Republican Party's Liberal Senator in Danger

- Lincoln Chafee, the only Republican U.S. senator to vote against the Iraq war, often breaks ranks with his party to survive in one of the nation's most liberal states.

But in two weeks Rhode Island may break ranks with Chafee, ousting one of the most moderate voices in the Republican Party and handing the Democrats one of six key seats needed to seize control of the Senate.

Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse is casting the November 7 election as a referendum on President George W. Bush and the Republican-controlled Congress, saying not just Rhode Island's future but the direction of the country is at stake.

Trailing by four to 11 points in recent polls, Chafee is stressing his unique brand of Republicanism -- from championing environmental issues to fighting Bush's tax cuts, pressing for direct talks with Iran, opposing Bush's Supreme Court nominee and even voting against Bush in the 2004 election.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/washington/politics-chafee.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

That's exactly right.

And Chaffee should get the message that his brand of moderate politics has no place in the Republican Party anymore.

...seem to think it has no place in the Democratic party, either.

pity here. He knows what a repuke majority has done to this country.

So long, Linc.

Indy like Jeffords (he asked his advice on numerous occasions) or become a Democrat. He is from one of the Bluest states in the country. He supposedly couldn't bring himself to cross over because he didn't want to dishonor his father's memory. He had been a Moderate Republican. But I guess he couldn't see how much the party had changed. I think Chaffee is a good man but he's got no one but himself to blame for his likely loss in Nov.

I reckon John Chafee is rolling in his grave at what the Republican Party has become
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Chafee

father's memory by staying in what had become the neocon fascist Republican party.

thought ill of him. I mean, his dad was pro choice, a conservationist, pro educating children and helping the poor. Not your Republican of today. Too bad Chaffee can't see this. He is an honest politican in a very corrupt party. They don't deserve him and he would have made a good member of our party.

He's a lot more progressive than a lot of the DLCers.I wonder if he would entertain moving to Connecticut.

We simply cannot have people like he and Shays empowering the Republicans anymore...

dishonoring his Dad. Maybe some Rhode Island DU'ers know a more extensive reason.

i think he blew it though in the debate the other night, they got asked the "what mistakes have you made and what have you learned from them" question. Whitehouse gives this answer about a crime victim, something happened with the case and in the end i think the perp walked and WH basically said he felt like shit about it, Chafee's answer was something like "I wish i could split my time better between work and family, i think i do a good job but i could do better"