Lincoln Chafee fends off strong challenge by Laffey.

[saltpoint]

(Updated since 10:27 posting to reflect Laffey's concession.)

[gaspee]

1. But it doesn't look like

Warwick has reported yet. It's Chafee's (and my) city. Damn.

[saltpoint]

2. Yeah. I'm not sure where the other precincts are, either.

Too early to call.

[gaspee]

3. OOps

Looks like Warwick reports just came in. Unsurprisingly Warwick went for Chafee. I'm looking to see if Cranston is in yet.

[saltpoint]

4. Things are happening fast. Small state, quick precinct action.

[welshTerrier2]

5. Chafee won; Laffey just conceded!

too bad ... this makes it harder in November ...

[Stinky The Clown]

7. Shit!

[saltpoint]

8. Yep. Chafee will be a tougher opponent by far. Still. Whitehouse

is formidable and I think we can still win.

[flyarm]

6. DOES THE DEM HAVE A CHANCE OVER CHAFEE? N/T

[welshTerrier2]

9. absolutely!!

polls show it's pretty much a dead heat right now ...

[saltpoint]

10. Yes. Laffey would have been easier to beat but we can still do it.

[gaspee]

11. Yes

It's going to be tough, but Whitehouse has a chance. It's going to be an uphill battle. I'm a far left-wing dem and I like Chafee. I'm not voting for him, but I like him. His votes for the bankruptcy bill and his vote for closure on Alito immediately disqualified him for me.

[Bumblebee]

12. It will be interesting to watch. Chafee now has to go sharper left to win

-- starting with Bolton -- and that will upset GOP.

[Erika]

13. This is a strong rebuke of the radical GOP policies

and the death of the neocon/theocratic movement.

The GOP now knows they better either move far left or move out.

[gaspee]

14. They'll ignore it

They don't think RI counts. Seriously. It's one of two states Bush has never been to. They'll shrug this off and say a conservative can't win in RI.

They're right about that -- a conservative can't win national office in RI. And the only reason our asshole governor won is because of the contentious Dem primary and the fact that the dems ran a woman.

[Erika]

15. You're wrong, respectfully

Didn't W win in RI?

[MoonRiver]

16. WHAT?

Don't think so.

[skipos]

17. RI is one of the most Bush-hating states in the US.

I wish I lived there.

The only New England state Bush won was New Hampshire in 2000.

[gaspee]

18. That was a joke, right?

In 2000, Bush got the lowest percentage of vote in RI than any other state. In 2004, only Mass voted for Kerry more than RI did. And that's only because it was Kerry's state.

Around 10% of RI voters are registered Republicans.

RI is the bluest of the blues.

So you were joking, right?

Edited to add:

Bush approval rating in RI? Hovering around 20%

The only reason Chafee wins in RI is because he is to the left of all R's and even some D's (like Nelson, Pryor, and Landrieu)-- well that and his family name. And that he's a good guy. I don't think all that is going to save him this time (I hope!)

[MoonRiver]

19. Considering all that you have said, which is obviously correct,

WHY THE HELL wouldn't RI vote a Democrat in this November? I cannot fathom how they could let our country down by helping to give the monster Repukes a majority. If they do I think they must have a death wish. SERIOUSLY.

[cali]

24. It comes down to emotion

and loyalty winning out over common sense. I'm from Vermont, not RI, and I always voted for Jim, even though I despise the repuke party. Both VT and RI are such small states that many voters actually know the pols that are running. It's just weird.

[MoonRiver]

27. Fine, but I don't want to hear any whining from Rhode Islanders

(at least those who vote for Chaffee) if Pukes keep the Senate and * continues to have a free reign to destroy the country.

:banghead:

[fujiyama]

21. LOL

Kerry and Gore both won the state by well over 60%, giving them their biggest margins of victory.

[saltpoint]

26. Both Gore and Kerry won Rhode Island. Bush is very unpopular there.

[Sensitivity]

20. Chaffe is Centrist. Dems should concede and focus money against a

real Bush enabler.

[fujiyama]

22. That would be incredibly stupid

Chafee IS the greatest of enablers and will be as long as he continues to vote for Frist (or his replacement in the fall, likely Mitch McConnel).

He could have switched sides a while back and avoided this. Along with Lieberman, I really want to see him lose in November.

[gaspee]

23. Right there with you

I'm right there with you on that one. Not only will he help the republicans keep a majority, if reelected, but he also voted for cloture on Alito. Yeah, he voted against confirmation, but that wasn't the important vote. The cloture vote was. So not only will Chafee vote for a republican majority, but he'll also vote to confirm Georgie's supreme court justices. If you can call them that.

[saltpoint]

25. I think we back Whitehouse all the way, be generous with contributions,

and try to take this seat from the Republicans.

We're interested in a Senate majority.

Let's get it.

[skipos]

28. ABSOLUTELY NOT. A vote for Chafee is a vote for a Republican majority

and vote for greater Republican power. If there is anything America should know by now, it is that the more Republicans have power, the worse things get for America. Chafee enables all of the rightwing nutjobs in the senate, and he needs to go.

Whitehouse is the only real progressive running for the RI senate seat, and he needs to win.