R.I. senator may leave Republican Party

Yahoo! News ^ | 11/8/06 | MICHELLE R. SMITH

[libertarianPA]

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Two days after losing a bid for a second term, Sen. Lincoln Chafee (news, bio, voting record) said he was unsure whether he would remain a Republican.

Chafee lost to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse in a race seen as a referendum on President Bush and the GOP. On Thursday, he was asked whether he would stick with the Republican Party or become an independent or Democrat.

"I haven't made any decisions. I just haven't even thought about where my place is," Chafee said at a news conference. When pressed on whether his comments indicated he might leave the GOP, he replied: "That's fair."

Chafee, 53, is a lifelong Republican who has represented Rhode Island for seven years. His father held the same seat for 23 years before that.

He is the most liberal Republican in the Senate and was the sole Senate Republican to vote against the war in Iraq. But that was not enough to prevail against Whitehouse, who shared many of Chafee's views but was a Democrat in a heavily Democratic state.

Chafee said his loss may have helped the country by switching control of Congress.

"The people have spoken all across America. They want the Democrats and Republicans to work together," he said. "I think the president now is going to have to talk to the Democrats. I think that's going to be good for America."

Chafee said he waged a lonely campaign to bring the party to the middle. He described attending weekly lunches with fellow GOP senators and standing up to argue his point of view, often alone.

"There were times walking into my caucus room where it wasn't fun," he said, adding that he stayed with the GOP largely because it allowed him to bring federal dollars home to Rhode Island.

[tenthirteen]

How can one leave someplace where one never was?

I actually think he is a closet Kennedy.

[jocko12]

No Loss !

[PISANO]

I am thankful that the RINO lost, can you imagine if he would have won and made it 50-50 and then defected??

[longtermmemmory]

translation: He is a "member of convenience". A member of a party just to get elected.

Ala Bloomberg

ala Guliani

ala Bill Clinton

[Republican Wildcat]

As we can see this guy winning and keeping the Republicans "in control" would have likely been short lived - as many of us predicted. He actually says it "helped the country" by him losing and giving the Dems control - so he probably would have just given it to them had he won - even though he accepted all of that help from the NRSC - what a waste of money. If they had spent the money they wasted on him in, oh, say, Virginia, we'd still have the Senate with a reliable GOP Senator.

Oh well...

[mtairycitizen]

That was his plan. He had his glorious defection planned.
The ticker tape parade was his. He thought he would win.
The fool forgot that Rs would e thrown out.

Kind of like when the libs think the terrorists will not
kill them also.

I am really enjoying this.

[kidd]

George Carlin once had a bit where he did fake newscasts.

My favorite was:

"This just in ... a man on Oak Street has barricaded himself inside his home. However, he is unarmed, and no one really cares."

Chafee leaving the GOP after a defeat is quite similar. No one really cares.

[Boiler Plate]

I am fairly certain that Linc left the GOP cabin years ago.

[AaronInCarolina]

Chafee leaving the GOP after a defeat is quite similar. No one really cares.

Actually, most of do care... quite a bit! WE ARE ECSTATIC THAT HE IS LEAVING!!!

[b4its2late]

Hey Chafee!

[Suzy Quzy]

Is this article dated 1996?

[Lancey Howard]

doug,

Chafee was g - o - n - e.

Chafee said his loss may have helped the country by switching control of Congress.

In my opinion, there was NO CHANCE that he would have stayed a Republican.

Regards,
LH

[IFly4Him]

R.I. senator may leave Republican Party

Our comeback is officially underway... first victory of many...

[ggekko60506]

Chaffee is a pompous, delusional ass.

This man obstructed the agenda at every turn and then begged the Republican committee for valuable funds that should have been spent elsewhere.

This man has no record of accomplishment of any kind in the Senate and then he apparently expects the political wait with baited breath on his decision about party affiliation.

If he had won by some miracle he probably would have jumped ship and handed control over to the Treason Party anyway.

What a schmuck!

[irish guard]

Hey Linc............AMF

[bonehead4freedom]

DUwhine,
gang of 14 must uphold the traditions of the senate, screw good judicial nominees,the democrats are my friends.His leftist buddies pulled out all the stops to defeat him and he still doesn't get it,he betrayed his base and his beltway buddies used him and spent tons of money to put a democrat in his spot.
I hope these rinos learn that reaching across the aisle in the name of civility only means getting you a$$ burned.

[advertising guy]

a little girl turd too.

[srmorton]

I have never liked Chafee, although his father was apparently a statesman compared with the son. Since he had been trailing in the polls, there were a lot of clips on him in debates or giving interviews and I was surprised by how inarticulate and downright stupid he sounded. IMO, his loss will be the Republican's gain. There is absolutely no reason why he should continue to block the nomination of John Bolton when he is the best UN ambassador that we have ever had.

[doug from upland]

Maybe he could move to Canada. He's not far.

[excludethis]

There were times walking into my caucus room where it wasn't fun," he said, adding that he stayed with the GOP largely because it allowed him to bring federal dollars home to Rhode Island.

Typical liberal - sell your soul for a green back!