Lincoln Chafee Leaves The Republican Party

[Adlai Stevenson]

Charlie Bakst in the Providence Journal on former Sen. Lincoln Chafee:

"I thought Chafee might try in 2010 for the governorship his late father, John, held in the 1960s and thus keep the seat Republican. But now comes word that the liberal Chafee, isolated within the national party, has become an independent... He tells me he’s 'unlikely' to run for governor and that if he does try for that post, or for mayor of Providence, where he now lives, he won’t return to GOP ranks to do it."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2007/09/24/chafee_unlikely_to_make_bid_for_governor.html

[Verily]

As a Republican. Could still run as an Independent (or a Democrat, though Cicciline would defeat him in the primary).

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Whitehouse would have gotten 65% and possibly 70% against Laffey.

70% in an open seat?  Even though it's Rhode Island, no effin way.

See Illinois in 2004.

Should Alan Keyes move to Rhode Island and run for Senate there—something I don't think we can totally rule out, sadly—I'd more than expect a Democrat to get over 70% in an open seat race.

The mayor of Rhode Island's third-largest municipality would likely go over a bit smoother than a man who campaigned almost exclusively on hot-button social issues.

"The majority of Illinois enables baby killers.  Vote for me!"

[Smash255]

Whitehouse would have gotten 65% and possibly 70% against Laffey.

70% in an open seat?  Even though it's Rhode Island, no effin way.

See Illinois in 2004.

Should Alan Keyes move to Rhode Island and run for Senate there—something I don't think we can totally rule out, sadly—I'd more than expect a Democrat to get over 70% in an open seat race.

The mayor of Rhode Island's third-largest municipality would likely go over a bit smoother than a man who campaigned almost exclusively on hot-button social issues.

"The majority of Illinois enables baby killers.  Vote for me!"

Chafee actually won the Independent vote by 10 points in the race.   Laffey not only would have lost the Independent vote, but he would have gotten DESTROYED among Independents.     Chafee also picked up 15% of the Democratic vote, Laffey would not have gotten close to that.  Considering Chafee lost by 10 points while taking 15% of the Democratic vote, and 55% of the Independent vote, the chances of Laffey losing by less than 30 points is virtually impossible, and a 35-40 point loss would have a decent possibility

[True Democrat]

Let's say that Laffey gets 85% of the Republican vote (instead of the 94% Chafee got), 35% of the independent vote (instead of 55%) and 5% of the Democratic vote (instead of 15%).  Using the CNN exit poll, I get these numbers:

Whitehouse: 67.4%
Laffey: 32.6%

Now, the estimates for the amount of the Republican and Independent vote that Laffey gets may be a bit off, but nonetheless, I think Whitehouse gets at least 63% or so.

[HardRCafé]

It all amounts to jack squat since Chafee was ready to bolt the party if re-elected.

[WalterMitty]

It all amounts to jack squat since Chafee was ready to bolt the party if re-elected.

source?