Florida would like a word with you RI......

LOL.

Walker
Scott
Kasich
That fat buffoon in Maine
Perry
Jindal
That women in S.C. who also Anglicized her name from the Hindi

All are way worse because they are actively trying to fark up their states for a Corporate/GOP agenda.

Lawnchair: As someone miles and miles away, but who thought Lincoln Chafee seemed like the most inoffensive politician humanly possible, can any RIers clue us in on what he's done to earn ire?

Native RI'er here.

It's more what Chafee hasn't done to a) attract the 15 dittoheads in this state or b) kowtow to the unions.

He's essentially been a punching bag getting hit from all sides. He's also seen as passive, which is a strange viewpoint, since Chafee did take some steps - unpopular though they were - to fix the mess left by Carcieri. Raising beach fees was an early one, some jiggering of the state tax code was another.

On the other hand, Gina Raimondo gets the credit for pushing through the recent pension reforms - a more "active" role in a major issue in contrast to Chafee. But she also risks the blowback from the unions [which Chafee doesn't necessarily have to face.]

As noted by Captain Dan: "He should have been a politician either 20 years earlier or 20 years later."

That's essentially correct. Place Chafee in another time where his longer view and calm demeanor are valued, and he'd poll much higher.

Also, let's not forget, it's 19 months until the election and at least 12 months until anyone except the talk radio howlers and Ted Nesi actually starts to care.

Still, to play the parlor game for the moment, you'd have the Providence mayor [Taveras] running against the current state treasurer [Raimondo] on the Dem side - risking a bloodbath in September that weakens the party - and Allen Fung on the Republican side with a potential Moderate candidate and Chafee running as a well-funded and highly known Independent. Almonte and Doherty are also-rans who'd likely not poll above 15 percent.

The thing is, given all of this, Chafee could win again by running straight down the middle. He doesn't have to outmaneuver anyone in a primary, he'll have four years' experience behind him, and he still has the family name. Plus, as long as the job numbers improve and the state deficit keeps coming down he can win a "pocketbook" election.

Oakenshield: 36% in a four-way race? See, this ought to be a lesson to all of you third-party retards out there. Failed leadership is the result of the expansion of the 2-party process. Jesse Ventura laughs at your choice, Rhode Island.

Runoff voting would solve that.

Lincoln Chafee is basically an old-school moderate Republican.  He has no natural base of support because the GOP currently wants nothing to do with moderates.

He should have been a politician either 20 years earlier or 20 years later.

novalord2: How could someone fark up the management of such as small state?

Google North Korea, Greece or Cyprus.

trotsky: Walker
Scott
Kasich
That fat buffoon in Maine
Perry
Jindal
That women in S.C. who also Anglicized her name from the Hindi

I absolutely adore the fact that my Gov (Brownback, KS) is at least as right-wing and scorched-earth as any of those... more open than anyone that every act he takes is toward of a WH run in 2016...  and because he's the Governor of Kansas, absolutely nobody outside the state gives him the slightest bit of attention.


Captain Dan: Lincoln Chafee is basically an old-school moderate Republican.

It takes an exceedingly fine-toothed comb to separate his positions from Clinton (Bill or Hillary) or Obama.

I live in RI and voted for him. He keeps out of the media for sure and outside of the 38 Studios fiasco seems to be doing a good job.

Hey, Subby, Rhode Island may well be farked up, but at least they have something redeeming in Newport (United States Navy officer training schools). See, my state has nothing in the way of redemption for our governor.

Piyush Jindal. He's an idiot. "Quick! Let's get a bunch of politicians who have never had an actual job, much less one in education, and have them come up with a way to grade teachers based on how their students do, irrespective of the student's ability. And we'll base teacher pay and rehiring based on that metric which bears no connection to reality--and neither do I! And then, get this, we'll get rid of the income tax, give more money to businesses and corporations, and then charge those idiots who can barely afford toilet paper more in sales taxes! It'll work like magic! What? You think I'm wrong? You think the math doesn't work? Fark you!"

/Louisiananana: Where hope comes to die
//Louisiananana: The only way to stay out of jail is to bribe the politicians
///...and that doesn't always work

36% in a four-way race? See, this ought to be a lesson to all of you third-party retards out there. Failed leadership is the result of the expansion of the 2-party process. Jesse Ventura laughs at your choice, Rhode Island.

As someone miles and miles away, but who thought Lincoln Chafee seemed like the most inoffensive politican humanly possible, can any RIers clue us in on what he's done to earn ire?  I mean, I could understand someone way to one pole (Walker, Scott, Brownback... presumably Jerry Brown or Deval Patrick on the other side), but Chafee?  He's like the boring Jon Huntsman.

I am from Wisconsin and I am outraged that anyone could be less popular than Scott "We have the 47th lowest job growth in the nation so let's expand my policies so we can hit bottom!" Walker.

Atwells Street in Providence has some of the greatest Italian food in the NE area, there are some good tattoo parlors in Providence also. And the strip clubs are top notch. Not much for Rhode Island, but it's something.