Lawton Chiles

Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. (April 3, 1930 – December 12, 1998) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as forty-first governor of Florida from 1991 until his death in office in the last month of his term. He was the first Democratic governor in state history to have a Republican-controlled legislature.

The 1003 mile walk

In 1970, Chiles decided to run for a seat in the United States Senate. At the time, despite his 12 years in the state legislature, he was largely unknown outside his Lakeland-based district. As a political gimmick and to generate some media coverage across the state, Chiles embarked upon a 1,003-mile walk across Florida.

Related Topics:
1970 - United States Senate

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The walk, which took 91 days, earned him the nickname "Walkin' Lawton," a name that was to follow him throughout his political career. Along the way, Chiles earned the name recognition he sought, becoming a legend in Florida politics. In journal entries, Chiles wrote that sometimes he walked alone, while other times he met ordinary Floridians along the way. In later years, Chiles would recall the walk allowed him to see Florida's natural beauty, as well as the state's problems, with fresh eyes. It worked, and Chiles was elected easily.

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