RI: Chafee to Issue Ban on Talk Radio Interviews for State Officials

From The Note:

State officials in Rhode Island will soon be ordered to stay off the airways, provided the interviewer happens to be a talk show host. A spokesman for [Independent] Gov. Lincoln Chafee tells the Providence Journal that talk radio is essentially “ratings-driven, for-profit programming,” and “we don’t think it is appropriate to use taxpayer resources” to have state employees use work time to “support for-profit, ratings-driven programming.”

Chafee intends to stay off the air, too, reversing something of a trend.  His predecessor, Republican Gov. Donald Carcieri, was a frequent talk radio guest, as are many current and former governors and big city mayors across the country. . . .

RI: Chafee Sworn in as State's First Independent Governor

From Bloomberg:

Lincoln Chafee completed his political comeback Tuesday, being sworn in as Rhode Island's first independent governor four years after losing the U.S. Senate seat he held as a Republican. . . . During his speech, he called for greater political collaboration to solve the state's problems . . .

"Our present condition has not developed overnight. It has been decades in the making and it is the shared legacy of Democrats and Republicans, business and labor, liberals and conservatives. Finger pointing and blame will do nothing to alleviate our situation," he said. "The time for irresponsibility has ended." . . . .

Rhode Island Elects State's First Independent Governor, Lincoln Chafee

From the Providence Journal:

Four years after losing his seat in the U.S. Senate, Lincoln D. Chafee has won his bid to become Rhode Island’s first independent governor, taking the office his father, the late John H. Chafee, held in the 1960s. He squeaked out a victory over Republican John F. Robitaille — after spending more than $1.6 million of his family’s personal fortune — in an election-night nail-biter in which Robitaille came within less than 100 votes of beating him as the votes were still rolling in. With an unknown number of provisional ballots yet to be counted, Chafee led Robitaille 36 percent to 34 percent, with fewer than 8,000 votes between them.

RI-Gov: Independent Chafee Touts Ties to Obama

From Talking Points Memo:

Finally, we have a candidate this election cycle who will proudly feature his ties to President Obama in one of his ads -- and he's not actually a Democrat! Lincoln Chafee, the former Republican Senator and now independent candidate for governor of Rhode Island, has a new ad that uses old footage of President Obama vigorously praising him. And of course, this ad follows a dust-up over Obama's noted lack of support for the Democratic nominee in the race, state Treasurer Frank Caprio.

RI-Gov: Chafee Pulls Ahead in Rasmussen Poll

From Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight:

The other state with a new leader is Rhode Island, where Lincoln Chafee, the former Republican senator who is running as an independent, has pulled ahead of the Democrat Frank T. Caprio on the strength of a Rasmussen Reports poll that gives him a 7-point lead.

RI: Chafee Hits Democrat Caprio on Two Fronts, Nepotism and Incompetence

From the Providence Journal:

Independent candidate for governor Lincoln D. Chafee hit his Democratic opponent Frank T. Caprio’s performance as state treasurer on two fronts Thursday — for rehiring the niece of a predecessor who had been fired for “inappropriate behavior” and for allegedly failing to take “proactive steps” to head off a crisis in municipal pensions.

RI: Bloomberg Endorses Chafee for Governor

From The Pawtucket Times:

Calling him “one of our nation’s most sincere and effective leaders,” New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg came to Rhode Island Thursday to campaign for Lincoln Chafee, an Independent candidate for governor. “When you hear the name Linc Chafee, you think experience and you think integrity,” Bloomberg told a crowd of union activists and other Chafee supporters at a noontime event at the Biltmore Hotel. “And you know that he will produce results as governor the same way he did as mayor (of Warwick) and senator.  Bloomberg, an Independent who has previously sought elective office as both a Republican and a Democrat, kidded Chafee, “I’ve left two parties; you’ve only left one.”

RI: Independent Challenges Mechanics of Voting Machine, "Party Levers"

From the Providence Journal:

Joseph Lusi, an independent candidate for governor, has filed suit in U.S. District Court to remove the master levers from the November ballot. . . . Lusi alleges that the levers, which he calls “party levers,” violate protections contained in the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. The levers allow voters to check one box on the ballot and vote for an entire slate of party candidates.

