In the November 7, 2006 election, more votes were cast for Independent candidates for US House in Rhode Island, than were cast for Republican nominees for US House in that state.

This is due to the strong showing of independent candidate Rod Driver in the 2nd district. Driver polled 52,729 votes in a 2-person race against the incumbent Democrat. No Republican ran in that district. The Republican nominee in the state’s other district (the 1st district) only polled 41,836 votes, and an independent candidate in the 1st district polled 13,634 votes, for a combined independent vote in the state of 66,363.

Rod Driver had been a Democratic member of the Rhode Island legislature from 1987 to 1994. As an independent candidate for congress in 2006, he campaigned against U.S. policy in the Middle East.