Why is lincoln chafee so unpopular

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Daily News Podcast. Daily Newsletters. Log out. Daily News Podcast Daily Newsletters. More Stories. Comments: ; adam. Related Stories. Still, Chafee's party label tied him too closely to the unpopular GOP, and Sheldon Whitehouse defeated him in the Democratic wave year.

Chafee quit the GOP to become an independent in — which set the stage for his political comeback in , when he won Rhode Island's governorship. But with the state's economy and unemployment rate quite bad, Chafee's popularity dropped — two years in, he was one of the most unpopular governors in the country.

In what was widely interpreted as an attempt to revive his political fortunes, Chafee officially joined the Democratic Party in May But with two strong Democrats already running in the primary, it soon became clear that Chafee would lose — and badly. So in September , he announced he wouldn't run for reelection, saying he'd rather focus on governing. At the time, the New York Times said the decision "effectively ends his political career. In his weak Democratic Party ties, Chafee resembles others in the field of declared and potential challengers to Hillary Clinton.

Bernie Sanders of Vermont has been an independent throughout his career, and f ormer Sen. Other rank-and-file Democrats seem reluctant to take on Clinton. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding.

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Chafee, a former Republican turned Independent turned Democrat -- offered the following. For many of us, the Ralph Nader candidacy in changed world history," said Chafee. I saw where Cicilline on GoLocal called into the question of a lifelong Democrat running as an independent," said Chafee.

Even Spencer Dickinson split the vote up in the Democratic primary. End of Political Dynasty in Rhode Island? Chafee Moves to Wyoming.