Chafee puts brakes on run for Senate

By Peder Schaefer
Posted 6/5/18

By Peder Schaefer Lincoln Chafee, citing an internal poll and lack of support from Bernie Sanders supporters, has decided not to run for U.S. Senate against Sheldon Whitehouse in the Democratic Primary next fall. In early May Chafee seemed a sure lock

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Chafee puts brakes on run for Senate

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Lincoln Chafee, citing an internal poll and lack of support from Bernie Sanders supporters, has decided not to run for U.S. Senate against Sheldon Whitehouse in the Democratic Primary next fall.

In early May Chafee seemed a sure lock to run, but he’s had a change of heart over the past couple weeks.

“I even got up to above 90 percent,” said Chafee on Wednesday, referring to his earlier comments on running. “But that last 10 percent, 5 percent, proved to be fortuitous in that my chances of winning a Democratic Primary depended on strong support from people that had voted for Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary of 2016 against Hillary Clinton for president…Once I didn’t feel that support from the base of Sanders supporters and that same passion and anger, I knew it was going to be a very steep climb to be successful.”

Chafee said that Sanders supporters were the ones who first encouraged him to run for his former Senate seat, but he couldn’t gain their support because of his Republican past and lack of anger concerning the 2016 Democratic Primaries. Chafee insisted that despite his progressive record on a wide-range of causes, from marriage equality to environmental protection, “Democrats can’t get past the fact that I used to be a Republican.”

Chafee is well known for his vote against the Iraq War as a Republican in the U.S. Senate, as well as signing marriage equality into law as Rhode Island governor, two decisions he thought would endear him to the progressives he needed to beat Whitehouse.

“My commitment to these causes goes way, way back,” said Chafee.

Another factor that pushed Chafee away from running was an internal poll he conducted to analyze his race with Whitehouse. That poll showed a “steep climb” for Chafee against the incumbent Democrat.

“I think I could have won, but it would have taken enormous resources and energy,” said Chafee. “I definitely couldn’t count on the Providence Journal to give me a fair hearing. That’s not gonna happen, so I would have to pay for it.”

Aside from U.S. Senate, Chafee’s also been mentioned as a possible candidate for Rhode Island governor or mayor of Warwick. He decided months ago not to run for governor, but rumors that he’d run for mayor of Warwick are still floating around, especially since Scott Avedisian, mayor of Warwick for 18 years, decided to step down in May in take the job as RIPTA CEO in Providence.

“I’ve ruled out mayor,” said Chafee. “I like a challenge. Mayor Avedisian left the city in good shape. There are good relations with the unions, [and] the pensions are funded. The challenge I see, the one tempting aspect of considering that race, would be to become a champion of the station district, what we’ve done here with connecting the rail to the airport, and then going out and marketing the land around the public investment we’ve made.”

Chafee was formerly mayor of Warwick in the 90s. While he was mayor he expanded the sewer system, increased recycling and helped push the above-mentioned Interlink system between the airport and the train station, making the area around T.F. Green Airport more friendly to development.

“It needs a champion,” said Chafee of the area around the airport. “But that all being considered, and talking with Stephanie, my wife, I’ve decided not to take on that challenge.”

If not mayor, then what next?

“I don’t know, to be honest,” said Chafee. “I’ve been around politics since I was three years old. I like to think I’ve had a record of scandal-free service for the people of Rhode Island…I’m experienced, I’m hard working, and I’m honest.”

Chafee mentioned his service at all three levels of government – state, federal, and local – as unique. Only one other living public servant, Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia, has served the same range of constituents as Chafee has.

Chafee said he might write a book, but for the time being plans to stay out of politics.

“Once you get out of the arena, there’s time just to let the combatants in the arena do the battle,” he said.

He mentioned former President Barack Obama and former Secretary Hillary Clinton as polar opposites in terms of their “post-arena” presence. He said Obama has laid low, refusing to criticize a Trump administration that is actively striving to chip away at his legacy, while Clinton wrote a book that “blames everybody but herself” for losing the 2016 Presidential election.

Chafee’s in a time of pause, waiting for whatever next comes his way.

He said, “I’ve got my thinking cap on looking for challenges.”

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