Former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island, who served as a Republican until he was defeated for re-election in 2006, is said to be planning to run for Governor as an independent in 2010. The news was first reported on TV station WRNI. Thanks to Gene Berkman for the news.
Lincoln Chafee was the only Republican Senator to vote against the Authorization for the Use of Military Force against Iraq in 2002.
So he has at least one redeeming vote.
But he supported the patriot act.
Lincoln Chafee should run as an independent!
Yes, a mixed bag, and the only major candidate to be a working fierier [Horse shoe guy!]………
Is this RINO going to be the comeback slap for Isreal First DINO Josephine Liebermannnnn?
“Rhode Island U.S. Senate election, 2006 [Politics1]
In September 2005, Steve Laffey, the mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island, announced his intention to run against Chafee in the Republican primary. Laffey was considered a formidable challenger, as he was much more conservative than Chafee. Among other stances totally opposite those of Chafee’s, Laffey is pro-life and against embryonic stem cell research. Laffey was heavily supported by notable conservative groups, including the Club for Growth and several Ohio-based pro-life groups. Chafee went on to defeat Laffey in the primary on September 12 by a margin of 53 percent to 47 percent, an unusually close margin for an incumbent Senator. The turnout for the Republican primary was the largest in Rhode Island history. In his victory speech, Chafee credited unaffiliated voters and disaffiliated Democrats for his victory.[20]
Chafee was defeated by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse in the general election. Whitehouse won by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin. Despite Chafee’s high approval ratings statewide, Whitehouse pointed out that Chafee supported his party’s more conservative leadership.
In response to a question at a news conference on November 9, 2006, Chafee stated that he was unsure whether he would remain in the Republican Party after serving out the remainder of his term. According to Michelle R. Smith of the Associated Press, when asked whether he felt that his loss may have helped the country by switching control of power in Congress, he replied: “To be honest, yes.”
[edit] After 2006 loss
In December 2006, Chafee announced that he was accepting a fellowship to serve as a “distinguished visiting fellow” at Brown University’s Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. The university has Chafee leading a student group studying U.S. foreign policy.”
With the Dems [whom have no state wide ‘name’ at this time] politely bowing out in 2010, will this be the election that the Progressives in Vermont could have had last year?
Will Chaffee take advantage of the Teddy Roosevelt centennial and adopt the Bull Moose moniker as a third party, one state independent?
Inquiring minds want to know…………