Rhode Island Senate Primary official thread

[Sam Spade]

Just as a little FYI, the supporting of Chafee by the national party will probably have little effect monetarily on the other Senate seats that Republicans are trying to hold this year.

Santorum (PA) certainly can self-fund.  So can Talent (MO), DeWine (OH) and Burns (MT), though DeWine and Burns perhaps a little less so.  Down the scale, Allen (VA) certainly can and Corker (TN) will undoubtedly be spending his own money soon.

Where this has any effect is on potential Republican pick ups, like Kean (NJ), Steele (MD) even though he has a lead in cash-on-hand right now and Kennedy (MN).

[Sam Spade]

Just as a little FYI, the supporting of Chafee by the national party will probably have little effect monetarily on the other Senate seats that Republicans are trying to hold this year.

Santorum (PA) certainly can self-fund.  So can Talent (MO), DeWine (OH) and Burns (MT), though DeWine and Burns perhaps a little less so.  Down the scale, Allen (VA) certainly can and Corker (TN) will undoubtedly be spending his own money soon.

Where this has any effect is on potential Republican pick ups, like Kean (NJ), Steele (MD) even though he has a lead in cash-on-hand right now and Kennedy (MN).

 This is true, though the NRSC has the added benefit of being able to run really nasty negative ads without the Republican candidate having to say they approve of the message. So this makes NRSC money at least somewhat important.

True, but remember with the McCain-Feingold laws in place, and with the FCC's approval, you can no longer personally run ads on television or radio (fortunately, not the internet) criticizing members of Congress for the last 60 days of a campaign.  Therefore, the incumbents have less to worry about relying on outside groups to fund commercials than do challengers.

[Sam Spade]

http://www.turnto10.com/politics/9802560/detail.html

[Sam Spade]

If these figures are correct, the Republican primary in RI will have broken all turnout records for such an event.  The previous high was right around 40,000.

[Sam Spade]

If this margin keeps up, I would consider it a fairly impressive winning margin for Chafee, all things considering.

[Sam Spade]

62% of 515 Reporting
   LINCOLN CHAFEE    21,879    53%
   STEPHEN LAFFEY    19,099    47%

Is it too late for Laffey to close?

Depends on where the votes are coming from...

[Sam Spade]

a great day!

You should thank the NRSC for this.  Turnout is nearly 20,000 votes higher for this primary than any previous Republican primary in RI, and I have no doubt who helped Chafee's campaign increase the turnout by so much, because Chafee's campaign was really looking incompetant (Lieberman-style) earlier in this primary.

[Sam Spade]

73% in; Chaffee is back on 54%

Warwick has probably reported

As far as I can tell, nothing is in from Warwick.

[Sam Spade]

73% in; Chaffee is back on 54%

Warwick has probably reported

As far as I can tell, nothing is in from Warwick.

then it is over...now to maryland

Warwick's coming last. I thought Laffey had "hit all his targets."

Sort of sounds like Kerry in 2004.  But not to bring up bad memories. 

[Sam Spade]

It's over.