RI-GOV: Chaffee Returns?

[BuckeyeNut]

What are the chances that he runs for re-election in 2018 now that he's a true, Blue Democrat and Raimundo is deeply unpopular? He has indicated he would like to run again.

[Meatball Ron]

He would likely win the primary, and maybe have a slightly better shot than Raimondo in the general but it wouldn't be a guaranteed victory. I'm 50/50 on whether he ends up going for it though. Personally, I'm holding out for Pell (quite possible) or Taveras (highly unlikely), the latter of whom I was rooting strongly for in the 2014 primary.

[DFL]

I'm just sad Bob Healey won't be back for another run

[Co-Chair Bagel23]

Lord, I hope so.

[Canis]

The Chafee Strikes back!

[Gustaf]

The Chafee Strikes back!

Can't McAfee the Chafee?

[Sir Mohamed]

As Democrat? I don't know. Is Raimondo that unpopular? I'm not that familar with RI politics.

[Cynthia]

Chafee can probably beat Raimondo, but his tenure was not that popular so I have reservations in him having a better chance for the office than Raimondo has. With that being said, RI is a very blue state and time forgives a lot.

[Bakersfield Uber Alles]

(Insert ironic endorsement of Chafee here)

I'm just sad Bob Healey won't be back for another run

Imagine what he could've done with $100 to run his campaign.

[Ebsy]

please god no

[_]

please god no yes

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

please god no yes

[ltomlinson31]

please god no yes

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

please god no yes

[Dr. MB]

I'm just sad Bob Healey won't be back for another run

[Ebsy]

Lincoln Chafee ran the most embarrassing presidentidal campaign in a cycle where Ben Carson, Jim Gilmore and Martin O'Malley were also running.

[The Other Castro]

Lincoln Chafee ran the most embarrassing presidentidal campaign in a cycle where Ben Carson, Jim Gilmore and Martin O'Malley were also running.

He was the best candidate by any metric.

[BlueDogDemocrat]

Lincoln Chafee ran the most embarrassing presidentidal campaign in a cycle where Ben Carson, Jim Gilmore and Martin O'Malley were also running.

He was the best candidate by any metric.

I laughed way too hard at that.

[Indy Texas]

Lincoln Chafee ran the most embarrassing presidentidal campaign in a cycle where Ben Carson, Jim Gilmore and Martin O'Malley were also running.

I literally forgot he ran.

[RussFeingoldWasRobbed]

Chafee is a HORRIBLE fit for RI. Bernie-Trump primary wins and the slight trend towards Trump shows these voters don't like bs. Chafee fits the republican stereotype of liberal pc snowflake to a T. Not to mention he has sh**t approval ratings.

[Strudelcutie4427]

Better not happen. I dont wanna be seeing metric signs next time im driving through Rhode Island XD

[IceSpear]

Lincoln Chafee ran the most embarrassing presidentidal campaign in a cycle where Ben Carson, Jim Gilmore and Martin O'Malley were also running.

I literally forgot he ran.

How could you forget Gilmore, not Gilless?

Luckily we already have our 2020 Jim Gilmore in John Delaney.

lol at the thought of Chafee winning anything ever again. This thread is so Atlas.

[exopolitician]

Ugh, whyyy?!! Haven't we suffered enough?

Gina is unpopular, but the alternative is not Chaffee.

[Fuzzy Says: "Abolish NPR!"]

Ugh, whyyy?!! Haven't we suffered enough?

Gina is unpopular, but the alternative is not Chaffee.

Was Chaffee a bad GOVERNOR, or just an unpopular CANDIDATE?

Chaffee was elected Governor as an Independent, endorsed Obama in 2012, then became a Democrat for real.  Had he been a Senator, that would have been fine, but the Governor of a state is also the REAL leader of his political party.  Given that reality, Chaffee's party switch came off as a hostile takeover to the Democratic Establishment of Rhode Island (not the most savory group of folks, but they were able to run Chaffee out of office). 

Chaffee is, in many ways, the new John Lindsay.  Lindsay was the Liberal Republican who was elected Mayor of New York City in 1965, and re-elected in 1969 as the Liberal Party candidate, after losing the Republican primary to conservative State Senator John Marchi (R-Staten Island).  Ordinarily, this would have been curtains for Lindsay, but he had the good fortune of seeing NYC Comptroller Mario Procaccino win the Democratic Primary for Mayor.  Procaccino was a rather conservative Democrat on social issues who alienated minorities and Manhattan liberals, allowing Lindsay to be re-elected (for the second time with under 45% of the vote).  Though a registered Republican who has been mentioned as a possible running mate for Nixon in 1968, Lindsay switched to the Democratic Party in 1971, and planned his 1972 run for President (which went little better than Chaffee's). 

Lindsay left office unpopular, but after a 7 year hiatus, attempted to win the Democratic nomination for Senate to oppose Jacob Javits (his old ally, who was defeated in the GOP Primary that year).  He ended up with only 15% of the vote in a 4-way field.  He had done a lot for labor unions, and especially PUBLIC labor unions, but the rank and file of these unions resented his "Limousine Liberal" style, and he never got the traction he needed.

Sound like Chaffee?  There are differences.  One difference is that Chaffee is going head-to-head (if he runs) with an unpopular incumbent, while Lindsay WAS the unpopular incumbent.  Lindsay was considered a failed Mayor when he left office, but reassessment of his performance has proven a bit kinder, though not by much.  Lindsay COULD say that there were fewer problems with race riiots in New York than there were in Newark, Watts, Detroit, and some other cities.  Lindsay COULD say that he imposed needed new taxes that forstalled the City's financial crisis.  Lindsay COULD say that he instituted criminal justice reforms that made the NYPD more transparent and responsive to citizen complaints.  Chaffee's that kind of guy; bad things didn't happen while he was Governor, and it seems as if bad things are happening under Raimondo.  It's entirely possible that Rhode Islanders will conclude that they had it better when Chaffee was Governor.  It's less possible that a majority of Rhode Island's Democratic Primary voters will come to that conclusion, however.