The 2006 United States Senate election in Rhode Island was held on November 7, 2006. Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee sought re-election to a third term in office but was defeated by former Rhode Island attorney general Sheldon Whitehouse.
Primary elections were held on September 12. Chafee, who faced criticism from Republican activists for his liberal positions on the issues, survived a challenge from Cranston mayor Steve Laffey, who ran as an anti-tax conservative. Many Republicans supported Chafee over electability concerns, believing that he would be more likely to hold the seat in the November election. In the Democratic primary, Whitehouse easily defeated more progressive challengers after secretary of state Matt Brown withdrew from the race.
Along with Maine and Pennsylvania, this was one of the three Republican-held Senate seats up for election in a state that John Kerry won in the 2004 presidential election. After the primaries, Whitehouse consistently led in public opinion polling, and he defeated Chafee by over seven percentage points. After the election, when asked by a reporter if he thought his defeat would help the country by giving Democrats control of Congress, Chafee replied, "to be honest, yes." Chafee soon left the Republican Party.
, this is the last time a Republican candidate won Bristol and Washington counties in a statewide election. Whitehouse was the first Democratic senator elected to this seat since John Pastore in 1970, and the Democratic Party held both Rhode Island seats for the first time since Pastore left office in 1977. Chafee was elected governor of Rhode Island as an independent in 2010; he ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States in the 2016 Democratic Party primaries.
Republican primary
Candidates Lincoln Chafee, incumbent U.S. senator since 1999 Steve Laffey, mayor of Cranston
Campaign By 2006, Lincoln Chafee was considered one of the most liberal members of the Republican Party in the Senate and he drew a primary challenge from Cranston mayor Steve Laffey. In early 2006, the Club for Growth sent a series of mailings to Republicans in the state attacking Chafee's voting record.
The national Republican Party supported Chafee, believing that he was more likely to hold the seat in the general election. Senators Mitch McConnell and John McCain and First Lady Laura Bush appeared at fundraisers for Chafee, while Bill Frist's PAC donated to Chafee. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) also ran ads in the state supporting Chafee. Laffey picked up endorsements from many local Republican town committees throughout Rhode Island, the national group Club for Growth, and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes. On July 10, the NRSC filed a complaint against Laffey with the Federal Election Commission, claiming that he had included a political communication with tax bills mailed to Cranston residents.
Debates Complete video of debate, August 23, 2006 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, August 26, 2006 - C-SPAN
Polling Source Date LincolnChafee SteveLaffeyRhode Island CollegeRhode Island College April 2006 56% 28%American Research GroupAmerican Research Group May 5, 2006 48% 39%Club for Growth/National Research Inc.Club for Growth/National Research Inc. June 2, 2006 45% 44%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College June 2006 39% 38%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College August 28–30, 2006 34% 51%RNSC/Public Opinion StrategiesRNSC/Public Opinion Strategies August 30, 2006 53% 39%
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Carl Sheeler, Marine veteran Sheldon Whitehouse, former Rhode Island attorney general and U.S. attorney for the District of Rhode Island Christopher F. Young, activist and perennial candidate
Withdrew Matt Brown, Rhode Island secretary of state (endorsed Whitehouse)
Campaign Whitehouse was endorsed by Senator Jack Reed and U.S. representatives Jim Langevin and Patrick J. Kennedy. Sheeler, a former U.S. Marine, ran on a more progressive platform.
Results Ultimately, Whitehouse would trounce his competition in the primary, winning his party's support by a large margin.
General election Candidates Lincoln Chafee, incumbent U.S. senator since 1999 (Republican) Sheldon Whitehouse, former Rhode Island attorney general (Democratic)
Campaign Democrats believed that this was one of the most likely Senate seats to switch party control, due to the Democratic tilt of Rhode Island, as well as Chafee's need to expend part of his campaign fund to win the Republican primary election. Chafee's approval ratings also took a beating from his primary battle with Laffey and may have hurt him in the general election. Another factor that hurt Chafee was that Whitehouse, the Democratic nominee, had a huge head start on him, as he was able to campaign with little opposition for at least half the year and had not had to contend with a major opponent until the general election campaign. Rhode Islanders' historically large disapproval ratings for President George W. Bush and the Republican Party as a whole was another major hurdle for Chafee.
