"It may stir up my primary voters a little bit against me," said Mr. Chafee, a centrist Republican up for re-election. He opposes the push for a constitutional amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage and is under intense pressure to back a proposed amendment that would forbid flag burning. "I'm collateral damage."
Of course, Lincoln. You're part of the problem, an enabler. No matter your good intentions, or those of Christine Todd Whitman or anyone else, your party is now controlled by a toxic combo of mega-business oligarchs and rightwing religious extremists. Every single one of your votes with your party leadership just make things worse.
Don't take my word for it, just look at the moderate rank and file voters within your own party:
A poll released Tuesday showed a slide in support for President Bush among members of his party. The survey, by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, found Mr. Bush experiencing steep declines among those calling themselves moderate Republicans, with conservatives turning away from him as well, though more slowly.
The poll, based on a survey of 3,204 adults conducted from April 27 to May 22, found that Mr. Bush's support among moderate and liberal Republicans had declined to 56 percent from 81 percent in December 2004, immediately after his re-election, while conservative approval had fallen to 78 percent from 93 percent.
I'd even bet that if you, Lincoln Chafee, and maybe fellow moderate GOP Senators like Olympia Snowe switched to the Democratic Party, you'd win reelection in a landslide.
The only alternative is to speak out LOUDLY against your party's leadership -- Bush, Frist, Hastert -- on this pro-prejudice Constitutional Amendment. Like, embarrass them.
Anything less, and you deserve to lose.
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