2010 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
Nominee
Lincoln Chafee
John Robitaille
Party
Independent
Republican
Popular vote
123,571
114,911
Percentage
36.1%
33.6%
Nominee
Frank Caprio
Ken Block
Party
Democratic
Moderate
Popular vote
78,896
22,146
Percentage
23.1%
6.5%
Chafee: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60%Robitaille: 30–40% 40–50%Caprio: 30–40%
Governor before election
Donald Carcieri
Republican
Elected Governor
Lincoln Chafee
Independent
The 2010 Rhode Island gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 2010. It was preceded by the primary election on September 14, 2010. Incumbent Republican Governor Donald Carcieri was term-limited in 2010. The non-partisan Cook Political Report , The New York Times and CQ Politics rated the gubernatorial election as a toss-up.[1] [2] [3]
With 90% of the districts reporting on election night, independent candidate Lincoln Chafee was declared the winner, with 36% of the vote to Republican John Robitaille 's 34%.[4] As of 2022, this is the last time Newport County voted for the Republican candidate.
Democratic primary [ ]
Candidates [ ]
Frank Caprio , State Treasurer [5]
Polling (D) [ ]
Poll source
Dates administered
Frank Caprio
Patrick C. Lynch
David Cicilline
Elizabeth H. Roberts
Quest Research
February 24–25, 2009
30%
17.4%
13%
12.4%
Results [ ]
Republican primary [ ]
Candidates [ ]
, former State Representative
John Robitaille , businessman
Polling (R) [ ]
Poll source
Dates administered
Steve Laffey
Joseph Trillo
Quest Research
February 24–25, 2009
29.3%
6.9%
Results [ ]
General election [ ]
Candidates [ ]
Major [ ]
Frank Caprio (D)
Lincoln Chafee (I)
John Robitaille (R)
Minor [ ]
Campaign [ ]
The campaign drew nationwide attention in late October when President Barack Obama , faced with a choice between Democrat Caprio and independent Chafee (who, although he had been a Republican as a senator, had endorsed the Democratic Obama for president in 2008) chose not to make any endorsement in the race. Caprio responded to the lack of an endorsement by his fellow Democrat by stating that the President "can take his endorsement and really shove it as far as I'm concerned."[9]
Predictions [ ]
Source
Ranking
As of
Cook Political Report [10]
Tossup
October 14, 2010
Rothenberg [11]
Lean I
October 28, 2010
RealClearPolitics [12]
Tossup
November 1, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball [13]
Lean I
October 28, 2010
CQ Politics [14]
Tossup
October 28, 2010
Polling [ ]
Poll source
Dates administered
Independent
Democratic nominee
Republican nominee
Moderate nominee
Lincoln Chafee
Frank Caprio
John Robitaille
Ken Block
WJAR Channel 10
October 23–26, 2010
35%
25%
28%
2%
Rasmussen Reports
October 21, 2010
35%
28%
25%
—
WJAR Channel 10
October 4–6, 2010
33%
37%
22%
2%
Rasmussen Reports
October 6, 2010
33%
30%
22%
4%
Brown University
September 27–29, 2010
23%
30%
14%
2%
WPRI-TV
September 22–26, 2010
30%
33%
19%
4%
Rasmussen Reports
September 16, 2010
33%
30%
23%
5%
Quest Research
September 15–17, 2010
24%
36%
13%
2%
Rasmussen Reports
August 17, 2010
32%
38%
20%
—
Brown University
July 27–30, 2010
26%
28%
7%
3%
Rasmussen Reports
July 21, 2010
37%
30%
23%
—
Rasmussen Reports
June 1, 2010
35%
32%
25%
Rasmussen Reports
April 21, 2010
33%
34%
21%
Rasmussen Reports
February 25, 2010
37%
27%
19%
Brown University
February 9–12, 2010
34%
28%
12%
Results [ ]
See also [ ]
United States gubernatorial elections, 2010
References [ ]
External links [ ]
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