Chafee: Let's get marriage equality passed

Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate Lincoln Chafee told LGBT supporters this past weekend he would work with legislative leaders to make marriage equality a reality in the Ocean State.

Chafee, a former Republican U.S. senator whom Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse ousted in 2006, left the GOP and announced his candidacy for governor as an independent last January.

"I'd like to work with the speaker of the House and the leader of the Senate," Chafee told about 20 attendees at a meet-and-greet session in Pawtucket on Saturday, Oct. 16. "Let's get marriage equality passed. Let's get that done quickly."

The candidate attended a similar event in Narragansett on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Activists have worked for more than a decade to persuade Rhode Island lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow gays and lesbians to marry. Momentum has been building in recent years, but legislation introduced thus far has never reached the floor of either chamber.

Republican Gov. Don Carcieri is adamantly against marriage equality and would have likely vetoed a bill if the General Assembly passed one. He's limited to two terms and will leave office in January.

Six candidates are running for the State House corner office, but only four-Democrat Frank Caprio, Jr., Moderate Ken Block, Republican John Robitaille and Chafee-are considered serious contenders.

Chafee and Caprio lead the most recent polls. They are running neck-and-neck as the race enters the final stretch in the last two weeks before the Nov. 2 election.

All but Robitaille have pledged to sign a marriage equality bill. He has said he opposes nuptials for same-sex couples.

"Frank has attended many events in support of marriage equality," said the Caprio campaign on Oct. 17 when EDGE asked about his position. "As recently as this spring, he was at a State House rally where he stated he would work with the Legislature to get a bill through."

During his talk, Chafee contended Rhode Island founding father Roger Williams envisioned the state as a haven for everyone, including LGBTs.

"I'd like to resolve this once and for all," Chafee told EDGE in an interview during the Pawtucket event. "We're a welcoming place. Let's get marriage equality passed."

In a recent televised debate, he described himself as a fiscal conservative, but did not go on to say he's not a social conservative and would, for example, sign a marriage bill.

"I think the question was about why I left the Republican Party," Chafee explained when EDGE asked him about the omission.

He listed five principles for which he stands: fiscal conservatism, protecting the environment, defending personal liberties, avoiding what he called "foreign entanglements-not getting into these quagmires overseas" and using government to help the less fortunate.

Chafee described his philosophy as "traditional conservatism", adding it is closer to "liberalism in some ways."

A platform of his campaign is instituting a one percent sales tax on items not currently included in Rhode Island's taxable purchases, such as food and clothing, to address the state budget deficit and put Rhode Island on a course to economic recovery.

The Caprio campaign has attacked the proposal as a regressive tax that would burden residents who can least afford it.

"The experts all say the tax that is least harmful to economic growth is the sales tax," Chafee told EDGE. "While no tax is good, it's ultimately the answer to all our challenges in Rhode Island."

Chafee elaborated further.

"The property tax is the most harmful," he said. "What we're doing now in this state is absolutely backwards: cutting state aid to cities and towns, which drives up the property tax and impedes our economic growth."

Asked why he didn't propose raising income taxes on high earners, the candidate contended it would "drive away the wealthy. They'll move across the border. We're such a small state that it's easy to live in Connecticut or Massachusetts, unfortunately."

EDGE asked several of those attending the Pawtucket session why they support Chafee.

"He's the most progressive politician running for the governor's office," said Wendy Becker. "There's a wide array of issues I care about that he supports, including education and better social services. He is the most positive person on gay and lesbian issues."

She acknowledged the criticism Chafee has received over his sales tax proposal. "It's a question of which taxes do you think are better," said Becker. "Property taxes can't go up any more and I think that's what he's saying."

When Chafee was in the U.S. Senate, Stephen Hourahan served as his communications director.

"I think he's the guy that can actually bring integrity back to government," said Hourahan. "He takes the opportunity to listen to people on both sides. He's open to ideas. He makes decisions based on facts."

Long-time activist Ken Fish also praised the former Republican.

"This is a man who really gets it," he said. "He's not just about tolerance. He's about fully embracing gay and lesbian individuals in every aspect of life, including in government. I really appreciate his straightforward positions that are unequivocal."

Leonard Moorehead said Chafee would be free of the "baggage of being involved in the quid-pro-quo environment of the Legislature which I think poisons the Caprio campaign. I'm sorry to say that the Caprios have too many connections to the establishment whereas Linc is distant from that."

Straight ally Carol Scott, a teacher at the Genesis Center in Providence, said the candidate's emphasis on Rhode Island's welcoming roots impressed her.

"I'm teaching a citizenship class now," she said. "I was very proud to tell my adult immigrant students that this is a state that accepts everybody."

Chafee reaches out to everyone regardless of their sexuality, Scott pointed out, "and so we can get to the work of governing well."

"It speaks to the Constitution's first three words, 'We the people,'" she added.