EXCLUSIVE: USA Today to Profile Chafee in Front Page Story

EXCLUSIVE: USA Today to Profile Chafee in Front Page Story

USA Today is featuring independent candidate for governor Lincoln Chafee in a front page story today that portrays the former U.S. Senator as the leader of a new trend toward independents.

The Chafee campaign yesterday said it couldn't be happier with the attention. “We’re very excited about the Senator being featured in USA Today, a national publication,” said campaign manager J.R. Pagliarini. “It’s a historic campaign that’s been attracting a lot of local and national media attention, from GoLocalProv to USA Today.”

The story will run with a new USA Today/Gallop poll showing that 6 out of every 10 voters are very likely or somewhat likely to vote for an independent for state or federal office, according to Susan Page, the Washington Bureau Chief and reporter for the story.

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“It shows that most Americans are open to the idea of an independent candidate. So we think there’s something happening nationally,” Page told GoLocalProv.

While much media attention has been given to the revolt on the right—in the Tea Party movement—Page said there also was a revolt among those on the middle of the political spectrum who are upset with how polarized the two main parties have become.

Pagliarini said voters were drawn to independents because they are tired with partisan bickering that is distracting state and federal lawmakers from the important issues.

“People locally and around the country have their eyes fixed on this race and know Senator Chafee is embarking on a historic campaign not only to change the way government operates in Rhode Island but also to change the way we view our entire political system,” Pagliarini said.

A Trend Toward Independents

Chafee is one of three serious independent candidates for governor in New England. The others are Elliot Cutler in Maine and Tim Cahill in Massachusetts. If they win, they would be the first independent governors since Jesse Ventura took office in Minnesota in 1999, Page said.

In tomorrow’s story, USA Today will examine all three races, focusing on Chafee because of his record as a maverick in the U.S. Senate and the predominance of independent voters in the state. “Rhode Island is a particularly good state for an independent candidate,” Page said. “For one thing, Rhode Island has more voters registered as independents than as Republicans or Democrats.”

For another thing, in small New England states like Rhode Island, independent candidates have a better shot at winning—unlike a large state where it would take millions of dollars in advertising and the backing of a party apparatus to compete. “These are states where some of those disadvantages independent candidates face are minimized,” Page said.