Debates Complete video of debate, October 19, 2006 - C-SPAN Complete video of debate, October 30, 2006 - C-SPAN
Issues Whitehouse and Chafee did not have large differences on political issues. On social issues, they were almost entirely in agreement with each other. Chafee was also against the Bush tax cuts. On fiscal issues, such as social security and trade, they were however in disagreement.
Abortion Chafee - pro-choice Whitehouse - pro-choice Stem-Cell research Chafee - support Whitehouse - support Death penalty Chafee - strongly opposes Whitehouse - support in federal level, but not in state level Gay Marriage Chafee - supports Whitehouse - supports Privatizing Social Security Chafee - Partially Supports Whitehouse - Strongly Against Bush Tax Cuts Chafee - Strongly against Whitehouse - Strongly against Vouchers Chafee - rated 55% by NEA, representing a mixed record Whitehouse - Strongly against Federal Spending on Health Care Chafee - Strongly supports Whitehouse - Strongly supports PATRIOT Act Chafee - supports Whitehouse - against Free Trade Chafee - supports Whitehouse - against
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006
Polling Source Date Sheldon LincolnChafee (R)Brown UniversityBrown University September 13, 2005 25% 38%Brown UniversityBrown University February 8, 2006 34% 40%RasmussenRasmussen February 11, 2006 38% 50%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College April 2006 32% 51%RasmussenRasmussen May 4, 2006 41% 44%RasmussenRasmussen June 5, 2006 42% 44%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College June 21, 2006 40% 43%Brown UniversityBrown University June 26, 2006 38% 37%RasmussenRasmussen July 18, 2006 46% 41%RasmussenRasmussen August 9, 2006 44% 38%Fleming & AssociatesFleming & Associates August 24, 2006 42% 43%RasmussenRasmussen September 3, 2006 44% 42%RasmussenRasmussen September 17, 2006 51% 43%Brown UniversityBrown University September 16–18, 2006 40% 39%American Research GroupAmerican Research Group September 19, 2006 45% 40%Mason-Dixon/MSNBCMason-Dixon/MSNBC October 2, 2006 42% 41%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby October 5, 2006 45% 41%USA Today/GallupUSA Today/Gallup October 6, 2006 50% 39%RasmussenRasmussen October 10, 2006 49% 39%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College October 10, 2006 40% 37%Fleming & AssociatesFleming & Associates October 19, 2006 46% 42%RasmussenRasmussen October 19, 2006 50% 42%Mason-Dixon/MSNBCMason-Dixon/MSNBC October 24, 2006 48% 43%Rhode Island CollegeRhode Island College October 27, 2006 51% 43%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby November 2, 2006 53% 39%Mason-Dixon/MSNBCMason-Dixon/MSNBC November 5, 2006 45% 46%USA Today/GallupUSA Today/Gallup November 5, 2006 48% 45%
with Steve Laffey Source Date Sheldon SteveLaffey (R)Brown UniversityBrown University September 13, 2005 35% 25%Brown UniversityBrown University February 8, 2006 44% 29%Brown UniversityBrown University June 26, 2006 55% 25%
Results Whitehouse defeated Chafee in his bid for a second full term. Whitehouse carried only Providence County, which contained approximately 60 percent of the state's population, by 18 percent of the vote. His victory there was enough to win the state.
By county Sheldon WhitehouseDemocratic Lincoln ChafeeRepublican Others County Votes % Votes % Votes % Bristol10,43549.6%10,55450.1%660.3% Kent34,34947.1%38,37052.6%2400.3% Newport16,60949.2%17,05050.5%1140.3% Providence119,61858.9%82,67940.7%6820.3% Washington25,09845.1%30,34854.6%1520.3% Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Providence (largest municipality: Providence)
See also 2006 United States Senate elections
References
External links Senator Chafee Earns Sierra Club Endorsement Rhode Island Election Results Official campaign websites (archived) Sheldon Whitehouse (D) for Senate Lincoln Chafee (R) for Senate