Jeff Kottkamp

Jeff Kottkamp
17th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
In office January 2, 2007 – January 4, 2011
Governor	Charlie Crist
Preceded by	Toni Jennings
Succeeded by	Jennifer Carroll
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
In office 2000–2006
Personal details
Born	(1960-11-12) November 12, 1960 Martinsville, Indiana, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Cyndie Kottkamp
Profession	Lawyer
Religion	Christian[1]

Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Kottkamp (born November 12, 1960) is an American politician from Florida who served as the state's 17th lieutenant governor from 2007 until 2011.

Kottkamp, a Republican, served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006. In September 2006 he was selected as the running mate for Republican candidate for governor Charlie Crist. Crist and Kottkamp were elected in November 2006, and Kottkamp was subsequently sworn in as the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Florida on January 2, 2007. As lieutenant governor he served as chairman of the board of Space Florida, chairman of Florida's Children and Youth Cabinet, chairman of the Florida Sports Foundation, and had oversight responsibility for the Governor's Office of Drug Control, the Office of Adoption and Child Protection, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, as well as the Governor's Film and Entertainment Office. ^[2]

Office of Drug Control

During his term in office, Kottkamp pushed for the passage of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and other legislation designed to reduce the illegal sale of prescription drugs in Florida.^[3] In January 2010, Kottkamp announced a Statewide Prescription Drug Task Force called "Operation Pain Killer" to combat Florida's increasing prescription drug abuse in pill mills.^[4] The Florida Department of Law Enforcement announced in June 2010 that the anti-pill mill effort resulted in 172 arrests statewide and the seizure of more than 20,000 prescription pills.^[5]

Space Florida

Kottkamp was appointed as chairman of the Space Florida Board of Directors in 2007. Space Florida is a public-private partnership created by the Florida Legislature in 2006 to strengthen Florida's position as the global leader in aerospace research, investment, exploration and commerce. While he was chairman, Florida broke ground on a facility for Space Exploration Technologies (Space X) at Launch Complex 40 located at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.^[6] The facility opened a new era of commercial space operations in Florida.

When President Barack Obama released his proposed budget for 2011 which proposed ending NASA's Constellation Program, Kottkamp became one of the leading voices in opposition to the proposal. In March 2010, Kottkamp challenged the President to a debate on the future of the space program.^[7]

Children and Youth Cabinet

Kottkamp served as chairman of Florida's Children and Youth Cabinet and also oversaw the Office of Adoption. While he was chairman the Cabinet launched the first data sharing initiative of its kind in the country designed to provide comprehensive services to children in are more timely and cost-effective way.^[8] In 2011, the Cabinet was awarded the "Ready by 21 Policy Leadership Award" from the Forum for Youth Investment for, among other things, creating a comprehensive point-of-service data system to better serve children and youth.^[9]

Personal life

Kottkamp was born in Martinsville, Indiana in 1960. He moved to Florida in 1977 and graduated from North Fort Myers High School in 1979. He is the first person from his family to attend college. In 1982, he received his Associate of Arts degree from Edison Community College in Fort Myers. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University, majoring in Political Science in 1984.

While at Florida State he was active in Student Government and was a member of the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society. In 2007, the Florida State University Alumni Association named Kottkamp to the prestigious "Circle of Gold". In 1987 he received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law.

Kottkamp and his wife Cyndie, a native of Fort Myers, Florida, have one child.^[10]

Legislative career

Kottkamp was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 and was subsequently re-elected in 2002 and 2004.^[11] While serving in the Legislature Kottkamp served as chairman of the Judiciary Appropriations Committee (2006), chairman of Government Operations Committee (2005), chairman of Judiciary Committee (2002–2004), Vice-Chairman of the Rules and Calendar Council (2004–2006) and Vice-Chairman of Judiciary (2000–2002). He served as Deputy Majority Whip.

