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]
2010 Rhode Island gubernatorial election
County results
Municipality results Chafee: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60%Robitaille: 30–40% 40–50%Caprio: 30–40%
With 90 percent of the districts reporting on election night, Independent Lincoln Chafee was declared the winner, with 36.1% of the vote.[ 4] As of 2023[update] , this was the last time Newport County voted for the Republican candidate in a statewide election. Chafee had served Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate as a Republican from 1999 to 2007; he later joined the Democratic Party in 2013. [ 5]
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%
Poll source
Dates administered
Steve Laffey
Joseph Trillo
Quest Research
February 24–25, 2009
29.3%
6.9%
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."[ 10]
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%
Lincoln ChafeeIndependent
John RobitailleRepublican
Frank CaprioDemocratic
Kenneth BlockModerate
Others
Total
County
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Bristol
7,323
37.04%
6,796
34.37%
3,950
19.98%
1,547
7.82%
155
0.78%
19,771
Kent
22,563
35.62%
23,303
36.79%
12,199
19.26%
4,745
7.49%
533
0.85%
63,343
Newport
11,313
37.55%
11,885
39.45%
5,165
17.15%
1,497
4.97%
264
0.88%
30,124
Providence
62,608
34.90%
55,258
30.80%
49,266
27.46%
10,837
6.04%
1,417
0.79%
179,386
Washington
19,734
39.80%
17,637
35.57%
8,192
16.73%
3,518
7.10%
396
0.80%
49,577
Counties that flipped from Republican to Independent
edit
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Independent
edit
^ "The Cook Political Report | The insider's choice for election analysis" . Cookpolitical.com. August 17, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .
^ "CQ Politics | Governors 2010 map" . Innovation.cq.com. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .
^ "Governor Races - Election 2010 - The New York Times" . Elections.nytimes.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .
^ "Lincoln Chafee elected RI's next governor - WPRI.com" . wpri.com. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on November 6, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010 .
^ "Facing difficult re-election, Chafee officially becomes a Democrat" . NBC News . May 29, 2013. Archived from the original on March 9, 2024. Retrieved March 9, 2024 .
^ Steve PeoplesJournal State House Bureau (November 10, 2009). "R.I. General Treasurer Frank T. Caprio announces run for governor | Politics | projo.com | The Providence Journal" . projo.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .
^ a b "RI.gov: Election Results" . Archived from the original on April 30, 2014. Retrieved March 7, 2014 .
^ "Moderate Party of Rhode Island – Common Ground. Common Sense" . Moderate-ri.org. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .
^ "The Latest News" . Riloveslusiforgov.com. Retrieved August 21, 2010 .[permanent dead link ]
^ Condon, Stephanie (October 25, 2010). "Frank Caprio: Obama Can Take His Endorsement and "Shove It" " . CBS News .
^ "2010 Governors Race Ratings" . Cook Political Report . Archived from the original on October 28, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010 .
^ "Governor Ratings" . Rothenberg Political Report . Retrieved October 28, 2010 .
^ "2010 Governor Races" . RealClearPolitics . Retrieved October 28, 2010 .
^ "THE CRYSTAL BALL'S FINAL CALLS" . Sabato's Crystal Ball . Retrieved October 28, 2010 .
^ "Race Ratings Chart: Governor" . CQ Politics . Archived from the original on October 5, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2010 .
^ "RI.gov: Election Results" . Archived from the original on November 18, 2010. Retrieved November 25, 2010 .
Debate
Official campaign sites (Archived)