According to the Associated Press, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee will not be seeking a second term. Chafee was elected as an Independent following a narrow victory in a four-way election in 2010, winning only a 36 percent plurality of the vote.
Chafee, who had previously been a Republican member of the Senate from 1999-2007, switched his party affiliation to Independent in 2007, and switched again to the Democratic Party in May 2013. During his time in the Senate, Chafee was known for his liberal viewpoints and was ranked as the “Number One RINO (Republican In Name Only)" by Human Events in 2005.
Chafee experienced low approval ratings throughout his time as governor, and was ranked the least popular governor in the country in April 2013. He experienced considerable controversy during the 2011 and 2012 Christmas seasons by refusing to label an evergreen tree in the Rhode Island Statehouse a “Christmas” tree.
Chafee raised less than $400,000 for his re-election bid, compared to the over $2 million raised by Democratic primary candidate Gina Raimondo.
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