TALLAHASSEE — Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, under pressure from state Republican Party leaders seeking to avoid an expensive primary battle, said Thursday that he will not run for governor in 2010. But he left the door open to changing his mind later.
That clears the path for fellow Republican and Cabinet member Bill McCollum, Florida's attorney general, to run against Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, a Democrat who also serves on the Cabinet.
Bronson was, however, careful not to completely rule out a run for governor. He noted there are 18 months to go before the 2010 general election, and not until July 2010 will candidates officially qualify. And as a political veteran, Bronson knows a lot can change in 12 to 18 months.
"At this time, I will not be a Republican candidate for governor," Bronson told reporters. "If something should happen and I change my mind, I can always do that."
He stressed it is "unlikely" he'll change his mind, but when pressed he said he is going to "just do my job and watch how this develops."
Bronson was not shy in discussing the pressure he has received from Florida Republican Party leader Jim Greer, who supports McCollum and wants him to be the sole candidate — thus avoiding a primary.
"The situation got pretty rough, pretty early on," Bronson said. "Politics is politics. I should have known, I guess, a little bit of this was coming when I mentioned to him a while ago that I was interested in running for governor, and he did look like the cat that ate the canary."
Bronson said finances motivated Greer and others.
"I think it all became, 'What happens if the money comes short? What happens if the economy doesn't come back enough?' " Bronson said.
He worries, though, about a backlash from the "party faithful" who "just want to see a primary" that allows them to get to know candidates.
"There are going to be party people at the grass-roots level who will not be happy with how this played out," Bronson said, a clear dig at Greer's heavy-handedness in recent days. "I am sorry if I have disappointed them."
Asked what's next, Bronson smiled and said: "Go to the log cabin with my family and take a few days off."
What about running for lieutenant governor? Any interest?
"If I'm going to take that much heat," Bronson quipped. "I'd like to own the stove."
Shannon Colavecchio can be reached at scolavecchio@sptimes.com or (850) 224-7263.
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