Chafee mulling 2016 presidential bid

Daniel Kittredge
Posted 4/9/15

Lincoln Chafee, who has served as mayor of Warwick, governor and U.S. senator, is mulling a run for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.“Throughout my career, I exercised good judgment …

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Chafee mulling 2016 presidential bid

Posted

Lincoln Chafee, who has served as mayor of Warwick, governor and U.S. senator, is mulling a run for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination.

“Throughout my career, I exercised good judgment on a wide range of high-pressure decisions, decisions that require level-headedness and careful foresight. Often these decisions came in the face of political adversity,” Chafee says in a video message announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee. “During the next weeks and months I look forward to sharing with you my thoughts about the future of our great country.”

Chafee has set up a website, Chafee 2016, with the slogans “Fresh ideas for America” and “Politics change. Values don’t.” According to a news release, he will spend the coming months in New Hampshire, Iowa and “other key battleground states, asking voters whether his independent thinking and fresh ideas for the future are what is needed in the 2016 presidential campaign.”

According to the release, “Chafee’s focus includes the belief that a strong middle class is the bedrock of a prosperous America; responsible environmental stewardship can coexist with economic strength; the freedoms granted to America in our Constitution should not be abridged; and American foreign policy should be based on brains, and not biceps.”

The release credits Chafee with having “led Rhode Island out of the recession.” In the video message, he calls the coming election “an important one for the Democratic Party and for America,” and offers strong praise for President Barack Obama’s record.

“When the Republicans were last in power, they left the economy in shambles,” Chafee says. “Over the last six years, President Obama has led admirably. He has revived our economy.”

On the website, Chafee highlights his 2003 vote against the war in Iraq – the only Republican to do so – while serving in the U.S. Senate. In the video message, he states that he is “alarmed” at “international stability, especially in the Middle East and North Africa.”

“I don’t like where this is going,” he says. “Americans want safety, stability and sustainability.”

The son of the late U.S. Sen. John Chafee, Lincoln Chafee was first elected to office as a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention in 1985. He served on the Warwick City Council from 1986 to 1990, and in 1992 was elected the city’s mayor as a Republican. In 1999, he was appointed to fill his father’s unexpired term in the Senate, and he was elected to a full term in the seat in 2000. He lost his re-election bid to current U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in 2006.

Chafee was elected governor as an independent in 2010, and in 2013 joined the Democratic Party. He opted against seeking re-election in 2014.

Chafee and his wife, Stephanie, have three children. They reside in Warwick.

Comments

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  • JohnStark

    I do not know Mr. Chafee. I'm sure he's a nice enough guy. But this is nothing short of comical.

    Thursday, April 9, 2015 Report this

  • falina

    Drugs are bad, mkay.....

    Thursday, April 9, 2015 Report this

  • Skipper

    Oh come on guys! Knock it off, April Fools Day was last week.......

    Thursday, April 9, 2015 Report this

  • allent

    the moron can barely pot a cohesive sentence together.

    Thursday, April 9, 2015 Report this

  • HerbTokerman

    i'm looking forward to this for the comedy of it, if you don't laugh you'll cry.

    Thursday, April 9, 2015 Report this

  • patientman

    Please please please. I can see him and Warren trying to get further left than each other.

    Friday, April 10, 2015 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    The more people scream they want change, when ever anyone comes along offering ideas outside the mainstream, they are dismissed.

    You want more Clinton v. Bush?

    You got it.

    Change? Hah. You people make me sick.

    Friday, April 10, 2015 Report this

  • falina

    There are TWO types of change. And only one is for the better. I don't think Chafee is it.

    Friday, April 10, 2015 Report this

  • JohnStark

    idiot: Perhaps you could identify the key positions Mr. Chafee has taken which put him "outside the mainstream" of the Democrat party. Specifically, how is he 'outside the mainstream' on immigration, foreign policy, taxes, entitlements, social issues, etc? In the absence of any type of contrary position, I'll retain my evaluation of his pending candidacy: Comical.

    Friday, April 10, 2015 Report this

  • Skipper

    This will be tantamount to the assassination of Hillary Clinton.

    She's going to die laughing.........

    Saturday, April 11, 2015 Report this

  • ryanhall

    the rest of America is laughing at us. the man need to go aways the stupid smile at everything he could give bad news and he smiles that smile make the dentist wish he could give him some teeth/ what is wrong with his wife?? the money he will spend could go for a good cause beside spenting it for this do you really have that much stupid ways to spend your time go away for away

    Saturday, April 11, 2015 Report this