Anti-tax stance

As a member of the Florida Legislature Kottkamp had a reputation for fighting to lower taxes.^[12] He sponsored legislation to repeal the Intangibles Tax.^[13] In 2000 a group of freshman members of the Florida House of Representatives, including Kottkamp, formed the "Freedom Caucus". Members of the caucus included Representatives Connie Mack, Jeff Kottkamp, Bruce Kyle, Jim Kallinger, Don Brown, Mike Haridopolos, Dennis Baxley, and Carey Baker. Caucus members opposed any efforts to raise taxes.^[14] Kottkamp later became Co-Chair of the Taxpayer Protection Caucus.^[15] He served as Co-Chair of the Caucus from 2002 to 2006.^[16]

Acting Governor

On June 18, 2008 Kottkamp became Acting Governor of the State of Florida while Governor Charlie Crist was under anesthesia for knee surgery. Crist filed a Proclamation with the Secretary of State transferring power to Kottkamp pursuant to Article IV Section 3(b) of the Florida Constitution.^[17]

Attorney General of Florida election-2010

In 2010 Kottkamp placed second in a three-way race for the Republican nomination for Attorney General, losing to Pam Bondi.

Legal career

Kottkamp is Founder and President of Jeff Kottkamp, P.A. Before forming his own firm, he was a member of the law firm of Messer, Caparello and Self.^[18] He began his legal career at the Kimbrell & Hamann firm which was one of the largest and oldest firms in Miami at the time. He primarily practiced in the Products Liability and Commercial Litigation area.^[19] Kottkamp then served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Joe Eaton. He later served as a Law Clerk to United States District Court Judge Sidney Aronovitz.^[20]

Throughout his legal career Kottkamp was an active member of the bar. He served as chairman of the Florida Bar Journal Editorial Board in 2000 as well as president-Elect of the Florida Council of Bar Association Presidents. In 1998 he served as president of the Lee County Bar Association and was Vice-President of the Southwest Florida Federal Bar Association in 1996. He was a member of the Calusa Inns of Court.^[21]

Republican Party

Kottkamp became active in the Republican Party at an early age serving as a volunteer for the Ronald Reagan Presidential campaign in 1980.^[22] From 1996 to 2006 he served on the Lee County Republican Executive Committee. Thereafter, he was selected to serve on the Republican Party of Florida Executive Committee from 2007 to 2011.^[23] Kottkamp was a delegate at the Republican National Convention in 2008.^[24]

Florida DeMolay

In 2010, Kottkamp was named to the Florida DeMolay Hall of Fame.^[25]

Electoral history

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (Republican Primary) Jeff Kottkamp-7,158 (44.1%) Marilyn Stout-6,129 (37.8%) Steve Personette-2,927 (18.1)

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (Republican Runoff) Jeff Kottkamp-7,748 (52.1) Marilyn Stout-7,128 (47.9)

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2000) (General Election) Jeff Kottkamp (R)-49,936 (99.9%) Bill Bracken-(WRI)-25 (0.1%)

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2002) (Republican Primary)

Jeff Kottkamp-9,046 (55.9%) Arnold Gibss-6,563 (40.5%) Chris Mancare-587 (3.6)

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2002) (General Election) Jeff Kottkamp (R)-36,876 (68.6%) Linda Parnell (D)-15,016 (27.9%) Tom Clark (LIB)-1,852 (3.4%)

Florida House of Representatives, 74th District (2004) Jeff Kottkamp (R)-Elected Unopposed

Florida Gubernatorial Election (2006) Charlie Crist/Jeff Kottkamp (R)-2,519,845 (52.2%) Jim Davis/Darryl Jones (D)-2,178,289 (45.1%)

Florida Attorney General Republican Primary Election (2010) Pam Bondi 459,022 (37.89%) Jeff Kottkamp 397,781 (32.84%) Holly Benson 354,573 (29.27%)

References

Lieutenant Governors of Florida
Kelly Gleason Weeks Day Stearns Hull Bethel Mabry office abolished 1889–1969 Osborne Adams Williams Mixson Brantley MacKay Brogan Jennings Kottkamp Carroll López-Cantera