It appears that Bud Chiles' days as a candidate for governor are numbered. We are hearing considerable Buzz that Chiles is calling supporters to tell them he is ending his independent bid. An announcement is likely to come in the next two days.
Democrat Alex Sink had lunch with Chiles on Tuesday in Miami but declined to discuss the conversation.
The timing of his expected announcement is not coincidental -- Thursday is the last day before overseas ballots begin printing. Chiles name -- the same as popular former Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles -- was expected to pull votes from Sink in her battle against Republican Rick Scott.
Chiles' campaign has not confirmed the news, but the candidate himself suggested last week that he does not want to play the role of spoiler.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/08/chiles-expected-to-withdraw-from-governors-race.html