I interviewed Kristen Ayles of Massachusetts just a few moments ago. She is a sophomore at Roger Williams University and has been very tuned into the election, as she is a liberal arts major and has been following the campaign as a part of various assignments for her classes.
In a casual conversation, I began to ask Kristen why she supported Sheldon Whitehouse in this race.
“We need a change!” she exclaimed. “I want Whitehouse because I want a Democratic contr More ...
Posted by Martha on Wed, 8 Nov 2006 00:08
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So, I'll admit it: I'm a bit bitter that the primary reason the country's best political analysts are attributing Whitehouse's victory with a seemingly REVOLUTIONARY concept that party lines determined the outcome of this election... how original.
However, I will be the bigger political analyst, here, and let it go...but, I was still right.
In other news, though, CNN had the ability to do something that I could not, and that was to conduct an exit poll throughout the More ...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 21:57
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According to a report on CNN, at 9:28 p.m. Sheldon Whitehouse has won the senate seat in Rhode Island.
According to one of the many CNN political analyst commentators: "Party labels here would have shown to have been decisive."
Wait...didn't I say that a long time ago? Someone get me on CNN...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 21:31
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It's just after 9pm. The polls have closed in our mighty little state, and I find myself glued to CNN as if it were my job (and not just my grade).
I think that it might finally be time to come out and say it: I WANT WHITEHOUSE!
Now, let me clarify my endorsement. I have reported in this blog throughout over the course of the last two months as a non-partisan voter. I am registered independent, and not even in the state of Rhode Island. I couldn't have cared much less about th More ...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 21:17
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I'm placing my bet on a Whitehouse victory over Chafee with a spread of 49 to 47. We'll see whose guess is closest.
Posted by Meghan on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 20:58
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I called it back on Sept. 14 with a whole lot of confidence, and I'll call it again, almost two months later, with even more.
Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse will win the Rhode Island senate seat by four percentage points, beating the incumbent Republican senator, Lincoln Chafee, with a spread of 48 to 44 percent.
Lest I be proven wrong whe More ...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:41
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Hola a todos – hispanoamericanos, latinoamericanos, mexicanos, sudamericanos, españoles – a todos.
El día de las elecciones está aquí y los inmigrantes al estado, y los que tienen un interés particular en las políticas de la inmigración, representan un grupo grande, con mucho poder, de los votantes. Y, consecuentemente, los inmigrantes están haciendo todo que pueden a hacer sus voces oídos por los candidatos.
¿Pero, necesito preguntarlos, es verdaderamente tanto?
Much More ...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:20
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I predict Chafee wins the race against Whitehouse with 48.5% of the votes, based on a collection of polls and a personal hunch.
I think the similarities between the two are so great that Chafee will come out on top because most citizens seem happy with his moderate leadership thus far. Nevertheless, the truth will come out tomorrow, or perhaps tonight, after all Rhode Islanders cast their votes at the polls today. Make sure you get to the polls and vote today! The race is extre More ...
Posted by Courtney on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 13:09
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Happy Election Day!
Polls in Rhode Island are open until 9 p.m.
Posted by Rebecca on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 09:14
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My predictions for the election:
Chafee: 47 percent
Whitehouse: 43 percent
Posted by Rebecca on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 07:49
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A recent poll conducted by McClatchy Newspapers surveyed 625 voters who are registered to vote in Rhode Island. The poll found that Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee leads the race by one point. Chafee has 46 percent of the votes and Whitehouse has 45 percent of the votes. The poll has a 4 percent margin of error. The same poll conducted a few weeks ago found that Whitehouse was in the lead with 48 percent of the votes; Chafee with 43 percent of the votes.
The Rhode Island Senate race is one o More ...
Posted by Rebecca on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 01:09
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According to the Boston Globe, recent polls show that the Rhode Island Senate race is extremely close, even on the night before the election. Despite months of campaigning, Lincoln Chafee and Sheldon Whitehouse remain neck and neck for tomorrow’s election.
