Republican-turned-independent-turned-Democrat candidate for president Lincoln Chafee tweeted something rather cryptic about his campaign at 8 p.m. on Thursday night.
I look forward to speaking at DNC Women's Forum tomorrow morning. I'll address my future in the campaign there. #chafee2016
— Lincoln Chafee (@LincolnChafee) October 23, 2015
Curious.
Chafee has had absolutely anemic polling numbers, averaging "zero" in every poll according to Real Clear Politics. Even Jim Webb, who dropped out on Tuesday, managed to at least break through into an actual percentage point in most polls.
While other candidates have campaigned on fairly memorable, if not entirely feasible, points, Chafee gained substantial press back in June when he proposed putting the United States on to the metric system. He also raised eyebrows in the debate with his absolutely bizarre excuse for voting to deregulate banks in 1999.
Short of a miracle comparable to the time a bunch of college hockey players beat the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, Chafee isn't going to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016. If I were a betting woman, I'd say that Chafee is facing reality on Friday and the "future" of his campaign he'll be addressing will be its end. Guess we'll just have to stay tuned.
UPDATE: He's out.
"As you know I have been campaigning on a platform of Prosperity Through Peace," Chafee is expected to say according to prepared remarks provided by the campaign. "But after much thought I have decided to end my campaign for president today. I would like to take this opportunity one last time to advocate for a chance be given to peace."
With Chafee's campaign ended, there are three Democrats left in the primary race: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.