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The son of former Governor Lawton Chiles announced his intentions today to follow in his father’s footsteps. Bud Chiles is running for governor but not as a Democrat. As Whitney Ray tells us, he’s breaking from the party of his father and running as an independent.

A painting of Lawton Chiles hangs in the capitol hallway, a reminder of his two terms as Governor of Florida. Now his son, Bud Chiles, hopes his picture will hang near his father’s.

“I’m here this morning to announce for governor,” said Chiles.

Bud is breaking from his father’s party to run for governor as an independent.

“My father didn’t raise me to have values about keeping faith with the Democratic Party. He raised me to have values to keep faith with people,” said Chiles

Chiles entrance into the governor’s race could hurt the Democratic frontrunner, Alex Sink.”

The three-way race could cost Sink more votes than Republican candidate Bill McCollum. Still Sink is shrugging off her new opponent.

“I’ll be running my own campaign regardless of who else is in it,” said Sink.

But McCollum plans to play Sink and Chiles against each other.

“It’s interesting that he’s decided to run as a nonpartisan because he’s clearly a Democrat,” said McCollum.

Chiles is entering the race late and is trailing by millions in fundraising. Still Chiles says he won’t take any money from lobbyists, political action groups or big donors. Chiles says he won’t take any donations over 250 dollars. He plans to gain support by walking the state and getting his message out in face to face meetings with voters.