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Redfairen

(1,276 posts) Wed May 29, 2013, 12:31 PM May 2013

R.I. Gov. Chafee to become Democrat, run for 2nd term [View all]

Source: USA Today

Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, an independent who used to be a Republican, intends to run for a second term next year -- but as a Democrat.

A Democratic source with knowledge of Chafee's decision confirmed the news to USA TODAY. The source requested anonymity because the source was not authorized to speak ahead of Chafee.

Chafee, elected in 2010, has insisted he would seek a second term despite low job-approval ratings in public opinion polls. He previously served as a U.S. senator from 1999 to 2007, but as a Republican who bucked the party on the Iraq War and declined to support President George W. Bush for a second term.

Chafee bolted from the Republican Party in 2007, after losing re-election to the Senate to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. The following year, Chafee endorsed Barack Obama for president.

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/29/lincoln-chafee-governor-rhode-island-democrat/2369503/

71 replies

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R.I. Gov. Chafee to become Democrat, run for 2nd term [View all] Redfairen May 2013 OP

Welcome to the club, Linc. Arkana May 2013 #1

Welcome to the Democrats, we love good thinking minds who want to govern. Thinkingabout May 2013 #2

+1 freshwest May 2013 #6

Well, it took awhile, but he finally did the right (left) thing. Arugula Latte May 2013 #3

Shows how far right we've drifted zipplewrath May 2013 #4

Linc Chafee is and always has been more liberal than the majority of dems. cali May 2013 #22

Wow! Then we need more hims. tblue May 2013 #30

Should we privatize Social Security, send jobs to foreign countries, give up Constitutionally AnotherMcIntosh May 2013 #35

how could you not know how liberal Chafee (and his dad) were? CreekDog May 2013 #38

Kinda says it all zipplewrath May 2013 #63

Who can deny that he will still represent the super-rich? AnotherMcIntosh May 2013 #5

I can. and so can anyone who knows the first thing about him. cali May 2013 #25

+1 n/t Bully Taw May 2013 #27

Please tell me more. I'm not going to buy into it because he wants to have a "(D)" after his name, AnotherMcIntosh May 2013 #34

lol. love, love, love your cherry picking. cali May 2013 #40

What "committee chair" would he be getting as GOVERNOR of RI? MADem May 2013 #45

I was just going to point that out. Committee Chair for Governor? Interesting. The other point is... stevenleser May 2013 #55

I don't think I get these kinds of moves. Iggo May 2013 #7

The former. harmonicon May 2013 #9

Linc Chafee is more liberal than the Democrat who he ran against last time ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2013 #10

Just because the Democrat who's running is no good doesn't mean one should vote for a Republican. harmonicon May 2013 #15

Looks like you should do some research ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2013 #16

Got it. Don't blame you, you voted for Kodos. harmonicon May 2013 #20

I certainly didn't vote for a guy posing as a Dem who said Obama can "shove it".... ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2013 #21

the ignorance about Linc Chafee on DU is breathtaking cali May 2013 #23

Lincoln Chafee liberal from boston May 2013 #24

I'm not the one revising history here. harmonicon May 2013 #33

oh for the love of a smidgeon of intelligence cali May 2013 #41

Maybe you do have just a "smidgeon" of intelligence. harmonicon May 2013 #49

Seriously? Sheepshank May 2013 #65

I'm sorry. harmonicon May 2013 #67

I suppose it's difficult to admit when one is incorrect Sheepshank May 2013 #68

I'm an ass. I happily give people shit for their idiocy. harmonicon May 2013 #69

Some positions: ship jobs to foreign countries, protect bankers so that student-loan debts cannot be AnotherMcIntosh May 2013 #36

He's better off affiliating with the Dems--he has carried their water for years, anyway. nt MADem May 2013 #46

*sigh* (nt) harmonicon May 2013 #8

A lot of people in this thread need to do some research ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2013 #11

Agree Robbins May 2013 #12

The vitriol on right-wing radio here in RI is all you need to know ProudToBeBlueInRhody May 2013 #13

You said it best, and in two short sentences, too. MADem May 2013 #47

So he won't change is opinions Fearless May 2013 #14

Bob Dylan once wrote "The times they are a changing." Initech May 2013 #17

Good. Now Dems are the party of Lincoln! SunSeeker May 2013 #18

Good one! JNelson6563 May 2013 #19

Welcome Lincoln. We extend an arm to any and all who wish to come to the bright side graham4anything May 2013 #26

Except for Blue Dogs? brooklynite May 2013 #28

Whoopee, another DINO. kestrel91316 May 2013 #29

That's the way I see it too. Maybe a progressive lifelong Democrat will enter and win the primary. byeya May 2013 #31

Exactly. AnotherMcIntosh May 2013 #37

People can change.. this is a really cool evolution of Gov Cha May 2013 #32

When he was a registered Republican, he was more of a Democrat MADem May 2013 #43

"Doles interview".. yeah, that's Cha May 2013 #44

Another ex-Republican sliding under our tent. nm rhett o rick May 2013 #39

This had to be a formidable decision for him, as going "I" was. MADem May 2013 #42

Exactly, MADem. Cha May 2013 #48

I'm all for folks figuring out..... ReRe May 2013 #50

Democrats have become the party of Lincoln. Dawson Leery May 2013 #51

I respect Lincoln Chafee tavalon May 2013 #52

Woohoo! shenmue May 2013 #53

As a Rhode Islander RILib May 2013 #54

I am not a Rhode Islander, but I lived in the state for about half a year, MADem May 2013 #56

This may sound like good news but it highligts what I'm affraid of. PFunk May 2013 #57

sigh. Linc Chafee voted against the IWR. He's way more pro-union than most dems cali May 2013 #61

He made the right choice. I hoped he would at some point. Welcome, Governor Chafee! nt silvershadow May 2013 #58

The DEMS have been shoved so far to the Right, they finally caught up with Mr. Chafee. blkmusclmachine May 2013 #59

In other words, it's NOT Chafee who's been moving Left, but the DEM Party that's been moving Right! blkmusclmachine May 2013 #60

welcome to another the horses help see the light Sunlei May 2013 #62

I would rather he retire. sofa king May 2013 #64

Northeastern Republicans - an endangered species (nt) question everything May 2013 #66

He supports Social Security privatization. He's no Democrat. forestpath May 2013 #70

Let's all drink to Linc bucolic_frolic May 2013 #71