Reuters: Politics: Rhode Island governor to switch from independent to Democrat: media

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Rhode Island governor to switch from independent to Democrat: media May 29th 2013, 17:18 BOSTON | Wed May 29, 2013 1:18pm EDT BOSTON (Reuters) - Rhode Island's Independent Governor Lincoln Chafee plans to join the Democratic party, Politico.com reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources close to the governor. Chafee spokeswoman Christian Vareika contacted by Reuters had no immediate comment. The smallest U.S. state was hard hit by the financial crisis and has struggled to recover. As of April its unemployment rate was 8.8 percent, the 6th highest in the country. A February poll by Brown University found that 26 percent of respondents in the state approved of how Chafee was doing his job, ranking him well below other local officials. For example, Providence Mayor Angel Taveras had a 64 percent approval rating and State Treasurer Gina Raimondo had a 56 percent approval rating. Taveras and Raimondo, both Democrats, are seen as possible challengers to Chafee. Chafee, the son of former Rhode Island Governor and Senator John Chafee, was appointed to a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1999, following his father's death, and he was elected to hold the seat as a Republican a year later. His 2006 reelection campaign failed and Chafee switched his party affiliation to Independent ahead of his run for governor. Earlier in May, Chafee signed a bill legalizing gay marriage in the state, making Rhode Island the 10th state in the union and last of the six New England states to recognize it. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Toni Reinhold) Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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