In a poll conducted in early November, Whitehouse leads the race with 48 percent of the votes and Chafee closely behind with 45 percent of the votes. This poll, a USA Today/Gallop Poll, there is a 4 percent margin of error and 880 voters wer More ...
Posted by Rebecca on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 01:01
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According to the Providence Journal, there are 687, 335 registered voters in the state of Rhode Island as of Nov. 6. Voter turnout is extremely important in Tuesday’s election because of this year’s close Senate race. If Rhode Islanders want to see a change in their state and in their nation, it is important that they come to the polls and vote for their favored candidate on Nov. 7.
In previous elections, voter turnout has not been high in the state of Rhode Island. This year, voter turnout c More ...
Posted by Rebecca on Tue, 7 Nov 2006 00:39
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A recent Reuters/Zogby poll conducted Oct. 24 to Oct. 30 found that Chafee trailed Whitehouse by 53 percent to 39 percent. But wait, before you calculate that Whitehouse is ahead by 14 percentage points, consider the margin of error, which was plus or minus four percentage points. That means that the spread could be as small as 49 percent to 43 percent, which would place Whitehouse ahead by six percentage points. This still is certainly enough to say Whitehouse is leading in the race, according More ...
Posted by Meghan on Sun, 5 Nov 2006 12:07
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Well, it’s the final stretch. Just a few days left until Tuesday, Nov. 7, election day. And it seems like the two candidates are sticking to the same overworked material. Whitehouse attacking Chafee for deficits rung up by the Bush administration and its Republican lackeys, the war in Iraq, tax cuts and the negative tone of campaign ads. Chafee assailing Whitehouse for failing to tackle corruption while serving as state attorney general and a U.S. attorney, and touting the federal dollars he bro More ...
Posted by Meghan on Sat, 4 Nov 2006 21:37
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...How will you vote Tuesday?
Shall there be a casino in the town of West Warwick operated by an affiliate of Harrah's Entertainment in association with the Narragansett Indians?
Save Our State really wants you to answer NO. I interviewed their spokesperson Patti Doyle to find out why they oppose it. The advocacy group does not endorse either Whitehouse or Chafee. Both candidates oppose the projected casino in West Warwick, but Whitehouse may allow one in another part of the More ...
Posted by Courtney on Thu, 2 Nov 2006 09:19
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Brown University student Marc Frank, a member of the College Republicans, supports Senator Chafee and the Republican Party by interning for his campaign. As Election Day approaches next Tuesday, Frank and other campaign volunteers, along with the paid staff, main goal is getting voters to the polls. Their “Get out the vote” efforts include knocking on doors and calling all registered Chaffee supporters. The voter turnout is crucial for Chafee’s outcome in the Senate race since i More ...
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 1 Nov 2006 13:42
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In a post on Oct. 5, I blew a hole through Chafee’s environmental policies – policies that one of his campaign staffers, Chris Spina, called “impeccable.”
It has been nearly a month since Spina so eloquently explained to me why Chafee hadn’t yet followed through with his promise to support the redefinition of the Clean Water Restoration Authority Act (CWRAA). In More ...
Posted by Martha on Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:02
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This Rhode Island Senate race is tight and, like candidates across the nation, the Ocean state senate hopefuls have resorted to bashing the opponent. All the negative campaign material and ads got me wondering about what role the media has in perpetuating those messages. So I called up the Providence Journal, and spoke with staff reporter Steve Peoples on the topic, who said portrayals of the candidates' characters and media resources are factors.
I know that the Providence Journal has More ...
Posted by Meghan on Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:40
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Abortion. Contraception. Sexually transmitted diseases.
I’m going to go ahead and make a crass generalization, but everyone – Republican, Democrat or independent – of voting age has something to say about one of these topics.
Enter: Planned Parenthood
According to the organization’s Web site, Planned Parenthood is “America’s leading sexual and reproductive health advocate and pr More ...
