Poll: Lincoln Chafee Ahead As Independent For RI-GOV

The new Rasmussen poll of Rhode Island gives former Sen. Lincoln Chafee, an ex-Republican and now independent candidate for governor, a solid lead in the race against his Democratic and Republican opponents.

Chafee was tested against Republican John Robitaille, a businessman and former aide to term-limited GOP Gov. Don Carcieri, and against two Democrats, Attorney General Patrick Lynch and Treasurer Frank Caprio. With Lynch as the Democratic nominee, Chafee has 38%, Lynch 24%, and Robitaille 22%. With Caprio as the Democratic nominee, it's Chafee with 37%, Caprio 27%, and Robitaille 19%.

Chafee was appointed to the Senate in 1999 after the death of his father, Sen. John Chafee. Lincoln Chafee, who was at the time the mayor of Warwick, had already been running for the seat in the 2000 election after his father had announced his retirement. Lincoln Chafee then won election in 2000, and established a record as a liberal Republican who often flirted with switching parties. He was defeated for re-election in 2006 by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.

In the years since his defeat, Chafee changed his registration to independent and also endorsed Barack Obama for president in 2008, fully severing his former ties with the GOP.