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Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson today bowed to pressure from GOP leaders and concerns from his family and will not be a candidate for the Governor’s job in 2010.

The State GOP party chairman has endorsed rival Bill McCollum and worked to keep insiders from donating to Bronson if he made the race. Bronson says he may reconsider if the presumptive nominee McCollum falters, although he doesn’t believe that is likely.

“I’m just saying, at this time, that I will not be a republican candidate for governor in 2010,” Bronson said. “If something were to happen, or something down the road made me want to think I should get back in, then I could always do that.  If I come here today and tell you I’m absolutely without a doubt not going to be in the race, then if that was to happen, and it’s kinda unlikely I think that it would happen, then you’d say, well I thought you said you weren’t going to run. I know how you guys operate.”

Bronson says he worries about the apparent lack of a primary will have on the rank and file party. Bronson has 18 months left in his current job. He served previously in the state Senate.