Chafee says he hasn’t thought about running for reelection in 2014
More than a year into his first term, Governor Lincoln Chafee isn’t ready to talk about whether he plans to seek reelection in 2014.
“I really haven’t put that as a priority — we’re just starting the second year of my four-year term,” Chafee said this morning during a taping of RIPR’s Political Roundtable. “The challenges are enormous.”
He continued:
We’ve got the threat of casinos coming in Massachusetts in the out years – that’s going to be a big issue in our budget. Providence today is using the ‘bankruptcy’ word, so I haven’t really thought about what’s happening in 2014 as far as my own political future.
I asked Chafee whether he and state Treasurer Gina Raimondo have talked about whether she might challenge him in 2014. Here’s how he responded:
No, we have not had any of those conversations. The last conversation we had, she said she was just focused on pension reform and has no interest in running against me. I don’t know if that’s changed.
Chafee narrowly edged Republican John Robitaille in 2010. For her part, Raimondo has declined to rule out a run for higher office in 2014.
The full Roundtable segment can be heard during Morning Edition Friday at 5:40 and 7:40 or online.
