1. Lawton Chiles died in December, 1998, a month before he was to leave office. The Lt. Gov., who Bush defeated in November, took over for the last month, then Bush became governor.

2. First, I thought the filing deadline had passed in Florida. I guess I was wrong.

   Second, I welcome Mr. Chiles as an “independent” candidate. I don’t know if he will run as strong a race as “independent” Charlie Crist will, but his candidacy – like Crist’s – will help to weaken the so-called 2 party system which is destroying this nation.

   If I lived in Florida, I would vote for Charlie Crist “Independent” for US Senator, and for Lawton “Bud” Chiles “Independent” for Governor.

   Go Crist! Go Chiles!

3. Florida has utterly nutty filing deadlines. For congress the deadline was in May, but for state office it’s June. It makes no sense.

4. May be “utterly nutty filing deadlines” but at least Florida voters finally got it right several years ago with ballot access equality for all. If all states had ballot access laws similar to Florida, there would then be electoral justice in the United States.
   But even in Florida I fear that it won’t last long. With Crist running independent for U S Senator, and now former Florida Governor Chiles’ son running independent for Governor, and both having the potential to hold the “balance of power” in the November elections, you can be sure the Dems and Reps in Florida are not going to sit still very long for this.
   While the state constitution guarantees ballot access equality, I look for legislation soon that will require such stringent organizational requirements for 3rd parties, that even with ballot access equality, they will lose their recognition as a party and the ballot position that goes with it.
   Ballot access is a “civil rights” issue and we need to wake up and realize it.

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