Lincoln Davenport Chafee Bio
Lincoln Davenport Chafee is an American politician who has served as the 74th Governor of Rhode Island (2011–2015) and as a United States Senator from Rhode Island (1999–2007). He previously served as mayor of Warwick (1993–1999). The son of Senator and Governor John Chafee, Lincoln has shifted party affiliation multiple times throughout his career — Republican until 2007, Independent from 2007–2013, Democrat from 2013–2019, and Libertarian since 2019. Known for moderate-to-liberal positions while in the Senate, he was the only Republican senator to vote against the 2002 Iraq authorization. He ran briefly for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination and sought the Libertarian presidential nomination in 2020. Since 2019 he has resided in Wyoming.
Early Life and Background
Lincoln Davenport Chafee was born on March 26, 1953, in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. He is the son of John Chafee, a prominent Republican politician who served as the 66th Governor of Rhode Island, the United States Secretary of the Navy, and a U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. Chafee attended Warwick public schools, Providence Country Day School, and Phillips Academy before enrolling at Brown University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975. He also attended Montana State University Farrier School but did not complete a degree there, later working as a farrier before entering politics.
Path to US Politics
Chafee entered politics in 1985 when he was elected as a delegate to the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention. A year later, he was elected to the Warwick City Council, defeating an incumbent, and was re-elected in 1988. In 1990, he ran for Warwick Mayor but lost by 5 percent in a three-way race. In 1992, he was elected as Warwick’s first Republican mayor in 32 years and was re-elected in 1994, 1996, and 1998, winning the last election by 17% and carrying all nine wards. He was praised for his fair-minded approach to government and his ability to work with Democrats on the Warwick City Council.
Lincoln Davenport Chafee Career
Early Career (1993–1999)
Chafee served as the mayor of Warwick, Rhode Island, from 1993 to 1999. During his tenure, he was known for his pragmatic and bipartisan approach to governance, successfully managing the city while working with a predominantly Democratic city council. His performance as mayor established him as a competent administrator and positioned him for higher office. His father’s prominence in Rhode Island politics and his own successful mayoral career set the stage for his transition to statewide office.
US Senate Breakthrough (1999–2007)
After his father John announced he would not seek re-election in 2000, Lincoln Chafee announced he would run for the seat. When his father died suddenly in October 1999, Governor Lincoln Almond appointed Lincoln Chafee to serve out the term in the U.S. Senate. In the general election, he won against Democratic nominee Robert Weygand with 57% of the vote. As senator, Chafee became known for his independent streak, frequently breaking with his party. He was the only Republican senator to vote against the authorization of the use of force in Iraq in the lead-up to the Iraq War in 2002, a position that defined his political identity. In 2006, he lost his re-election bid to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.
Governor of Rhode Island Era (2011–2015)
Chafee ran for Governor of Rhode Island in 2010 as an independent and won with 36% of the vote in a seven-candidate race. He took office in January 2011 during the depths of the worst recession in decades, facing an unemployment rate that peaked at 11.4%. Over his four years in office, he implemented policies that reduced unemployment to 5.9%, second best in the country. He also addressed a municipal financial crisis, intervening to protect communities facing potential bankruptcy. Notably, he became the only governor to veto a bill proposing Choose Life license plates, citing concerns about the separation of church and state. He did not seek re-election in 2014, becoming just the fourth governor in Rhode Island history to decline a second term.
Post-Gubernatorial Career and Presidential Bids
After leaving office, Chafee briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016 but withdrew before the primaries following poor polling numbers. In March 2019, he switched his political affiliation to the Libertarian Party, citing his fiscal conservatism and social liberalism. In January 2020, he filed to run for president seeking the Libertarian nomination, but ended his campaign in April of that same year. Between 2018 and 2019, he and his family moved their residency to Teton Village, Wyoming. Chafee continues to be involved in political advocacy, joining Libertarians for the National Popular Vote advisory board in 2020 and endorsing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 United States presidential election.
Lincoln Davenport Chafee Career Wins
Throughout his political career, Lincoln Chafee has achieved significant milestones across local, state, and national levels. His most notable victories include his election as Warwick’s first Republican mayor in 32 years, his appointment and subsequent election to the U.S. Senate, and his successful independent run for Governor of Rhode Island. His principled stand against the Iraq War as the only Republican senator to vote against the authorization remains a defining moment in his career, demonstrating his independence from party orthodoxy.
Political Highlights
Chafee’s political achievements span multiple parties and levels of government. As mayor, he served four terms and was recognized for his bipartisan approach. In the Senate, he maintained a unique position as a liberal Republican, consistently ranking among the most liberal members of his party. As governor, he successfully guided Rhode Island through economic recovery, reducing unemployment from 11.4% to 5.9%. His most recent political activity includes seeking presidential nominations, first as a Democrat in 2016 and then as a Libertarian in 2020, reflecting his continued engagement in national politics despite his move to Wyoming.
Lincoln Davenport Chafee Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Lincoln Davenport Chafee comes from a prominent political family in Rhode Island. His father, John Chafee, served as a U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, and Governor of Rhode Island, establishing a legacy of public service that Lincoln has continued in his own political career. The Chafee family has been influential in Rhode Island politics for decades, with Lincoln following in his father’s footsteps as a Republican-turned-independent politician.
Personal Life
Chafee married Stephanie Birney Danforth in January 1990. They have three children: Louisa, Caleb, and Thea. Louisa qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in sailing. As of 2019, Chafee resides in Teton Village, Wyoming. He is a member of The Episcopal Church and has maintained his family while pursuing his political career across different states and party affiliations.