversial bills, the failed effort to legalize the sale of packaged alcohol on Sundays and a court-friendly rewrite of the sexual predator law.

He told a committee last week that he volunteered last summer to revise the law by modifying the strict rules on homeless sex offenders, demands for offenders' Internet passwords and prohibitions against their church involvement.

"I said that I would carry this skunk and try to make it a perfumed kitty," he said.

Making state policy has always involved plenty of philosophical confrontations. Now, with so many active candidates, legislators are evaluating whether passage of a candidate's bill will be an aid to their campaign. As a result, popular bills are likely to die because passage would fuel an unpopular legislator's career advancement.

"Once you announce you're running for higher office, and you're involved in the legislative process, it doesn't make it any easier," Keen said.
 

Walter Jones is the bureau chief for the Morris News Service and has been covering state politics since 1998.