Chafee Eyes Possible 2016 Democratic Presidential Run

While former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made some key hires in New Hampshire for a possible presidential run, it looks like some other potential candidates are not going to wait around to see if she actually launches a bid.

First, there was former U.S. Sen. Jim Webb, D-VA. Then, current U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-VT, and also former Gov. Martin O’Malley, D-MD, who has been very active in the state, meeting with Democrats.

Now comes a surprise announcement – former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee has announced the formation of an exploratory committee to run for the nomination.

According to Rhode Island Public Radio, Chafee – a former Republican U.S. Senator and then, independent governor, and later, a Democrat – said he is considering a run and set up a website to see if he can gain traction as a potential candidate.

Chafee, in an interview, challenged the notion that Clinton is a shoo-in for the nomination. He said his focus would be on making life better for the middle-class and previous accomplishments, like environmental legislation. Chafee also noted that he voted against the Iraqi invasion, something Clinton supported.

Chafee, according to Wikipedia, served as governor from 2011 until January of this year. He was a U.S. Senator from 1999 to 2007, as a Republican. In 2007, he left the party and became the state’s first independent governor since the late 1700s. In 2013, Chafee became a registered Democrat.

Information about his exploratory committee can be found at Chafee2016.com.