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Kottkamp eyes GOP attorney general race

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By WILLIAM MARCH

wmarch@tampatrib.com

Published: July 12, 2009

TAMPA - So far, even with other statewide races crowded with candidates, Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp is the only big-name Republican talking seriously about running in the GOP primary for attorney general.

Not all Republicans are happy with the idea that Kottkamp would be the only contestant for the party's nomination to an office that many perceive as the second-most important job in the state.

A couple of lesser-known candidates are talking about getting in the race - one has filed - and there's increasing talk about other, higher-profile candidates joining in.

At least three state legislators have considered the race and decided against it, as has a top political adviser to Gov. Charlie Crist.

One name stirring interest is Holly Benson, head of the state Agency for Health Care Administration.

Benson says she hasn't really thought about the race, but confirmed that people have talked to her about it. She didn't deny that she is interested.

Normally, a sitting lieutenant governor such as Kottkamp would be a nearly invincible candidate for his party's nomination for a statewide office.

But Kottkamp, in his 2½ years in the post, hasn't played a prominent role, said University of South Florida political scientist Darryl Paulson, a Republican.

He said Kottkamp has played more of a "ceremonial" role, representing the governor at civic events.

"One might expect he'd be an automatic candidate for the governorship, but he hasn't been," Paulson said. "I don't think anybody in the public could point out a policy area where he has been given the reins."

In addition, said Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political scientist who's politically neutral, Kottkamp suffered "a flurry of negative publicity" over his use of state aircraft to travel to and from his Fort Myers home, often with family.

"Whatever Democrat got in the race would have an angle to attack," Jewett said.

When he was running for governor in 2006, Crist picked Kottkamp as his running mate in part because Kottkamp's views on social issues would reassure religious conservative voters.

Some Republicans, however, think Kottkamp has an ideological weakness: He is a trial and personal injury lawyer, an occupation of which business owners are leery.

"He's not necessarily perceived as the most business-friendly candidate who would instinctively understand what the business community needs," said Marian Johnson, political vice president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

Kottkamp 'making preparations'

Kottkamp hasn't announced that he will run for attorney general and couldn't be reached for comment on this story.

But Rocky Pennington, his political consultant, said the lieutenant governor is "making preparations to start a campaign," though he's still probably a few weeks from making an announcement.

Pennington said it's "sort of a misnomer" to call Kottkamp a trial or personal injury lawyer. He said Kottkamp worked for Morgan & Morgan, a personal injury firm, for less than a year before becoming lieutenant governor. Prior to that, he had a more varied practice.

He said a contested primary is to be expected. "This is a big state with a lot of ambitious politicians. It would be very unlikely that any Cabinet seat would have an uncontested primary, unless you're the 800-pound gorilla."

But he said the 2006 governor's race gave Kottkamp knowledge of major donors and party activists, plus name identification, which may have scared off some potential challengers.

Pennington also said whether any lieutenant governor has a high-profile role depends on the wishes of the governor, and most have been low-profile.

"One thing about Jeff is he's the ultimate team player" and has taken on the assignments Crist gave him, Pennington said.

Pennington also said that there have been ethics complaints filed against Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Attorney General Bill McCollum over use of state aircraft, which suggests that the rules for their use may have left officeholders in doubt about what was proper.

Other Republicans have ruled out bid

As for Kottkamp's possible challengers, Crist appointed Benson, a former state House member, head of the state Department of Business and Professional Regulation in 2006, then head of AHCA last year.

Veteran GOP strategist Sally Bradshaw, who floated Benson's name for the office recently, said Benson could help solve another problem for Republicans: the likelihood that they will field a ticket in next year's election with white males running for the top five ballot spots.

"It would be very helpful to the Republican ticket to showcase some diversity," she said.

Future House Speaker Dean Cannon of Winter Park and Reps. Bill Galvano of Bradenton and Tom Grady of Naples have all considered the attorney general's race and decided not to run. So has George Lemieux, 2006 campaign manager and former chief of staff for Crist.

One Republican has filed. Fort Lauderdale lawyer Jim Lewis, who has run for office repeatedly, will campaign on a platform of eliminating mandatory prison sentences for low-level drug offenses.

Will McBride, an Orlando lawyer with ties to the party's religious conservative base, also is considering the race. McBride ran unsuccessfully against Katherine Harris in the 2006 Republican U.S. Senate primary.

Democrats have a contested primary for attorney general: State Sens. Dave Aronberg of Greenacres and Dan Gelber of Miami Beach are running, and former state Sen. Rod Smith of Alachua is considering running.

Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761.

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