RI: Chafee Continues to Tweak Independent Campaign Strategy

From the News Tribune:

Among Chafee's hurdles is defining himself in voters' minds without a party to help. During the baseball game, he was asked by a group of women why he switched from Republican to independent.  "It wasn't my party anymore," he said, then ticked off a list of his views, from his support of gay rights and environmental protections to concern about budget deficits.

But his message didn't get through to potential voters.  "He said he's independent," Angela Nunes, a 32-year-old school teacher, said later. "He didn't articulate why."

Brown University political scientist Wendy Schiller said political parties provide clear signals to voters about candidates' policies and provide candidates an organization that sells their messages.

"In order to overcome the lack of a party organization that does all these things, an independent candidate has to be doubly inspirational and crystallize his or her message around one or two issue areas that have strong resonance with the voters," she said. "Chafee has done none of this."

When asked what message he's sending to voters, Chafee says it's experience and honesty. His biggest policy proposal has been to levy a 1 percent sales tax on currently exempt items as a way to help close budget deficits without pushing up property taxes.

While he says his plan shows he's got the courage to take unpopular stands, it's a tough message in a state where unemployment was among the worst in the country in June, at 12 percent.

Chafee has a solid bloc of what he calls "Chafee loyalists" and hopes to bring on board interest groups such as Hispanics, environmentalists and gay rights advocates. He points out the state's Republican Party has been ailing for years and in his past campaigns he felt as though he were mostly on his own.

This year, he said, is no different.

RI: Moderate Party Files Suit Against Democratic-Republican Tax Money Slush Fund

A press release from the Moderate Party of Rhode Island:

Warwick, RI- Yesterday, the Moderate Party, in conjunction with the ACLU asked a federal judge to temporarily halt the state from distributing to the two major political parties funds contained in a so-called "nonpartisan account" consisting of "donations" made by taxpayers on their tax return. The law authorizing the account improperly excludes new political parties, like MPRI, from any of the disbursement.

The Prospects for Third Party and Independent Candidates this November: A Contrarian View from Darcy Richardson (TPID Exclusive)

In preparation for an article at CAIVN on the tea party movement and the future prospects of third party and independent candidates for office, I contacted Darcy Richardson to see if he would be interested in offering a comment for quotation. As his response went well beyond anything that could be included in that article – touching upon everything from the Florida Tea Party, to prominent independent gubernatorial campaigns, to third party strategy and beyond – I asked him if I could publish it here and he obliged. The question and response follow with minor edits.

A number of independents seem well positioned to win state office this November (ex. Crist, Chafee etc.), in comparison, what do you think the prospects of third party or independent candidates are for Congressional races, for example, the Florida Whig Party? Also, do you think this portends well for future third party or independent presidential candidates?

While I think Charlie Crist will emerge victorious in November, I'm somewhat of a contrarian when it comes to other third-party and independent candidates across the country this autumn. Our politics are entirely too polarized. By and large, the rank-and-file membership of both parties have dug in their heels — a phenomenon that began during the Bush Presidency — and neither are willing to vote for an independent or third-party candidate for fear of enabling the other side to win.

It's really sad, but that's the reality. Moreover, it's a trend that I fully expect to continue in the 2012 presidential election — and possibly beyond.

Except for the handful of well-known Democrats or Republicans who are mounting independent campaigns this fall — Cahill in Massachusetts, Chafee in Rhode Island and a few others — I don't expect this to be a particularly banner year for independents and third parties.

Regrettably, the nationally-organized third parties have pretty much missed the boat when it comes to the one issue that could have made a huge difference this year — the economy. They've all but allowed the Democrats and Republicans — the two parties responsible for this economic catastrophe — to define the issue.

Except for a handful of third-party hopefuls, such as Rich Whitney in Illinois and New York's Howie Hawkins — two of the most thoughtful third-party candidates in the country — few of them have bothered to understand, let alone address, the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Having said that, I'd be surprised if Whitney polls a third of the votes that he received in 2006. There were some really unique and extraordinary circumstances in that race, so I think it'll be pretty difficult for him to duplicate that amazing feat, as much as I would like to see him do so.

