Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch will drop his bid for governor Thursday, allowing state Democrats to avoid a fight for the party’s nomination before what's already shaping up to be a contentious three-way general election.
A source close to Lynch's campaign confirmed to POLITICO that he will end his campaign Thursday, the last day for filing in the state.
A source close to Lynch's campaign confirmed to POLITICO that he will end his campaign Thursday, the last day for filing in the state.
Lynch had lagged behind Treasurer Frank Caprio in the Democratic primary in both polls and fundraising, and the state committee backed Caprio last month. The source close to Lynch said the decision to drop out was based on a combination of these factors.
Democrats see the open seat race as a pick-up opportunity in a state where they've been frozen out of the governor's mansion for several years despite having a firm hold on the state legislature.
But complicating that effort could be the independent candidacy of former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, hoping to make a comeback bid after his 2006 loss.
Recent polls have shown Chafee competitive with Caprio as the Democratic nominee, with both of them well ahead of likely Republican nominee John Robitaille.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39761.html
Democrats see the open seat race as a pick-up opportunity in a state where they've been frozen out of the governor's mansion for several years despite having a firm hold on the state legislature.
But complicating that effort could be the independent candidacy of former Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee, hoping to make a comeback bid after his 2006 loss.
Recent polls have shown Chafee competitive with Caprio as the Democratic nominee, with both of them well ahead of likely Republican nominee John Robitaille.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/39761.html