By Eric
Pfeiffer
Rhode Island
Republican Sen.
Lincoln Chafee
is the only
senator running
for re-election
who is raising
less money than
his primary
opponent and
both Democrats
running to
replace him,
according to
Federal Election
Commission
filings.
"This is an
ominous sign. If
Chafee can't get
the financial
support in his
party's primary,
he's not going
to get the voter
support," said
Democratic
Senatorial
Campaign
Committee
spokesman Phil
Singer.
Sarah
Chamberlain,
spokeswoman for
the Republican
Main Street
Partnership, a
group that
supports Mr.
Chafee, says the
funding
disparity is
"not a big
deal."
"Chafee
is not the
senator who
raises the most
money. He raises
what he needs,"
said Ms.
Chamberlain.
Ms.
Chamberlain
added that her
group has
recently
conducted a
private poll of
the race that
shows Mr. Chafee
"considerably up
in the polls"
compared to his
two prospective
Democrat
opponents.
In the first
fundraising
quarter of 2006,
Mr. Chafee
raised $300,204
to his opponent
Cranston Mayor
Steve Laffey's
$328,276 during
the same period,
according to the
FEC. Democrat
front-runner
Sheldon
Whitehouse
raised $541,216
while Secretary
of State Matt
Brown pulled in
$357,277 during
the same period.
"Their
fundraising
numbers are all
fairly low
considering this
is one of the
most targeted
races in the
country," said
Quinn McCord,
who covers
Senate races for
the Hotline, a
nonpartisan
publication.
"But that
may not matter,
given that Rhode
Island's a small
state with one
TV media market,
and three of the
four candidates
have the ability
to self-fund to
varying
degrees," Mr.
McCord said.
Mr. Chafee
has previously
stated he is
willing to spend
some of his own
money on the
race.
Conservatives
have long
criticized Mr.
Chafee for his
moderate to
liberal voting
record. Still,
some Republicans
say it would be
a mistake to
support Mr.
Laffey, who is
viewed as a more
conservative but
potentially less
viable candidate
in the general
election.
"The
bottom line is
that Lincoln
Chafee will have
the resources to
get his message
out," said
National
Republican
Senatorial
Committee
spokesman Brian
Nick.
"Chafee is
the only
candidate who
can win
statewide," Mr.
Nick said.
The
Chafee campaign
still leads Mr.
Laffey in
overall
fundraising,
with $1.9
million. Mr.
Chafee also
leads Mr. Laffey
in the amount of
eligible money
for their
primary
campaign, $1.5
million to
$901,000.
Nonetheless,
Mr. Chafee's
critics are
celebrating the
new numbers.
"We're thrilled
to see it," said
Club for Growth
President Pat
Toomey.
"Steve
Laffey is
running a great
campaign. He's
well on his way
to winning this
race."
Mr. Chafee's
numbers stand
out because
other Republican
senators in
tight races such
as Sens. Rick
Santorum of
Pennsylvania,
Mike DeWine of
Ohio and Conrad
Burns of Montana
outraised their
Democrat
opponents.
Democrat
Sen. Joe
Lieberman is
facing a strong
primary
challenge from
Connecticut
Democrat Ned
Lamont, but
outraised Mr.
Lamont $964,861
to $710,421 last
quarter.
