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Bud Chiles won’t run for CFO

Posted Nov 2, 2009 by Catherine Dolinski, Tallahassee bureau

Updated Nov 2, 2009 at 02:28 PM

Lawton “Bud” Chiles III, son of Gov. Lawton Chiles, says he won’t run for state Chief Financial Officer in 2010.

So far, no Democrat has jumped into the race for CFO, the only Cabinet office the party currently holds. Senate President Jeff Atwater is the leading GOP contender, having raised over $1M so far.

In September, rumors began circulating that Chiles, a Democrat, would dive in, too.  Chiles said members of the party had approached him about a run, and that he consulted with U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson as well as the White House about it.

But he has since told state Democratic Party Chair Karen Thurman that “it’s not something I’m interested in.”

He hasn’t ruled out running for office in the future, he said, but has no plans currently for a 2010 race. Right now, he said, he’s concentrating on his Worst To First Initiative to press children’s issues to the forefront of the state’s political agenda.

As part of that campaign, Chiles is walking miles around Florida, honoring the legend of his father, “Walkin’ Lawton,” who trekked 1,000 miles during his 1970 bid for U.S. Senate.

“Right now I’m focused on walking, not running,” the younger Chiles said.