PAC Man vs Lawton Chiles

The PACs (Political Action Committees) love Mitt Romney:

$223,000 in PAC money (OpenSecrets.org)

In all his Senate and gubernatorial campaigns after 1970, Lawton Chiles never took a dime of PAC money. Well-meaning friends tried to persuade him to re-consider, but he knew it was what made him special.

Folks wondering why he never lost an election in 40 years should look no further than his campaign finance records. It all comes down to a simple principle: take a risk on the campaign trail and the voters will take a risk on you.

Whether PAC man came in the shape of Bill Cramer, John Grady, or Jeb Bush, they folded in the face of the Chiles people-powered network.

Mitt Romney and the rest of the '08 presidential candidates should take note.