Lincoln Chafee must have seen this coming: the ultra-conservative Club for Growth has announced that they have endorsed Steve Laffey for US Senate. Of course, organizations like the Club for Growth don't have very much political influence in Rhode Island, but for registered Republicans, the endorsement goes a long way towards establishing Laffey's bonafides as a fiscal conservative.The Club president, Rhode Island native Pat Toomey, is aware of the risks of having Laffey win the primary only to get clobbered by a Democrat in a heavily Democratic state like Rhode Island, saying:
"First, it wouldn't be much of a loss if a new Democrat senator were elected, as he would vote much the same as Chafee does now. Second, it is unlikely this loss would result in tipping control of the Senate back to the Democrats -- though that, too, can't be ruled out. If Republicans lose so many seats that the Rhode Island race is crucial, Chafee would probably lose, too."That's something something I, and most other Rhode Island Republicans, have been saying for months now. Even if Laffey were nominated and lost to Sheldon Whitehouse, the difference between Whitehouse and Chafee's voting records in the senate would be more or less the same. Unlike Connecticut's Joe Lieberman who actually voted with the Democratic party line on nearly everything but the Iraq war, Chafee's a bonafide RINO who would be running as a Democrat if he had any connections in Rhode Island's powerful party apparatus.
2 comments:
So it doesn't matter if a Democrat wins the seat or if Chafee wins the seat?
As a former Republican who is fed up with Republican broken promises and continuing failures in foreign and domestic events I applaud you. It's this type of thinking that will allow the Democrats to win the majority in the Senate. The difference between Chafee and a Democrat is that Chafee will help the Republicans remain in the majority in the Senate. I don't even know why I point this out to you as I'm voting straight party Democrat in November. This Republican is saying enough is enough...
Carl? Carl Sheeler? Is that you, buddy?
In all seriousness, there's no need for secrecy. If you want to vote Democrat, knock yourself out. Chafee's senate seat hasn't helped out Senate Republicans very much because, his nominal party affiiliation notwithstanding, he still talks and votes like a New England Democrat.
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