After months of rumors that he would challenge Democrat Alex Sink, Lawton "Bud" Chiles III officially announced yesterday he is running for governor, but as a no-party candidate.
The son of former Florida Governor Lawton Chiles is a very interesting man, and his entry into the race will no doubt delight political reporters and others who cover this campaign for a living. But by running as an independent, Chiles has effectively stepped on his own coming out party.
Chiles said he's going indie because he says the two major political parties are too dependent on special interests:
"It's big money versus big money and the people are left on the sidelines. I refuse to play that game. I am in this race as an independent, beholden to no party. My campaign is all about bringing people together, not dividing folks."
(Chiles is nothing if not passionate in his caring about issues affecting children, education and the environment. If you've never heard him speak on those issues, check out this interview he did with me on WMNF a little over a year ago, where he assailed Governor Charlie Crist for taking hundreds of millions of dollars out of the Lawton Chiles Endowment)
This article appears in Jun 3-9, 2010.