Lincoln Chafee is an American politician and former governor of Rhode Island. He served as the 74th governor from 2011 to 2015 and was a member of the Republican Party before becoming an independent. Chafee was also a U.S. Senator from 1999 to 2007, representing Rhode Island. Born on March 26, 1953, Chafee comes from a political family; his father, John Chafee, was a U.S. Senator. He is known for his moderate views and focus on issues like environmental protection and fiscal responsibility. In 2016, he ran for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States.