[jw2therescue]

I agree, Chaffee is a moron. But if we lose the Senate in 2006, we are in trouble. Rhode Island is a liberal state and only a liberal Republican can get elected Senator there. That is unforunate!

[Clintonfatigued]

You make a good point. But, if I'm not mistaken, Stephen Laffey is not conservative on everything. Though he's pro-life, I believe he'd defect party lines on some trade and labor issues.

[fieldmarshaldj]

A Conservative Republican got elected Governor.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Island is a liberal state and only a liberal Republican can get elected Senator there."

---

Tell that to pro-life conservative Republican Governor Carcieri.

Having a Senator Chafee with an R next to his name merely results in our 2-person advantage on each committee being reduced to 0 on every committee and sub-committee on which Chafee sits, since Chafee votes with the Democrats on just about every important issue. We're not talking Specter or Snowe here; Chafee doesn't support the GOP majority position on *anything*, be it social, econoic or foreign. Given the fact that the Democrat Senate candidates are currently a second-tier group, I think Mayor Laffey could get elected if he defeats Chafee in the primary. But, more to the point, if we "convince" Chafee to make it official and join the Democrats we would immediately gain two net Republicans in every committee and sub-committee on which he sits and set up a bloodbath in the Democrat Senate primary among Chafee and one or more longtime Rhode Island Democrats.

And if if it fails, and we thus start off with 54 Republican Senators (before we consider the likely pick-ups we'll have in 2006), then so be it. We should not have room in the GOP for someone who is to the left of Bill Clinton.

[Kuksool]

After today's deal on judge confirmation, Chafee's approval ratings may rise with RH voters. The sad fact is that Chafee acts like a RINO because the RH electorate demands it.