Lincoln Chafee: I ‘fully’ expect to be in 2016 presidential race

Former Rhode Island Gov. and U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee said Thursday afternoon that he “fully” expects to be in the 2016 presidential race but that he’s currently still in the exploratory phase.

Mr. Chafee, a former Republican and independent, had drawn attention for comments he had made earlier in the day on CNN.

“Yes, that’s why I’m running. Because I feel strongly about where we’re going as a country,” Mr. Chafee said on CNN when presented with critical comments he’s made about Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton. A spokeswoman later clarified to the network that he’s still in the exploratory phase.

“Yes, I suppose I should have put a possible run in there, but [I’m] pretty much committed and the law does allow you to do this exploratory phase … that’s what I’m in right now,” Mr. Chafee said on MSNBC.