Lincoln Chafee's name recognition and Bush-bashing appeal should, in theory, put him in a strong position for the gubernatorial race. But can he put together a winning coalition?

Liberal blogger Matt Jerzyk writes of a left less-than-impressed with Chafee's performance at a gathering of progressive activists last night - and less-than-impressed, in general, with his candidacy.

We don't like to flog too many events here at N4N. But for all you political junkies, this is one worth knowing about.

Rhode Island College's "Congress to Campus" series convenes October 25-27 with a series of panel discussions. Former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr. (R-CA) and former Congresswoman Beverly Byron (D-MD) will participate in a couple of talks making a plea for bipartisanship (good luck with that).

More evidence of Lincoln Chafee's ability to get national press. From his campaign:

Look for Linc tomorrow night on “Real Time with Bill Maher.” Bill is seeking Linc’s opinion on a variety of topics of both local and national interest including: healthcare, the economy, partisan politics, and foreign affairs. Linc has heard over and over again how important these issues are to Rhode Islanders and he is pleased to be able to offer his ideas and thoughts on these and other subjects.

With a bit of momentum building around a full-scale casino in Rhode Island - House Speaker William J. Murphy, a long-time supporter of the idea, and Governor Carcieri, a long-time foe, have both suggested in recent days that the idea might be revived - the issue is beginning to bleed into the race to succeed Carcieri.

Lincoln Chafee, Republican-turned-independent, has noted that voters rejected the notion in 2006 and suggested it should remain dead.

Interesting piece on The Atlantic's web site about a string of Republican endorsements of health care reform. One pundit, the site notes, compares the push to Barack Obama's effort to trot out "retired" Republicans like Lincoln Chafee during the presidential campaign:

We've Seen This Obama Tactic Before and it Works, writes The Washington Post's Ezra Klein: "This is reminiscent of the strategy the Obama campaign employed in the closing weeks of the presidential election.

Lincoln Chafee got some attention in recent days for pooh-poohing talk of an Indian casino in Rhode Island.

Chafee, gearing up for an independent gubernatorial run, would seem to be on safe ground. As he noted on Channel 12's "Newsmakers" show, Rhode Island voters rejected the notion in 2006.

But the idea, which House Speaker William J.

Lincoln Chafee has tapped Rhode Island native Tad Devine, a national political strategist, and his partner Julian Mulvey for his all-but-official independent bid for governor. The selection of Devine, who worked on the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry, highlights Chafee's leftward drift since he bolted the Republican Party.

Yesterday, I directed readers to a piece in Politico that suggested a string of independent gubernatorial candidacies - including Lincoln Chafee's in Rhode Island - could hurt Democrats. W. James Antle III of The American Spectator, a conservative magazine, has a response suggesting that Republicans, in fact, have more to lose.

Interesting piece in Politico about the independent candidacies that have cropped up of late, or might in the near future. It seems that much of the activity is in traditionally Democratic states. And with a bit of a mid-term backlash against the president's party expected anyhow, those independent candidacies - including Lincoln Chafee's here in Rhode Island - could be most injurious to Democrats.

If there was any doubt that the economy will consume the looming governor's race, one need look no further than Lincoln Chafee's latest fundraising appeal:

Are you as concerned about the future of our state as I am? Looming budget deficits, high unemployment rates and lagging economic indicators – it does not have to be this way.

Lincoln Chafee may have some company. Massachusetts State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill plans to leave the Democratic Party, according to The Boston Globe, in what is widely seen as a precursor to an independent run for governor in the Bay State.

That could mean two credible, independent candidates for governor in New England next year, with Chafee - a former Republican U.

Former Atlantic magazine senior editor Ross Douthat, now a New York Times columnist, has an interesting piece today condemning Arlen Specter and "high-profile Yankee moderates like Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins and Lincoln Chafee" who filled the media last week - in the wake of Specter's high-profile defection to the Democratic Party - with invective against a GOP that has marginalized centrists.

Lincoln Chafee's seemingly accidental announcement of his gubernatorial candidacy on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show last night has been the stuff of talk radio and blogosphere chatter. Was it a slip? A gaffe?

Certainly might have been. And worth parsing, for sure. Ian Donnis has a good take over at WRNI's blog.

But there was little doubt Chafee was in the race.