Lincoln Chafee

Lincoln Davenport Chafee (born March 26, 1953) is a United States Senator from Rhode Island.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Chafee attended Warwick Public Schools and Phillips Andover Academy. He earned a degree in Classics from Brown University in 1975.

Lincoln got his seat when his father, John Chafee, died suddenly in October 1999, and Lincoln was appointed to succeed him. He was later elected in his own right. Though a Republican, Lincoln Chafee is fairly liberal. Many have speculated that Chafee might have become an independent or even joined the Democratic Party if the party had maintained control of the Senate or gotten within one seat of doing so in the 2002 elections. There is still speculation that Chafee might switch parties or become an independent if the Democrats regain control of the Senate.

Chafee has been only lukewarm in his support of George W. Bush's re-election. On September 20, 2004, Chafee said that it is possible that he will vote for a write-in candidate instead of George W. Bush. He also expressed concern about the 2004 Republican platform and the direction of the party.