Gov. Charlie Crist set off statewide political jostling that opened up every Cabinet post earlier this year when he announced his decision to run for the U.S. Senate. Democratic state Sen. Dave Aronberg took the opportunity to run for his “dream job” — Florida Attorney General.

But some Democrats had other ideas. Aronberg says there was a concerted effort to “clear the field” for state Sen. Dan Gelber (D), who had dropped his Senate bid in June to avoid a primary battle with U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) and had decided to run for attorney general instead. Aronberg says he even received a call from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who encouraged him to avoid a nasty primary in the attorney general race and instead to run for Republican freshman Rep. Tom Rooney’s seat in Congress.

Aronberg threw his hat in the ring for attorney general anyway, setting the stage for a potentially costly and contentious primary battle —?a matchup that political observers say will likely be one of the more interesting political fights of the 2010 Florida election season. With their similar backgrounds, Gelber and Aronberg “must quickly differentiate themselves from the other,” says Marian Johnson, vice president of political strategy for the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “And the campaigns to define themselves to the public could make this the most unpredictable primary race in 2010.”

During a campaign swing through Tampa in August, Aronberg told Florida Trend that the next attorney general must “broaden” his priorities. Calling the state “ground zero” for foreclosures and mortgage fraud, Aronberg vowed to step up the focus on economic crimes if he is elected. The division that handles such crimes has been “diminished” under the leadership of current Attorney General Bill McCollum, he says, because of McCollum’s “single-minded focus on internet predators.”

Aronberg, a Harvard-educated lawyer and at 38 the youngest state senator in Florida, says he wants to be the “people’s attorney” and cites his experiences as proof that he can get the job done. After law school, he worked with then-Insurance Commissioner (now U.S. Sen.) Bill Nelson to investigate European insurance companies that had refused to honor the policies sold to victims of the Holocaust. In 1999, as Florida assistant attorney general for economic crimes, he spearheaded the state’s case against “Miss Cleo,” the supposed “Jamaican Shango Shaman psychic” who had become an international celebrity among late-night TV infomercial viewers. Miss Cleo, whose real name is Youree Dell Harris, was spokesperson for two companies that operated a psychic hot line that engaged in deceptive advertising, billing and collection practices. Aronberg was later appointed a White House Fellow, where he served as special assistant to the secretary of the Treasury Department and went after international money laundering.

Gelber, meanwhile, is touting his decade of experience as a federal prosecutor and his reputation for “getting things done” in the Legislature and advancing his party’s principles even though he was in the minority. As a freshman lawmaker in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001, he was named vice chair of the 9/11 committee and wrote much of the state’s domestic security legislation. He also rewrote Florida’s wiretap laws and the state’s public corruption statute. During the two years Gelber was minority leader in the Florida House, his party managed to wrest nine House seats from Republicans — a feat considering that House Democrats hadn’t won a seat from Republicans in 20 years.

Both candidates, however, face the challenge of statewide name recognition and have been busy crisscrossing the state to build support, win key endorsements and build their war chests. “We’re all regional candidates —?largely unknown to the public. In fact, none of us are household names. I’m not even a household name in my own household,” says Gelber.

The winner of the Aug. 24 primary may face Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp (R), who launched his campaign in July. Kottkamp faces nominal opposition in the GOP race from Fort Lauderdale attorney Jim Lewis. Lewis is running on the unconventional platform that the state should be more lenient in sentencing people for drug crimes.

The Republican field is far from sewn up, however. Other potential candidate names floating around include St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker; and Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi.

If early polls are any indication, all the candidates have a long road ahead of them.

In a June Mason-Dixon poll of 300 likely Democratic primary voters, 11% said they would most likely vote for Gelber, 10% for Aronberg, and 13% for Rod Smith, who isn’t running. A poll of 300 likely Republican primary voters, meanwhile, gave Kottkamp 12% of the vote and Lewis 9%. As of June, the vast majority of voters on both sides of the aisle — 66% of Democrats and 79% of Republicans — were still undecided.

Dave Aronberg (D), 38 Hometown: Greenacres Marital Status/Family: Single, no children Education: Harvard University, B.A. 1993, law degree 1996 Career: Attorney, Greenspoon Marder (2003-present); Florida Senate (2002-present); assistant attorney general, economic crimes division, (1999-2000, 2001-02); special assistant to the secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department for international money laundering (2001-02); White House Fellow during the Clinton and Bush administrations (2000-01) Cash Raised: $173,962

Dan Gelber (D), 49 Hometown: Miami Beach Marital Status/Family: Wife, Joan Silverstein; three children Education: Tufts University, B.A. 1982; University of Florida, law degree 1985 Career: Counsel, Akerman Senterfitt (2006-present); Florida Senate (2008-present); Florida House (2000-08), minority leader (2006-08); partner, Holland and Knight (1996-99); chief counsel to former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn (1994-96); staff director, U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (1994-96) Cash Raised: $152,053

Jeff Kottkamp (R), 48 Hometown: Fort Myers Marital Status/Family: Wife, Cyndie; one son Education: Edison Community College, A.A. 1982; Florida State University, B.S. 1984; University of Florida, law degree 1987 Career: Lieutenant governor (2007-present); attorney, Morgan & Morgan (2005-06); Florida House of Representatives (2000-06); law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Joe Eaton and U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Aronovitz Cash Raised: N/A — filed after other candidates

Jim Lewis (R), 52 Hometown: Fort Lauderdale Marital Status/Family: Divorced; four children Education: University of Central Florida, B.A. 1978; Stetson University, law degree 1980 Career: Lawyer, James S. Lewis and Associates (1993-present); adjunct professor of law, Nova Southeastern University (1990-present); assistant statewide prosecutor, Fort Lauderdale (1987-92); special prosecutor to the statewide grand jury of Florida (1985-86); assistant state attorney, Orlando (1981-85) Cash Raised: Approximately $9,950

Holly Benson (R), 38 Hometown: Pensacola Marital Status/Family: Single Education: Dartmouth College, A.B., 1993; University of Florida, law degree 1996 Career: Secretary of the Agency for Health Care Administration (2008-09); Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (2007-08); Florida House of Representatives (2000-06); Municipal bond lawyer, Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone, P.L.C. (1996-07) Cash Raised: N/A — filed after other candidates