Posted by Martha on Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:15
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Chafee repeated in the first televised debate on the 19th what he’s been saying since the primaries – that it’s good for Rhode Island to have Republican and Democratic representation in Congress. But why? He explained his reasoning during a debate against Laffey. The following is an excerpt from a WPRI Fox 12 Eyewitness News transcript:
“I try to support them when I can but I vote my conscience and I work hard with my leadership to understand – to let them know why I’m voting t
More ...
Posted by Meghan on Tue, 24 Oct 2006 13:03
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A voter education group reported that 84 percent of Rhode Island state candidates did not complete and return issue surveys it distributed.
Project Vote Smart, a non-partisan volunteer policy research center dedicated to enabling voters to make informed decisions at the polls, sent its National Political Awareness Test survey to Rhode Island candidates running for Congress, state legislature and governor.
Chafee completed and returne More ...
Posted by Meghan on Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:41
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CBS News reported that the Rhode Island Senate race is still close, according to recent polls. The polls suggest that Sheldon Whitehouse is ahead of Lincoln Chafee. The poll was conducted by WPRI-TV, a local station in Providence, and showed that Whitehouse is ahead in the poll with 46 percent of votes, while Chafee only has 42 percent of the votes. Twelve percent of those polled are still undecided. Although Whitehouse holds the lead in the race, according to these polls, the race is still extr More ...
Posted by Rebecca on Sun, 22 Oct 2006 22:36
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Remember that post on the media mislabeling Republicans, including Chafee, as Democrats? Well here's a good link to some visuals from the offending shows as part of an article on the issue.
Posted by Meghan on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 03:36
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Lobbyist contributions to members of Congress are on the rise, according to a report by Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization whose cause includes fighting for congressional lobbying reform. The report, titled “Bankrollers: Lobbyists’ Payments to the Lawmakers They Court 1998-2006” states that in the 2000 election cycle, the first year for which complete data was available, lobbyists and PACs of lobbying firms gave more than $17.8 milli More ...
Posted by Meghan on Mon, 16 Oct 2006 09:52
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Thomas Doyle has served in United States Army Reserves for 10 years and has spent one year fighting in Iraq. He has lived in Rhode Island for 21 years and has recently moved to Massachusetts for work. Doyle is registered to vote in Rhode Island and is returning to his home state to vote in the election in November. Doyle believes that “every vote counts,” and is hoping that his vote for Whitehouse in the election will contribute to a Democratic victory.
Doyle feels that the war in Iraq i More ...
Posted by Rebecca on Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:35
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Where have all the good editors gone? Other bloggers have reported that the national news media has had some trouble recently labeling major political players with the correct party, including Rhode Island's senatorial candidates. I couldn't verify these with any traditional news sources, but the instances were mentioned on multiple sites and were often accompanied by screen shots of the computer or TV depicting the error. There may have been more incidents of mislabeling, and perhaps some that More ...
Posted by Meghan on Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:14
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Not only were their dads college roommates at Yale University, but their stance on several issues are the same. An article published last week highlighted the long history between the candidates’ families, whose fathers were lifelong buddies, and now their children are friends at the same prep school. The article notes the only difference between the two’s position on the election i More ...
Posted by Courtney on Mon, 9 Oct 2006 11:25
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After weeks of polls showing Chafee and Whitehouse in a statistical tie, a USA TODAY/Gallup poll released Thursday shows Whitehouse leading Chafee 49 percent to 34 percent among registered voters and 50 percent to 39 percent among likely voters. Even with a margin of error of five percentage points, Whitehouse’s lead is significantly stronger than in previous polls.
The USA TODAY/Gallup poll surveyed 928 registered voters and 699 likely voters between Sept. 27 and Oct .1 in the six ke More ...
Posted by Meghan on Sun, 8 Oct 2006 00:12
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Maybe it’s because I was born on Election Day, but if you were to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would respond “President of the United States.” Cute, right? An eight-year-old with such huge, unfounded aspirations. Well, I’m here to admit that was my answer until I was well into high school.
