Chafee Watch [switch to Independent next week?]

National Review's the Corner ^ | 6/22/06 | John J. Miller

[Gothmog]

Next week is a big one for Senator Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island: He must decide whether he's going to run for re-election as a Republican or as an independent. The deadline is 4 pm on Wednesday — almost exactly a week from right now. If Chafee doesn't believe he can win the GOP primary against challenger Steven Laffey, he may decide to forgo the whole thing and create a three-way race between himself, Laffey, and presumptive Democratic nominee Sheldon Whitehouse. This would create an interesting dilemma for Elizabeth Dole and the NRSC, which has already pumped a lot of cash into Chafee's re-election: Would they still support a guy who doesn't want to compete for their own party's nod?Under Rhode Island law, Chafee wouldn't actually have to drop his formal Republican affiliation: He could still say that he's a member of the party, but that he's not seeking its nomination. This may not pass the smell test, but since when has Chafee ever been required by Washington's GOP establishment to pass the smell test?

[dynachrome]

"voted for Levin's"
Thanks.

[monkeyshine]

Lame. If he does this he'd be a sore loser, and only reaffirm the corruptive influence political power has on many of our country's leaders.

Hey, I didn't make the two party system, and I didn't make the rules, but it's just bad sport to say that after all these terms serving his party and his state that, when the time comes that the members of the party lean towards not re-electing him that he would run as an independent and ensure that the seat goes to the opposition. Bad sportsmanship.

[colorado tanker]

He may suffer the political equivalent.

I can tolerate a lot of crap if a guy votes to organize the Senate Republican, because that gives us the committee chairs and majorities as well as Majority Leader, but as Hugh Hewitt says, the guy's got to get at least one of the big issues right, which Chafee hasn't. And his war vote this week was just another stick in the eye of R.I. pubbies.

I think the guy's toast. Who would vote for him as an Indy??? Not the Dems, who desperately want the Senate. Certainly not pubbies, if he's not even gonna vote for a pubbie Senate anymore.

[mware]

After his vote today he might as well switch over to the Dem's.

[mware]

Might be a good trade off to take Lieberman for Chaffee.

[Cindy_Cin]

BINGO~!!
I stopped making contributions to the GOP general fund in about 2002. Today, I send my $$$ to exactly the Candidate I support. My last contribution was to Rick Santorum. I hate allowing the powers that be, like Mrs Dole, decide who gets the cash. Anyway, long story long. I agree with you.

[Jack Black]

I give money to the Club for Growth, which is a lot closer to what the RNC should be than the RNC is.

[rightinthemiddle]

"Blue...no...aaaaagh!"

[rrrod]

Mrs Dole is only interested in the DC social life and fund raising parties. She doesn't have a clue about how the grassroots conservatives feel.

[NewHampshireDuo]

I do not like what Elizabeth Dole has done at the NRSC.

[Bahbah]

LOL. Yeah, that too.

[Republican Red]

Chafee the Republican [John J. Miller]

Brian Nick of the NRSC, in a phone conversation a minute ago: "There is no possibility that Chafee will run as an independent." We'll know for sure by next Wednesday afternoon.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/

[got_moab?]

Chafee spokesman Ian Lang has denied this twice in two days, I personally don't see him jumping. That being said, Chafee's wife spearheaded a campaign to convince Democrats to switch party affiliations in order to vote in the Republican party in a desperate to safe the hide of her wet noodle hubby. Apparently it was a success, as of the deadline 14,000 Democrats had switched their affiliation to Republican. Should be interesting.

[darkangel82]

Chafee knows he's toast if he had to get his wife to do that.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Liz Dole is your typical RNC Rockefeller country clubber I wouldn't vote for her for dogcatcher.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Chaffee should just cut the BS and do what he really wants to do...join the Democrat party. He's no Conservative and is so far left of Joe Lieberman that Lieberman would need a telescope to see him.

[Nuc1]

"RI is just a province of MA."

Johnny7,

That's harsh, just plane harsh. ;)

[So Cal Rocket]

Chaffee should just cut the BS and do what he really wants to do...join the Democrat party.

He will join the Donks... but only when it is advantageous to him to do so... If he gets re-elected and the Senate is a 50-50 GOP/Donk split, he will change parties... Or in 2008, if the Donk's take back the White House and the Senate is 51-49 GOP/Donk, he will change parties. He's an opportunist, just like Jim Jeffords... the only reason there is an (R) next to his name right now, is that the R's are the party in power in the Senate.

[demkicker]

If Chafee is smart, he'll come up with an excuse to not run at all. Otherwise, I have a sneaky feeling he's going down and we'll enjoy the hell out of the payback.

On another note, I wish Lieberman would pick this time to switch to the GOP.

[johnny7]

Not harsh enough... if I may be so bold. ;)