David Scharfenberg of the Providence Phoenix
takes issue with
my analysis of the Rhode Island governor's race: "Sure,
Republicans have held the governor's chair of late. But no one
gives the lone Republican in the race, State Rep. Joseph Trillo,
much of a chance to win in 2010. If Chafee wins, it is the
Democrats who will suffer."
Fair enough. My only point was that given Rhode Island's recent
electoral history, it is not outlandish to imagine that Lincoln
Chafee could have won as a liberal Republican rather than an
independent. Chafee lost in 2006 largely as a way to deny
Republicans voting on national issues control of the Senate. But
Rhode Islanders re-elected the more conservative Donald Carcieri
as governor the same year, showing an openness to letting strong
Republican candidates handle state issues. But it is nevertheless
true that a strong showing by Chafee could imperil a Democratic
pickup opportunity in Rhode Island.