This is a pocketbook election if there ever was one, but precious few candidates running outside the traditional parties are making it the focal point of their campaigns. Incredibly, many of the minor-party candidates running this year aren't even making it part of their narrative. To look at some of their campaign web sites, one wouldn't even know that we're in a prolonged recession. (There are communities sprinkled throughout the country that are beginning to resemble the Great Depression, many where unemployment hovers around twenty percent or greater, but virtually none of the independent or minor-party candidates are talking about that.)

I suppose this is one of the reasons I'm not quite as critical of the Tea Party Movement as some others on the Left. I sort of agree with Noam Chomsky, who believes that it might be a terrible mistake to harshly criticize the nascent movement. Sure, they've attracted more than their share of crazies, but their anger and frustration is the symptom of something much deeper — namely, an economy in decline that threatens the well-being of the nation's middle-class.

The Left, by and large, doesn't see that. It's easier to criticize than analyze.

Insofar as the Tea Party of Florida is concerned, I think Randy Wilkinson — a veteran campaigner with decent name recognition in his district — could possibly score double-digits in his congressional race while I expect Peg Dunmire, a pretty hard-working candidate, to have an impact in Orlando's eighth congressional district, possibly enough to be Alan Grayson's saving grace in what undoubtedly will be a close, hard-fought contest. The party's best showings, however, might take place in some of the state legislative races, where the Tea Party could end up with as many as twenty-five candidates.

If it can successfully exploit the Scott Rothstein scandal — and just how deeply it extends to both major parties — the Tea Party of Florida could exceed beyond anyone's wildest expectations on November 2.

Thanks Darcy!

RI: Chafee Sits Down for Online Chat with Readers at the Providence Journal

From the Providence Journal:

Former Sen. Lincoln Chafee, an independent candidate for Rhode Island governor, chatted with projo.com readers from noon until 1 p.m. Wednesday.  Chafee, 57, was a U.S. senator for eight years until 2007, when he was defeated in the general election by Sheldon Whitehouse. He also served as a distinguished visiting fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies until last year. He is the second Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate to take part in a projo.com live chat this election year. Ken Block, the Moderate Party's addition to the race, offered his answers to readers' questions on April 28. The following is a full transcript of Chafee's chat . . .

RI: Independent and Moderate Party Gubernatorial Candidates to Participate in Forum

From the Providence Journal:

Five of Rhode Island's six gubernatorial candidates have accepted an invitation to participate in a forum on May 4th about reinvesting in women and families. Moderate Party candidate Kenneth J. Block, Democrat Frank T. Caprio, the state's general treasurer, Independent candidate and former U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee, Democrat and state Attorney General Patrick C. Lynch, and Republican John Robitaille have committed to participating in the forum sponsored by the Women's Fund of Rhode Island and the Poverty Institute.

RI: Poll Puts Independent Chaffee in Lead in Gubernatorial Contest

From the ProJo Blogs:

General Treasurer Democrat Frank Caprio appears to be leading the state's attorney general, Patrick C. Lynch, among Democratic gubernatorial primary voters.  But at a time when Rhode Island voters seem to have very little confidence in the major political parties, former U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee, running as an independent for governor, could beat either one of them, according to the latest Brown University poll. .  . .  If he were matched up against Caprio and Republican John Robitaille, who until recently was Governor Carcieri's communications director, Chafee would lead 33.8 percent, to 28.3 percent for Caprio, 12.1 percent for Robitaille and 25.8 percent undecided. If Lynch emerged as the Democratic primary victor, Chafee would lead by a wider margin with 32.9 percent of the potential vote, to 17.7 percent for Lynch and 13.7 percent for Robitaille.

RI: Multi-Partisan Forum for Gubernatorial Candidates

From the ProJo blog:

Frank Caprio's campaign confirmed this afternoon that he will join a crowd of gubernatorial hopefuls at a "Meet the Candidates" forum Wednesday night, offering the public its first opportunity to watch the key Democrat face off against the leading independent, Republican and Moderate Party candidates. . . . Organizers for the event in question -- hosted by the Rhode Island Voter Coalition, which describes itself as non-partisan and has participated in various Tea Party events -- did not initially include Caprio among the list of participants. Those gubernatorial candidates confirmed in a Friday press release included independent candidate Lincoln Chafee, Republican John Robitaille and Moderate Party candidate Kenneth Block.

