Yes. I remember Jeffords. He made one of the all time bad choices about when to switch parties and got exactly what he deserved.
However, given the options of Chaffee or a Democrat occupying this seat, I think the odds of Chaffee caucusing with Republicans is far greater than that his Democratic opponent would do so.
Laffey has ZERO chance of getting elected. So what people are cheering for here is the loss of a Senate seat. Forgive me for not being impressed.
"However, given the options of Chaffee or a Democrat occupying this seat, I think the odds of Chaffee caucusing with Republicans is far greater than that his Democratic opponent would do so."
Having Chafee caucus with the Republicans actually costs the GOP its majority control of every committee and sub-committee on which Chafee sits; we'd be better off if Chafee became a Democrat. See
http://auh2orepublican.blogspot.com/2005/08/what-to-do-about-insufferable-senator.html And if the Senate somehow becomes 50-50 after the November elections (which won't happen; the GOP will have between 52-57 seats), you can be sure that Chafee will switch and give control to the Democrats. He has said countless times that if switching would give control to the Democrats that he'd strongly consider it, and when the Democrats offer him the Environment Committee chairmanship (same one they offered Jeffords, by the way), Chafee will jump in a second.