Lincoln Chafee

Lincoln Davenport Chafee (born March 26, 1953) is a United States Senator from Rhode Island.

Related Topics:
March 26 - 1953 - United States Senator - Rhode Island

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Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Chafee attended Warwick public schools and Phillips Andover Academy. He earned a degree in Classics from Brown University in 1975, where he was captain of the wrestling team. After Brown, he attended the Montana State University horseshoeing school in Bozeman. For the next seven years he worked as a blacksmith at harness racetracks in the United States and Canada. One of the horses he shoed, Overburden, set the track record at Northlands Park in Edmonton, Alberta.

Related Topics:
Providence, Rhode Island - Warwick - Phillips Andover Academy - Brown University - Montana State University - Bozeman - Northlands Park - Edmonton, Alberta

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After serving for several years on the city council, Chafee was elected mayor of Warwick in 1992, a post he held until his appointment to the Senate.

Related Topics:
City council - Mayor

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When Chafee's father, Sen. John Chafee (R-RI), died suddenly in October 1999, Lincoln Chafee was appointed by Gov. Lincoln Almond to serve the remainder of his father's term. Chafee was elected to a full six-year term in 2000.

Related Topics:
Sen. John Chafee (R-RI) - Gov. Lincoln Almond - 2000

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Though a Republican, Lincoln Chafee is considered among the most liberal Republicans in the Senate. He supports abortion rights and gay rights, supports more federal funding for health coverage, and supports strong environmental protection. These are liberal characteristics that many Republicans do not possess. This is why conservatives have called Chafee a RINO, a Republican In Name Only. People have also used the older term "Rockefeller Republican" to describe him. Many have speculated that Chafee might have become an independent or even joined the Democratic Party if the Democrats had been in control of the Senate or within one seat of control after the 2002 or 2004 elections. There is still speculation that Chafee might switch parties or become an independent if he continues to have conflicts with the Republican leadership, or if the Democratic Party regains control of the Senate.

Related Topics:
Republican - Liberal - Conservatives - RINO - Rockefeller Republican - Independent - Democratic Party - 2002 - 2004

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Chafee, known for often disagreeing with the Republican party leadership, did not cast his ballot for President George W. Bush in the 2004 election. Sen. Chafee instead chose to write-in George H. W. Bush as a nod to the Republican party of his father http://www.ramcigar.com/media/paper366/news/2004/10/05/News/Chafee.Speaks.With.Students.About.Election-741669.shtml. Chafee was the only Republican senator to vote against the authorization of military force in Iraq in 2003. He has frequently criticized President Bush's record on the environment and he also expressed concern about the 2004 Republican platform and the direction of the party.http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040920_1118.html He described the younger Bush's Presidency as "an agenda of energizing the far-right-wing base, which is divisive."http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/ussenate/2004-11-03-ri-chaffee_x.htm# Soon thereafter, he rejected Democratic overtures to leave the Republican Party, after appeals from other Republican senators to remain in their caucus.http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/11/09/republicans.chafee.ap/

Related Topics:
George W. Bush - 2004 election - George H. W. Bush

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In May 2005, Chafee's senatorial re-election bid was endorsed by the traditionally Democratic-supporting NARAL Pro-Choice America, in spite of the fact that the strongest possible challenger to Chafee, anti-abortion Rep. James Langevin, had declined to run for senator.

Related Topics:
2005 - NARAL Pro-Choice America - Anti-abortion - James Langevin

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On May 23, 2005, Chafee was one of fourteen moderate senators to forge a compromise on the Democrats' use of the judicial filibuster, thus preventing the Republican leadership's attempt to implement the so-called "nuclear option." Under the agreement, the Democrats would retain the power to filibuster a Bush judicial nominee only in an "extraordinary circumstance," and the three most conservative Bush appellate court nominees (Janice Rogers Brown, Priscilla Owen and William Pryor) would receive a vote by the full Senate.

Related Topics:
Filibuster - Nuclear option - Appellate court - Janice Rogers Brown - Priscilla Owen - William Pryor

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In September 2005, Cranston, Rhode Island mayor Stephen Laffey announced his intention to run against Chafee in the Republican primary. Laffey is considered a formidable challenger, as Laffey is perceived as more conservative than Chafee, and Republican primary voters are more conservative than voters in a general election.

Related Topics:
September 2005 - Cranston, Rhode Island - Stephen Laffey

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