Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp formally announced his bid for state Attorney General today. “After much consideration and consultation with my wife, Cyndie, I have today filed the appropriate paperwork with the state Division of Elections to begin my candidacy to be Florida’s next Attorney General. This is a decision we have made after much thought and prayer. My desire to serve the people of Florida is strong,” he said in a prepared statement. “I’m running for Attorney General to lead Florida’s fight against crime. With the difficult times we’re experiencing now, Floridians should at least be assured of safe neighborhoods that are free of crime. As Attorney General, I’ll be a partner with local law enforcement and work to ensure they have the necessary resources from the state to fight crime. And I pledge to put criminals who harm Floridians, whether physically or financially, where they belong – behind bars.” Kottkamp, a North Fort Myers resident who previously represented Cape Coral in the state House, said he would make “a more formal statement” regarding his candidacy later in the week.