He survived a nasty primary, but U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee could not survive the Democratic tidal wave that swept through the nation on Election Day.
Chafee, who succeeded his father, the late Sen. John H. Chafee, after his death in 1999, had built a reputation as one of the most liberal and independent-minded Republicans on Capitol Hill, and independent voters helped him defeat Cranston Mayor Stephen P. Laffey in the Republican primary.
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But in the general election, Chafee couldn’t defeat Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse. He wasn’t alone: Across the nation, Republicans suffered losses, and voters returned both chambers of Congress to the Democrats. Whitehouse’s victory, most believe, was part of that tide.
Locally, Republicans lost all but one statewide race. Gov. Donald L. Carcieri narrowly defeated his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Charles J. Fogarty, with 51 percent of the vote. Fogarty had initially been considered a long shot.
“It went down to the wire, but you take all victories,” Carcieri said the day after the election. “This is a very difficult climate. … Given what was happening, it’s a wonder we survived.”
Democrats also maintained their dominance in the General Assembly. In fact, Republicans lost one seat in the House of Representatives, dropping down to 13.
— Justin Sayles
