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September 12, 2006

Flash: Laffey concedes to Chafee at 10:40 p.m.

Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey conceded the Republican nomination to Sen. Lincoln Chafee tonight.

At 10:45 p.m. U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee had a growing lead when Laffey acknowledged that he had lost.

With 81 percent of the votes counted, Chafee had 27,580 votes to 23,579 for Laffey. That gave Chafee a comfortable 8 percentage-point lead. Chafee gave his victory speech at around 11 p.m.

Shortly after Chafee greeted his supporters, the unofficial tally from the Board of Elections had boosted his lead to 29,814 votes to 25,704. That gave the senator a 7.5 percentage-point lead with 91 percent of the votes counted.

At the Biltmore hotel, Chafee could not contain his smiles as he thanked supporters.

"You inspire me," he said to the clapping crowd. Chafee said he believed that the state of Rhode Island had benefitted from his term, and, he said, "today's vote shows that Rhode Islanders agree."

Pausing for cheers, he thanked those said "yes to thoughtfulness, yes to honesty and yes to independence."

Hundreds of Chafee supports began celebrating shortly after 10 p.m. The mood was electric as campaign workers watched Laffey deliver his concession speech.

Governor Carcieri told the crowd: "We're rolling into November and we're going to have a sweep.''

But it won't be easy, Chafee said, looking forward to his challenge from Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.

"Let us now turn our attention to the race ahead," Chafee told his supporters near the end of his speech. "It will take everything we've got."

Posted by Steve Peoples  at 11:05 PM | Permalink

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