Lincoln Chafee - Independent Candidate for Rhode Island Governor

Press Releases: March 2010 Archives

Is the Time Ripe For Third-Party and Independent Bids?

March 29, 2010

CQ POLITICS NEWS
By, Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call Contributing Writer

Both the Republican and Democratic brands are damaged. Voters think the country is headed off on the wrong track and still clamor for change. Every primary and general election hopeful who can (and some who reasonably can't) is running against Washington, D.C., and against professional politicians.

So is this the time for third-party candidates and Independents to show their political muscle and become serious players in the fall campaigns and in November?

In a few places the answer is "yes." In most, it's still a thundering "no." There are really three types of Independent hopefuls: contenders, spoilers and pretenders.

Independent candidates for governor in at least three states, all of them in New England, are running serious races, and the number of credible non-major-party candidates could grow if Minnesota's Independence Party nominates someone with serious credentials or personal resources.

Former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee, now an Independent, may well have the best shot of the New England bunch of winning his state's top office in November, thereby replacing retiring Gov. Don Carcieri ®, who is finishing his second term.

Continue reading "Is the Time Ripe For Third-Party and Independent Bids?"

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Chafee leads in latest poll in governor's race

Projo Politics Blog
By, Randal Edgar

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee continues to be the favorite in the 2010 governor's race, leading his closest rival by 11 percentage points, according to a new Rasmussen poll released Monday.

The automated telephone poll of 500 likely voters found that in a matchup with Democrat Frank T. Caprio and Republican John Robitaille, 39 percent would vote for Chafee, who is running as an independent, with 28 percent voting for Caprio and 22 percent for Robitaille.

In a matchup with Democrat Patrick Lynch and Robitaille, 37 percent said they would vote for Chafee, with 22 percent voting for Lynch and 26 percent for Robitaille.

The numbers are similar to those from a Rasmussen poll conducted in February, which found that 37 percent would vote for Chafee in a matchup with Caprio and Robitaille, while 38 percent would vote for Chafee in a matchup with Lynch and Robitaille.

The latest poll was conducted on March 25 and has a margin of sampling error of 4.5 percentage points.

Click here for original article.

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Rhode Island Governor: Chafee Still Leads

Election 2010: Rhode Island Governor
Rasmussen Reports

Former Senator Lincoln Chafee remains the leader in the race to be Rhode Island's next governor, with State Treasurer Frank Caprio the strongest Democrat in the contest for now.

A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in Rhode Island shows Chafee, who is running as an independent, earning 39% support to Caprio's 28%. Likely Republican nominee John Robitaille picks up 22% of the vote, with 11% more undecided.

Chafee pulls 37% of the vote if state Attorney General Patrick Lynch is the Democrat in the race. Robitaille is in second with 26% support, and Lynch runs third with 22%. Fifteen percent (15%) are undecided.

Continue reading "Rhode Island Governor: Chafee Still Leads"

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Experts: Right 'moment in time' for independents

March 28, 2010

Portland Press Herald
By, Matt Wickenheiser

Disaffected with his longtime political party, the candidate decided to run for governor as an independent.

It's a story line that applies this year to Maine.

Or Massachusetts.

Or Rhode Island.

Three former party stalwarts are running for the top executive position in those states as unenrolled candidates.

In Maine, Eliot Cutler is waging a campaign for the Blaine House as an independent. Cutler, a longtime Democrat, was a legislative assistant to U.S. Sen. Edmund Muskie, served as counsel to the Senate subcommittee on the environment and was also President Carter's top official for environmental, natural resource and energy issues.

In Massachusetts, two-term state Treasurer Timothy Cahill has left the Democratic Party to challenge Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick as an independent. Cahill was previously Norfolk County treasurer and a city councilor in Quincy. (There's also a Republican in the race: Charles Baker, the former CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.)

And in Rhode Island, the scion of a Republican dynasty is running as an independent for governor. Between the two of them, Lincoln Chafee and his father, John H. Chafee, held the U.S. Senate seat in Rhode Island for 30 years. Lincoln Chafee -- largely seen as a Rockefeller Republican -- was defeated in 2006 as anti-Republican sentiment swept the country.

Continue reading "Experts: Right 'moment in time' for independents"

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Chafee brings ideas to city

March 25, 2010

Woonsocket Call
By, Russ Olivo

WOONSOCKET -- As he campaigned in the city this week, former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee said his strong polling numbers as an independent gubernatorial candidate must mean Rhode Islanders are ready to take their medicine.

Despite calling for a modest expansion of sales taxes, Chafee is running at the head of a four-way pack -- 10 percentage points in front of his closest opponent, Democratic Gen. Treasurer Frank Caprio, according to the latest polls.

"That is a little bit of a surprise, but I'm happy to see it," Chafee said. "We all know Rhode Island is ailing and people are saying, 'What's the cod liver oil, so I can get better?'"

Chafee's prescription for economic anemia? A 1 percent sales tax on currently exempt items, including food, clothing and over-the-counter drugs. The tax, which amounts to 50 cents on every $50 worth of consumption, would generate about $100 million in new revenue to help close a state deficit several times that figure.

Continue reading "Chafee brings ideas to city"

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Linc listens and people like it

Warwick Beacon
By, John Howell

Low key is over the top to describe Lincoln Chafee's style of campaigning.

But that's not to imply it doesn't work, as the former Warwick Mayor and U.S. Senator brought his bid as an independent candidate for governor to VR Industries Tuesday.

Chafee is no stranger to the folks at VR Industries. He came to know the company that manufactures computer cards for the medical industry, military and other high tech applications as mayor. He was back to hear how the company that celebrates its 25th anniversary this year is faring in the recession and how government might help going forward.

But while that was his agenda, you would have hardly known it.

Chafee, who was preceded by his standby Debbie Rich who served as his press secretary when he was mayor, arrived slightly late. He was apologetic. He settled into a chair at a round table in the office of VR Industries CEO Fred Pestana. Chafee wore a suit. There were no pins or buttons with his name. There was the customary exchange of pleasantries with Chafee recalling how the former Leesona building where the company is located was once the site for the Warwick Rotary Camping and Travel Trailer Show.

Then the talk turned to business.

Continue reading "Linc listens and people like it"

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Linc Chafee is a tested leader of unquestioned integrity and a strong independent voice. As Governor, he will work hard to create new jobs, rebuild our economy, solve our chronic budget problems, end corruption, and forge a new way forward for Rhode Island.

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