Chafee Wins In Rhode Island
Republican Lincoln Chafee has won the primary in Rhode Island. His opponent, conservative Steve Laffey, has reportedly conceded.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Chafee had 34,042 votes, or 54 percent, to Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey's 29,431 votes, or 46 percent.
Chafee, whose challenge was the latest test of anti-incumbent sentiment and the polarization of politics, told supporters: "Our goal has always been to find the common ground for the common good. … Partisan politics must not prevail."
I think pragmatism won over ideology here.
By Guy, Wednesday, 13 September , 2006 @ 6:30 am
I was just listening to Ed Gillespie on the Bill Bennett show and he was quite satisfied that Chaffee had beaten Laffey. His take was that because Rhode Island is a liberal state, Chaffee has a much better chance of beating a challenging Dem in Nov. I agree with this and understand the reasoning behaind it. However, for the life of me, I can’t understand the advantage of having Chaffee in office when he votes against the Republican agenda so much of the time. Even now, he’s holding up the appointment of John Bolton as the ambassador to the UN. I suppose it’s because his one vote goes toward the election of the Senate Majority Leader…..It’s no wonder so many conservatives are dissatisfied with the Republican party……the idea of party over principles gets kinda old.
By Gaius, Wednesday, 13 September , 2006 @ 6:37 am
It’s a tough call here. Chaffee does help them retain control even though he is not the most reliable Senator. But making a highly principled stand that will absolutely lose is not all that attractive an option.