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September 7, 2006

'Push poll' attacks Chafee

PROVIDENCE -- Less than a week before the Republican primary, U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee has become the target of a "push poll" attacking him for supporting abortion rights.

A push poll is a telephone survey in which questions are designed to weaken support for one candidate or build up support for another. The negative campaign tactic is illegal in some states, but not in Rhode Island.

Chafee, who is running for a second full term, faces Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey in Tuesday's Republican primary, a race that has garnered national attention.

Several voters said today that they received automated telephone calls asking whether they would vote in the primary and which candidate they would choose. Those who chose Chafee heard graphic descriptions of an abortion procedure opponents call "partial-birth abortion," which the poll said Chafee supports.

Laffey spokeswoman Nachama Soloveichik said his campaign had nothing to do with the push poll.

-- The Associated Press

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 6:48 PM | Permalink

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