HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - A longtime Democratic Connecticut lawmaker has decided to run for state attorney general.

State Rep. Cameron Staples became the first to file a candidate committee Thursday, according to the New Haven Register. Current Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is planning to run for the U.S. Senate seat that Chris Dodd is vacating by not running for re-election.

"The attorney general's office is a great opportunity to advocate for the individual rights of Connecticut citizens," Staples said, according to the report.

Staples works at Neubert Pepe & Monteith in New Haven. He is also a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School and an adjunct professor at Quinnipiac University.

He earned his law degree from the University of Connecticut.

In October, Dodd appointed him to the National Advisory Committee for Institutional Quality and Integrity. The NACIQI advises the Secretary of Education on matters related to accreditation of higher education institutions.

He was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1993. He is House Chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, and also serves on the General Law and Judiciary committees.

Elsewhere in the race, Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz officially requested a formal opinion from Blumenthal on whether she has the required amount of 10 years practicing law in the state to run for attorney general.

From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien at jobrienwv@gmail.com.