Former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who succeeded his father in the Senate but repeatedly broke ranks with party leadership until a Democrat defeated him, announced Monday that he will run as an independent candidate for governor of Rhode Island.Chafee, 56, pledged fiscal responsibility in a heavily battered state economy as he entered an already competitive race untethered to either major political party and dogged by questions about whether he could raise enough money to remain a viable candidate.
But he touted himself before a roomful of supporters Monday as a strong fiscal conservative who had more leadership experience than other candidates and had the best ideas to revive a state facing massive budget deficits and nearly 13 percent unemployment.
"Running as an independent will free me from the constraints that party politics impose on candidates," Chafee told supporters at a hotel in Warwick, where he served as mayor before joining the Senate. "This freedom will allow me to bring in the best people from both major parties to solve our problems."
Chafee said that if elected, he would work to repeal costly mandates on cities and towns, such as school bus monitors, control spending, and focus on job training.