Can John Chafee run as an Independent in RI?

[eccles12]

I heard a voter in RI saying that they loved Chafee but that anyone with a "R" beside his name was not going to be elected in RI. No matter that Chafee votes 99% of the time against Bush...no to Iraq war, no to tax cuts, no to SS etc. They love the man but this caller said it is much more important to change the balance of power in Congress especially in the Senate and that could not be done with "Rs" being re-elected to office. Made my head spin.

[DemPopulist]

1. No

He's dead.

[Sydnie]

3. ROFL!!! n/t

[greatauntoftriplets]

4. ......

:spray:

[LTR]

6. Ashcroft lost to a dead guy

Carnahan, I believe.

[Sydnie]

2. Lincoln Chaffee?

I am not familiar with the laws in RI, but I can't imagine that he would.

Although, Providence did elect Buddy after his first conviction and before his second ... so, the laws might be a bit lax after all. LOL

[greatauntoftriplets]

5. You mean Lincoln Chafee, don't you?

That was funny.

[David in Canada]

7. He can't

The late Senator John Chafee died in 1999.

His son and subsequent successor, Lincoln Chafee has held the seat since his appointment by then-Gov. Lincoln Almond a few days later.

Lincoln Chafee is running for re-election as an independent and faces a fierce challenge from ultra-conservative mayor of Cranston, Steve Laffey.

The filing deadline for independent candidates has long since passed in Rhode Island, therefore if he did lose the GOP primary, he could not run in the general election.

The difference with Senator Lieberman in Connecticut is that the filing deadline for independent candidates in Connecticut was the day AFTER the primary. Therefore, Lieberman collected the prerequisite singnatures for the November ballot before the primary. That pissed off enough people for him to lose to Lamont.

Just FYI! :)