Politics amazed me. I remember following the ’92 Clinton campaign while in the second grade. I made posters about the candidates, cut out newspaper More ...
Posted by Martha on Sat, 7 Oct 2006 11:06
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I realized that we haven’t posted anything yet about campaign finance. I feel like it's important to know who composes candidates’ cash constituencies, in addition to the voters they have to answer to in their states. For instance, the zip code that ranked ninth in donations to Chafee’s Senate campaign was for St. Louis, Missouri.
So here’s the Center for Responsive Politics’ Web site. The center is a non-profit, n More ...
Posted by Meghan on Fri, 6 Oct 2006 01:09
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“You know that the senator has an impeccable record when it comes to the environment,” Chris Spina from Chafee’s campaign headquarters told me as he scrambled to gather information about the senator’s clean water policies.
Is that so, Chris?
Clean Water Action is a national non-profit organization that works and lobbies to make water clean and affordable. More ...
Posted by Martha on Thu, 5 Oct 2006 16:57
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Chafee has been careful so far to deemphasize his party affiliation, but it seems that he’ll take any chance he can get to explain why it’s great that he’s part of the GOP.
The renegade Republican recently pressed for and obtained House and Senate passage of legislation that would turn the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier over to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, saving the city of Providence, R.I., $250,000 a year in maintenance costs while it would still enjoy the barrier’s protection ag More ...
Posted by Meghan on Tue, 3 Oct 2006 09:06
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Dr. June S. Speakman, a professor of political science and public administration at Roger Williams University, recently took the time to offer her insights on the race. While we had a lengthy discussion, she stressed two key issues affecting the outcome of this election: polling and the national significance of this election.
Q: I have focused much of my election coverage and commentary on polling and numbers and the influence th More ...
Posted by Martha on Mon, 2 Oct 2006 15:01
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On key campaign issues:
According to Arsenault, President Bush’s unpopularity in the state of Rhode Island will be an important factor in the outcome of the race.
“The key factor in this race is going to be the ‘R’ after Chafee’s name. If we are going to change Washington, we have to change the Senate,” Arsenault said. “Bush is more unpopular in Rhode Island than any other state.”
Chafee is known for his liberal actions in Congress such as voting against the
More ...
Posted by Meghan on Fri, 29 Sep 2006 01:45
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Just can't get enough of the R.I. Senate campaign? Looking for some other blogs? Well, here are a few I reviewed:
Real Clear Politics is a comprehensive Web site culling political polls, facts, news and commentary on national and state politics from all political viewpoints. Its commentary, analysis and polling averages have appeared in major media outlets, and people such as NYT columnist More ...
Posted by Meghan on Fri, 29 Sep 2006 01:32
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Senator Chafee released his first TV ad since the primary this past Tuesday. His campaign website announced the release yesterday. Sheldon Whitehouse released his ad only two days after the primary. The tone of the campaign ads reflect the close race between the two. An article in today's Providence Journal discusses the candidate's ad attacks aga More ...
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:16
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My interest in politics stems from my childhood in a political household. This blog's coverage remains non-partisan despite my poltical background. I am from Baltimore, Maryland, and also in my junior year studying Journalism and Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond. My father's political career as a commissioner of the S.E.C. and other involvement encouraged my desire to follow national politics. I experienced the role of a journalist in Washington D.C. when I reported for the ABC a More ...
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 09:54
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Here's a bit about me, one of the students behind this blog.
I am a junior at the University of Richmond focusing on journalism and history. Although I'm from New Jersey, and attend college in Virginia, I am attracted to politicals across the nation.
I hope that my background as an someone from out of state may add a different voice to the R.I. Senate commentary- one of an involved observer seperated from Rhode Island, but informed and interested in the congressional race.
