Rhode Island Poll: Pro-Life Democrat Ahead of Pro-Abortion Republican 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 20, 2005
Providence, RI (LifeNews.com) — A new poll conducted by a Senate Democratic campaign group shows a pro-life Democrat ahead of a pro-abortion Republican senator in a potential 2006 election matchup.
Sponsored by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the poll reveals pro-life Congressman Jim Langevin, a Democrat, has a 52 to 32 percent lead in a hypothetical matchup with incumbent Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee. Seventeen percent said they were undecided.
Chafee has been a controversial senator since taking over the Rhode Island senate seat when his father passed away.
In September, Chafee said he would not endorse President Bush for re-election because of his pro-life record on abortion and embryonic stem cell research.
"There is no secret that on some very important issues I have a difference with the current administration," Chafee said at the time.
Chafee has just a 9% pro-life voting record, according to the National Right to Life Committee. During the most recent Congressional session, Chafee voted to endorse the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized unlimited abortion and he voted against the partial-birth abortion ban on three different votes.
Meanwhile, Representative Langevin has voted 73 percent and 88 percent in the last two sessions of Congress. While voting pro-life on virtually all abortion issues, Langevin has upset pro-life groups with his strong backing of embryonic stem cell research, which destroys human life.
Secretary of State Matthew Brown and Sheldon Whitehouse, the former attorney general, are other possible Democratic candidates. Chafee leads both in potential Matchup.
A Chafee aide dismissed the polling results in an interview with the Providence Journal newspaper, saying there is nearly two years until the election.
According to the newspaper, Democrats may coalesce around Langevin’s candidacy to avoid a costly and potentially bruising primary battle.
