Chafee Takes the First Step

by Chris Bowers, Mon Sep 20, 2004 at 01:34:27 PM EDT

Lincoln Chafee, the least conservative of any Republican in the Senate, has taken the first step toward rejecting the GOP: rejecting Bush. Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee said Monday he plans to support his party in November but may write in a candidate instead of voting for President Bush.(...)

Chafee has opposed the administration's push to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and has criticized Bush's handling of the postwar reconstruction of Iraq. He was the only Republican senator to vote against the October 2002 resolution that gave Bush the authority to invade Iraq.

The Republican said the party's direction in the future will determine his political career as well. He said he's "not OK" with the conservative platform from the Republican convention, but would not say if he'd consider switching parties in his next election in 2006.

"It wasn't that long ago that moderates had more of a voice," Chafee said. "It's a cycle that I hope will come back."

Don't bet on it Lincoln. The Winguts are firmly in command. There is a party where moderates have a voice, however...

Tags: Republicans (all tags)

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Moderates in GOP
Arnold and Rudy received a warm welcome at the GOP convention, despite the fact that they are loathed by the "Wingnuts."

And BTW, Kerry voted for the resolution Chafee opposed and anti-war Democrats were virtually ignored at the Democratic Convention.

by Mark Fulwiler 2004-09-20 02:27PM | 0 recs
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Linc Chafee
has always been a moderate Repub - even leaning left at times.  It is why he has managed to stay in office despite RI being solidly blue.  RI (like MA) has no problem with electing moderates of either party (especially for Governorships), but an ideologue (like say Lott or DeLay) would never gain any traction here.

The other point is that Linc Chafee still sees himself as inheriting his fathers long standing New England patrician Republican mantle.  It is a part of him.  Hopefully he will see that the GOP has left him far behind in their lurch to the Right.

by Tito 2004-09-20 05:08PM | 0 recs
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Well, if we win control of the Senate....
It would get a lot easier and more advantageous for Chafee to bolt the party and either become a Democrat or join Jim Jeffords as a Dem-leaning moderate Independent.  Heck, with two ex-Republican New England moderates in the Senate, they could form their own party; perhaps then they could persuade Snowe and/or Collins to join the fun, or Christopher Shays (one of the few Republicans on the LCV's "Environmental Champions" list) to give the new party a House seat.
Later,
Alex
by Alex 2004-09-20 06:57PM | 0 recs

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