Potential Democratic presidential candidate former Sen. Lincoln Chafee (D-RI) delivers remarks at the South Carolina Democratic Party state convention April 25, 2015 in Columbia, South Carolina.Win McNamee—Getty Images
A crowded Republican presidential primary has led to more than a few candidates being called longshots for 2016. But the most unlikely candidate may actually be on the Democratic side.
Former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, who announced Wednesday evening that he’ll run for president in a speech at a George Mason University center in Arlington, Va., has more than a few strikes against him.
First, and most importantly, he was a Republican until after he left the U.S. Senate in 2007 and an independent until 2013, in the latter half of his single term as governor. He also has low national name recognition, with a May poll from Quinnipiac University showing only one percent support among Democratic-leaning voters, compared to a sweeping 57 percent for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Even worse, Chafee doesn’t even get high marks in his own state. A 2013 poll from Brown University showed his approval rating at just 26 percent, one likely reason he did not run for re-election as governor the following year. When he announced that decision, Chafee complained about the “irrational negativity” he faced in office.
Chafee’s problems are also technical. His wife, Stephanie, recently posted on Facebook asking if any of his former staffers could remember how to log in to his official Facebook page.
Still, he is pushing ahead. “I enjoy challenges and certainly we have many facing America. Today, I am formally entering the race for the Democratic nomination for president,” Chafee said Wednesday.
He hopes to use foreign policy to get an edge on Clinton. Already, Chafee has cited his vote against the Iraq war and Clinton’s vote for it. In a pre-announcement video, he also replayed a portion of former President Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell address, which helped popularize the term “military-industrial complex.”
“I believe events occurring around the world threaten our economy and all that we hold dear,” Chafee said in the video. “I would argue that the decision to invade Iraq has destabilized the Middle East and far beyond.”
Chafee also endorsed moving the United States to the metric system.
“Let’s join the rest of the world and go metric,” he said. “It will help our economy.”
Sen. Ted Cruz is surrounded by stars and stripes at the 2014 Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C. on September 26, 2014. Mark Peterson—ReduxHillary Clinton Hillary Clinton gazes pensively into the distance at Iowa Senator Tom Harken'a annual Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa on September 14, 2014.Brooks Kraft—Corbis for TIMEJeb Bush Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush flashes a power watch before giving his keynote address at the National Summit on Education Reform in Washington on Nov. 20, 2014. Susan Walsh—APBernie Sanders waves to supporters after officially announcing his candidacy for the U.S. presidency during an event at Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vermont, on May 26, 2015.Win McNamee—Getty ImagesChris Christie New Jersey Governor Chris Christie strikes a presidential power stance at the ceremony for the opening of the 206 bypass in Hillsborough, New Jersey on October 28, 2013.Mark Peterson—ReduxFormer Hewlett-Packard Co Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina listens to her introduction from the side of the stage at the Freedom Summit in Des Moines, Iowa on Jan. 24, 2015. Jim Young—ReutersRand Paul Sen. Rand Paul works a crowd during a campaign stop on October 24, 2014 in McDonough, Georgia. Jessica McGowan—Getty ImagesRick Perry Texas Gov. Rick Perry looks powerfully patriotic during the National Anthem before an NCAA college football game on Nov. 27, 2014, in College Station, Texas.David J. Phillip—APBobby Jindal Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal looks to the future during The Family Leadership Summit on Aug. 9, 2014, in Ames, Iowa. Charlie Neibergall—APMartin O'Malley Maryland Governor Martin OíMalley ponders decorating ideas in front of his possible future home on CBS's Face the Nation on Feb. 23, 2014. Chris Usher—APMarco Rubio Sen. Marco Rubio looks determined the morning after the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. on January 29, 2014.Melissa Golden—ReduxBen CarsonBen Carson at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference on March 8, 2014. Susan Walsh—APJim Webb Retiring Sen. Jim Webb imitates the presidential wave during a rally in Virginia Beach, Va. on Sept. 27, 2012.Steve Helber—APJohn Kasich Ohio Gov. John Kasich practices his presidential victory pose at the Ohio Republican Party celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Columbus, Ohio. Tony Dejak—APRick Santorum Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum looks resolute at CPAC, the Conservative Political Action Conference on March 7, 2014. Brooks Kraft—CorbisScott Walker Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker practices the presidential point on March 3, 2014 in Milwaukee. Jeffrey Phelps—APMike Huckabee Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee fine-tunes his presidential oratory at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference in National Harbor, Md. on March 7, 2014. Susan Walsh—APLincoln Chafee, Former Rhode Island Governor, poses for a selfie with a student after announcing he will seek the Democratic nomination for president in Arlington, Va. on June 3, 2015. Jonathan Ernst—ReutersLindsey Graham Lindsey Graham announced his plans to join the 2016 presidential race.Alex Wong—Getty ImagesGeorge Pataki Former New York governor George Pataki listens to a question at the First in the Nation Republican Leadership Conference in Nashua, New Hampshire, in this April 17, 2015 file photo.Brian Snyder—Reuters
