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Former Rhode Island governor Lincoln ChafeeFormer Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee declared his candidacy for the 2016 Democratic Primary on June 4th, 2015.

Chafee Advises Against "Foreign Entanglements" in Speech in Winchester

Jacob Carozza/NHPR
Former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee spoke to a small group in Winchester Thursday night.

Presidential candidate LincolnChafee spoke to voters in Winchester Thursday night. Though he has struggled so far to attract much support for his campaign, the former Rhode Island governor is counting on his political experience to propel him to the Democratic nomination. 

During his speech, at an event organized by the Winchester Democratic Committee, Chafee highlighted his tenure in the U.S. Senate. He was the only Republican senator to vote against the Iraq War in 2002.

As an independent and later Democratic governor of Rhode Island, he signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage and co-chaired President Obama's reelection campaign.

 

A central theme of Chafee's campaign is ending what he calls "foreign entanglements." He says the recent nuclear deal with Iran is a good step in that direction.

"Find areas of commonality, build on those, and that's what we're doing with Iran," Chafee said. "Instead of bombs and bullets. And let's get back to providing healthcare, jobs, roads and bridges, education—all those things that we should be doing rather than killing each other."

Chafee faces steep odds in his bid for the Democratic Party nomination. The latest pollhas him at just 2 percent in New Hampshire. And he's had a hard time attracting many crowds; Thursday night's event drew only about twenty people. But Chafee plans to keep coming back to New Hampshire, which he says could give him the momentum he needs.

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