Posted on 09/05/2006 7:46:48 AM PDT by TitansAFC
September 3, 2006
Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee (R ) has pulled to within two points of challenger Sheldon Whitehouse in his bid for re-election. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll in Rhode Island shows Whitehouse earning support from 44% of voters while Chafee attracts 42% (see crosstabs). Whitehouse had a six point lead last month.
Based upon this poll we are shifting the Rhode Island Senate race from “Leans Democrat” to “Toss-Up” in our Senate Balance of Power ratings. Rhode Island is the fifth race in the Toss-Up category.
Though he has his sights set on Whitehouse, Chafee must first face off against his primary challenger, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey. The Providence Journal reports that Chafee has outspent Laffey $2.85 million to $1.18 million thus far as they head toward the September 12 showdown. The Whitehouse campaign will be cheering for Laffey on primary night, as the current poll shows Whitehouse leading that potential head-to-head contest 58% to 31%.
If Laffey defeats Chafee in the Republican Primary, this race will immediately be shifted to the Democrats column in our Senate Balance of Power ratings.
If you’d like to receive regular updates of Rasmussen Reports polling data, please sign up for our FREE weekly newsletter (see left column).
Chafee is taking some heat in the primary race, particularly from an Hispanic member of the state’s general assembly, for a television ad run by the National Republican Senatorial Committee that criticizes Laffey for allowing his city to accept Mexican identification cards. State Sen. Juan Pichardo says the ad, “unfairly portrays Hispanic immigrants as a threat to national security.” [MIKE… by the time this goes public, we will have a new immigration story on the site… should include a link to it from here]
Interestingly, equal percentages of voters say they have “very favorable” (20%) and “very unfavorable” (18%) opinions of both Chafee and Whitehouse. Even more interesting is the fact that Chafee gets better marks from Democrats than Republicans. Twenty-one percent (21%) of Democrats have a “very favorable” opinion of Chafee compared to only 14% of the GOP faithful.
Overall, the sitting senator is up with voters from both parties. Sixty-three percent (63%) of GOP voters and 28% of Democrats now say they support Chafee. Those numbers were 59% and 19%, respectively, in the last poll.
Most Rhode Island voters (54%) view Chafee as politically moderate. Twenty-nine percent (29%) see their Senator as liberal and 11% say he’s a conservative.
For Whitehouse, the numbers are 39% liberal, 34% moderate, and 8% conservative.
Both candidates are seen as far to the left of President Bush who is seen as politically conservative by 66% of Rhode Island voters. Distance from the President is a good thing in this left leaning state that doesn’t place much confidence in the performance of the President.
When asked who they trust more on matters relating to national security and the war in Iraq, 56% say the Democrats in Congress and 36% choose President Bush. The numbers diverge even further when it comes to managing the economy; 60% choose Congressional Democrats and slightly less than one-third (31%) choose the President.
Rhode Island is one of five states now listed in the Toss-Up Category for Election 2006. Three of the other four are also held by Republicans (Montana, Missouri, and Ohio). The only Toss-Up race for seat currently held by Democrats is in New Jersey.
Um...
That's ain't gonna change with Steve Laffey, though.
That's my whole point! If Laffey were a true Conservative, then I'd be all over this replacement. But given the choice between two non-Conservatives, yes I'll take the one who can beat the Democrat.
Just replacing one winnable RINO with a losing RINO makes no sense.
---"Hypothetical question:
If he were running, would you vote for Democrat Zell Miller over Chaffee, even though it meant "losing a seat?"---
Good question.
It depends on the state of the Senate. If Miller could be the deciding vote that makes Harry Reid Majority Leader, then I probably would suck-it-up and vote for Chafee. In probably every other case, I'd vote Miller.
Zell is great, and I'd be willing to sacrifice a Senate seat for him, but not control of the whole Senate.
You want people to vote for a Democrat?
Who cares if Laffey loses the General.
I see no reason the GOP should provide workers and funds to save a Liberal seat for a guy that would flip to the Dems if the Senate were divided in a heartbeat.
Better those funds go to races we can win AND achieve some conservative gain.
Sorry, but no. Voting for the Liberal DEMOCRAT, which is Chafee, doesn't make sense at all. I prefer the RNC do the RIGHT thing and concentrate on Talent, santorum, Burns, Steele, Bouchard, Irey etc...
If Rudy's the candidate, I'm voting third party (probably Constitution) for president.
If I were from RI I could never vote Democrat: AND that means CHAFEE! Just becase laffey has caused a taboo on the issue of the day doesn' give the advantage to CHAFEE that has a 20 year record of VOTING DEMOCRAT In The SENATE! :-/.
Because it sends "moderates" a lesson: if you are Rep. vote republican, not democrat!!
Hold your nose, vote Hillary. If Chafee's voting record (12% conservative rating last year) is acceptable, then you'll be fine with the Hilderbeast.
Chaffee is so bad he voted MORE liberal a dozen or so RAT Senators.
Laffey is solidly pro-life and anti-tax. On one hand you guys whine that RI will never elect conservatives, on the other hand you whine that Laffey isn't conservative enough. You can't have it both ways. Laffey might not be a Tom Coburn clone but he is about as conservative as you're gonna get in RI. And Chafee is so bad I could locate just about ANY "R" who would make a better Senator than him.
The biased media keeps referring to communist liberals as "moderates". Guys like Jeffords and Chafee were never "moderate", they're liberals. Laffey really IS a moderate. I'll take a moderate over a liberal anyday. I'd rather have someone who votes my way 50% of the time than 10%.
Lots of RI Dems are pro-life. Thus, Chafee votes to the left of many DEMOCRATS in this "liberal" state. Right now, Laffey is unknown outside the city of Cranston. I don't want to hear this crap that he can't win because he's 20 points behind a statewide official. Well duh, being a local Republican mayor running against a well-known statewide Dem in a Dem state automatically gives him an uphill battle. It won't be easy but he has plenty of time to get his name out. Hell, Katherine Harris is polling twice as bad as Laffey in a "red" state and she STILL has a bunch of freepers who worship her and insist she can "beat Nelson"
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