Lawton "Bud" Chiles III, the 57-year-old son of the late governor, is seriously looking at running against Democrat Alex Sink for governor. He has been talking to friends and family across the state.
"He's got some very strong convictions and a yearning for a Florida that was simpler and more about solving its problems than what we see today,'' said his wife, Kitty Chiles.
A Tallahassee resident, Chiles has been walking across Florida promoting children's issues, vocally and bluntly criticizing Florida's leadership and the direction the state is heading.
"If I had to put odds on it, I'd put it at 80/20 that he's likely to be a candidate for governor in 2010,'' said Ron Sachs, who used to work for Gov. Chiles.
Mrs. Chiles said a decision would come "pretty quick....the family is talking. That's where we are right now. a lot of this is as a result of the encouragement he's gotten over the past year as part of Worst to First."
Asked about how he could compete against Democratic frontrunner Alex Sink's financial advantage, Mrs. Chiles said, "we sort of see that as a plus. ... We see the big money as a huge part of the problem, and a lot of other people do too."
Chiles would be a serious underdog. But a Chiles suddenly shook up Florida's political landscape in 1970 and again in 1990. Maybe every 20 years, Florida wants to wrap her arms around a Chiles.
-- ADAM C. SMITH
Haven't we had enough of political families feeling like they have some special claim for one of their own to govern us?
And why do they often feel that some scion of an old powerful pol should start in elective office at the top, rather than work their way up from a more humble elective beginning?
Posted by: whasup | May 15, 2010 at 07:46 AM
Do it. For the kids. They need you. As they needed your father. Do it.
Posted by: Panhandle | May 15, 2010 at 02:31 PM
"He's got some very strong convictions and a yearning for a Florida that was simpler and more about solving its problems than what we see today,'' said his wife, Kitty Chiles.
I completely agree.
I found a danish ressource discussing the same topic at helsekost
/Frederik
Posted by: frederik | June 14, 2010 at 04:08 AM
This man's father revised the workman’s comp in Florida. He took workman's comp Insurance from paying your pay and medical for life to 2 years. My insurance I paid at .38 cents on the dollar for 20 years would have paid my medical at 80%and my pay at 60% for life. I was forced to go on the Government SSD at $800.00/month when I would have been paid 2400.00 /month and after 2 years more I was allowed to get Medicare that forces doctors to pay what they want them to pay and now I have to pay out 800.00/month for insurance for secondary. I wish he was still alive so I could thank him for ruining my life while I was severely injured. I hate these Gov interfering Democrats. All they want is Government. GO AWAY CHILES!!!!
Posted by: John | July 28, 2010 at 05:09 PM
These liberals and there lets help people lets put them on the Gov roll it makes us feel so warm and friggin fuzzy. Go away liberals can't fix crap its always tax,tax,tax. Don't worry the rich will pay for it we can just keep taxing them till they have nothing.Make me throw up!
Posted by: John | July 28, 2010 at 05:14 PM