Chafee Profile in Today's Globe

In case you missed it, there's a long profile on Rhode Island Senator Lincoln Chafee in today's Boston Globe. It is mostly flattering, but it does point out the dilemma that Samuel Alito's nomination poses for the Republican Senator serving in an overwhelmingly Democratic state. From the article:

Liberal groups are already advertising in Rhode Island to urge Chafee to vote against Bush's nominee for the Supreme Court, Samuel A. Alito Jr. Their massive letter-writing campaigns are being matched by efforts of conservative groups, who are joining forces with prominent Italian-American organizations in Rhode Island to push Chafee to support Alito.

"He has to be very worried about this vote," said Darrell West, a political science professor at Brown University. "It's attracting a lot of local attention, and activists are engaged by this issue. He's under pressure from both sides."

The Democratic field in the Senate race includes former state attorney general Sheldon Whitehouse and Secretary of State Matthew A. Brown. Both are opposing Alito in a year that Democrats have high hopes for gains in the House and Senate, capitalizing on Bush's widespread unpopularity, discontent over the war in Iraq, and a series of GOP ethical lapses.

Chafee is waiting for the confirmation hearings in January to make up his mind, but has made clear that he has set the bar high for Alito, who would replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor on the court. "It's a lifetime appointment," he said. "There's some critical issues that have been decided in the past with Sandra Day O'Connor in the majority. There is a lot at stake here."

It would seem that Senator Chafee is in a bind. He often tries to walk the middle ground, but he will not be able to dodge this issue. If he votes against Alito, Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey will use it like a hammer in his primary challenge. If he votes in favor, he can expect trouble in the general election, as Sheldon Whitehouse or Matt Brown (the Democratic contenders) will be quick to remind people that when the chips were down, Chafee sided with Bush over the interests of his constituents. No wonder the national Republicans are spending so much money on this race -- there are dozens more issues like this between now and November, and no matter what stand he takes, there's someone waiting to use it against him.