Posted by Meghan on Tue, 26 Sep 2006 13:03
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Rhode Island's Future:
Rhode Island's Future blog embraces a variety of the state's political issues, which include the Senate race. The entries are proficient, and they are maintained constantly with frequent updates so there is always a reason to go back and check out the newest blog entries. Sheldon Whitehouse's plan to campaign in Johnson was posted right before his visit.
The blog's focus is not limited to Senate coverage, rat More ...
Posted by Courtney on Mon, 25 Sep 2006 23:26
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"What's in a name, that which we call a blog, by any other word would ..." just be another opinion off the street...?
Alright, so likely that’s not the precise way in which Shakespeare hoped his poetic verse of iambic pentameter would live on eons after his demise, but there’s no denying that my twenty-first century modification of his masterpiece raises a fair question – or three: What are blogs? How do you judge credibility? And, what makes a good More ...
Posted by Martha on Sun, 24 Sep 2006 23:28
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Click these links to check out the canditates' ads in the media:
Sheldon Whitehouse
and
Senator Lincoln Chafee's clips.
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:40
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I interviewed Brown University political science professor Jennifer Lawless in a phone conversation Monday. Lawless is the author of It Takes a Candidate: Why Women Don't Run for Congress, and she ran in the 2006 Rhode Island primary for Congress as a Democrat. Click here to read her full resume.
Q: Did you expect Lincoln Chafee to win the Republican primary? What was the local press covera More ...
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 20 Sep 2006 00:18
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If Lincoln Chafee, a donkey and an elephant stand directly in front of you, how many asses are there? *see end of entry for answer
Sam Donaldson once said that in the olden days he never knew who won the election until election night. There were no exit polls; no maps painted red and blue, and especially no purple Florida. The winner was announced when the votes were counted. I am of a generation who never knew those days, but I can honestly say, I miss them More ...
Posted by Martha on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 19:10
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Dr. Mark Hyde took the time to gave a Sept. 15 interview on the senate race.
Mark S. Hyde is a professor of political science at Providence College, specializing in state politics, research methods and various types of political organizations.
Who do you think will claim the labor vote?
My guess would be that Rhode Island is a very traditional Democratic state and labor will support the Democratic candidate Whitehouse.
Chafee has voted pro-labor More ...
Posted by Meghan on Fri, 15 Sep 2006 01:30
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If Stephen Laffey beats Senator Lincoln Chafee in the Republican primary next week then democrats will celebrate a possible victory in the state. A democratic win in Rhode Island brings the party one seat closer to gaining back the majority. Laffey does not seem to have the power to beat democrat Sheldon Whitehouse because he is too conservative; it seems Chafee survives as senator in the typically blue state because of his moderate stances on issues, such as the war in Iraq and tax cuts. He More ...
Posted by Courtney on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:54
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Chafee’s win in the primary, if nothing else, promises an exhilarating ride on the red and blue political rollercoaster all the way to the voting booth in November, right?
Not so fast.
Last month, The New York Times reported that Chafee’s camp called for registered Democrats to cross party lines and register as independents for the Sept. 12 primary and support the liberal Republican. Nearly More ...
Posted by Martha on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 15:41
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I’m glad Chafee won the primary. Now I’m not saying that from a partisan standpoint, but simply because the general election would have been over on day one had Laffey captured the Republican nomination. The National Republican Senatorial Committee had announced a surprising, but not illogical message that it would concede the race to Whitehouse should Laffey win the primary.
It’s a swing seat now, alright. The vote means Rhode Island still has the potential to change the political m More ...
Posted by Meghan on Wed, 13 Sep 2006 19:07
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It's Lincoln Chafee.
Recent polls from Rasmussen and Fleming and Associates indicate that Whitehouse would receive a stronger challenge from Chafee as his opponent. Yet Chafee and the more conservative and controversial Laffey continue to fight in what polls from Rhode Island College and the Republican National Senatorial Committee show is a close race for the republican nomination.
The question is, will Republicans choose a candidate who is more likely to win More ...
Posted by Meghan on Tue, 12 Sep 2006 13:45
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