RI: Third Party Necessary Because One-Party State is Unhealthy

At the Providence Journal, Edward Fitzpatrick writes on Robert Clark Corrente's chairmanship of the Rhode Island Moderate Party:

Corrente, Rhode Island’s U.S. Attorney from 2004 to 2009, is taking over as chairman of the Moderate Party of Rhode Island, aiming to turn a new party (which won official recognition in August) into a credible alternative to a Democratic Party that has dominated state politics for decades. So while he won’t be rowing with a rhino aboard, he will be trying to dislodge, or at least disconcert, an enormous Democratic donkey.  Corrente acknowledged he could have picked an easier task, saying, “No one will accuse me of cherry picking this.” So why did he take it on? “Needs to get done,” he replied. “Nobody’s doing it.” It needs to get done, Corrente said, because single-party rule is not healthy for Rhode Island. The biggest problem is that single-party dominance creates “an atmosphere of inevitability” in which people figure it’s not worth running for office, getting involved in politics or even voting because the outcome is inevitable, he said. “And as soon as that culture of inevitability sets in it necessarily creates just an enormous amount of apathy.”

RI: Poll Finds Independent Chafee with Slight Lead

WPRI reports on a new opinion survey in Rhode Island that finds independent gubernatorial candidate Lincoln Chafee as the front runner in a tight three-way contest:

Rhode Island's next gubernatorial race is nine months away, but an exclusive Eyewitness News poll reveals voters already have strong feelings about who they like. According to the poll, conducted by Fleming & Associates, independent candidate and former U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee has the early edge. . . . In a race with Democrat Frank Caprio, Republican John Robitaille and Chafee, Caprio pulled 30 percent of the vote, Robitaille gets 13 percent and Chafee gets 31 percent. The remaining 23 percent weren't sure.

RI Raises Matching Funds Limit for Campaigns

The Providence Journal reports that the Rhode Island Board of Elections has raised the limit of public matching funds available to candidates for state offices:

Pointing to a 7.9-percent increase in the consumer price index since 2006, the state Board of Elections on Wednesday approved new limits for a “matching public funds” program that attempts to level the financial playing field in races for governor and four general state offices.  Gubernatorial candidates from each of the three recognized parties — Democrats, Republicans and Moderates — are now eligible for up to $1,058,000 in taxpayer dollars after primaries have been held, as are independents who meet thresholds for donations and number of donors.

And major-party candidates for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, general treasurer and attorney general, as well as qualifying independents, can receive up to $264,300. The new caps and the presence of three recognized parties raise the possibility that the program could cost more than $6.3 million this year — if candidates from each party seek the money in each race and qualify for the maximum public match. And the number could go higher with independent candidates.

Independent Candidates for Governor React to MA Special Election Results

In the northeast, a number of independent candidates for governor have emphasized the importance of the independent vote in the outcome of the special election for the US Senate in Massachusetts:

•Independent candidate for governor of Massachusetts, Tim Cahill:

State Treasurer Timothy Cahill, who is challenging [MA governor Deval] Patrick as an independent candidate, said Brown’s unlikely bid has boosted his own chances. “If anyone tells me over the next six months that I can’t win, I’ll look at them and say, ‘Did you say that about Scott Brown?’ ” Cahill said. “There is nothing good in this for the governor,” Cahill said. “He put his prestige on the line here (by backing Coakley.)”

• Independent candidate for governor of Rhode Island, Lincoln Chafee:

Former Republican U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee, now running for Rhode Island governor as an independent, called the historic GOP victory in the Massachusetts U.S. Senate race a message from independent voters who are worried about proposed overhauls to the nation’s health care system. “For me, the independents, the independents have spoken,“ Chafee told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday. “Used to be that solid Democrats would vote solidly Democratic, and you could count on it. And there are just more and more independents, and they’re voting more and more independently.“ Independent voters outnumber Democrats in deeply blue Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and they are a key voting bloc as Chafee tries to win the governor’s seat in November’s election without the backing of a political party.

• Independent candidate for governor of Maine, Eliot Cutler:

The Massachusetts Senate race was a great victory for the Republican candidate, but it was much more that. Scott Brown would not have won with the support of independents and disaffected Democrats. His victory was a repudiation of business as usual – of insider politics and a lack of accountability by those in power. I think Brown’s victory bodes extremely well for my candidacy as an independent and a new candidate with bold ideas and a track record of accomplishment that goes well beyond just politics.