Providence Journal photo / Frieda Squires Governor Chafee 
 
 PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Gov. Lincoln Chafee intends to run for re-election as a Democrat, according to reports in the Washington Post and Politico.com. 
 
 Both outlets quote unnamed sources saying that Chafee, who quit the Republican party and won his first gubernatorial term as an independent, has decided to join the Democrats. 
 
 Politico said Chafee had told Democratic party officials of his intent. 
 
 There has been no official, on-the-record confirmation from the party or Chafee's office. 
 
 Chafee could potentially face Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and General Treasurer Gina Raimondo in a three-way Democratic primary for the seat. 
 
 ||||| Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee, right, after signing the the Marriage Equality Act at the State House in Providence, R.I., on May 2. (Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters) 
 
 Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee (I) intends to run for reelection as a Democrat, according to two people familiar with his decision, a move that suggests that the first-term governor does not see a path to reelection as an independent. 
 
 Chafee, a former Republican senator, won the governorship in 2010 in a competitive three-way race. His prospects for a second term have looked dim, as polling shows his numbers are downright bad. Chafee's made no secret about the fact that he has been considering switching to the Democratic Party. His decision signals that he believes his best chance for survival is competing in what is expected to be a competitive Democratic primary. 
 
 Chafee is expected to announce his decision shortly, possibly as soon as this week, the people familiar with his decision say. 
 
 The Democratic Governors Association has said it will not endorse a candidate in the primary, opting instead to simply support the eventual nominee, whomever it ends up being. Treasurer Gina Raimondo and Providence Mayor Angel Taveras are expected to enter the Democratic race, and each looks like a stronger option for the general election than Chafee. 
 
 When asked about the governor's future plans, Chafee spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger would not confirm or deny that Chafee will become a Democrat. "I just don't have anything for you on it," she said. 
 
 Chafee's decision is good for Democrats for a couple of reasons. One, it takes off the table the threat of a vote split between the Democratic nominee and the governor, something that could open the door for the Republican to win, even in a Democratic-leaning state. If Chafee loses the Democratic nomination — and it is hard, at least at this point, to see him winning — then he is out of the picture altogether. Of course, if he wins, Democrats would have to back a pol with a struggling image in the eyes of Republicans. 
 
 Without saying he supports Chafee in the Democratic primary, Obama welcomed his former Senate colleague and key political ally to the party with open arms on Wednesday. 
 
 “I’m delighted to hear that Governor Chafee is joining the Democratic Party,” Obama said in a statement distributed by the Democratic National Committee. “For nearly 30 years, Linc Chafee has served his beloved Rhode Island as an independent thinker and leader who’s unafraid to reach across party lines to get things done. I enjoyed working with Linc when he was a Republican in the United States Senate, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration on the issues that matter not just to the Democratic Party, but to every American.” 
 
 DGA Chairman Peter Shumlin of Vermont welcomed Chafee, but said the DGA plans to support whichever candidate wins the Democratic nomination. 
 
 "We are excited to welcome Governor Chafee to the ranks of Democratic governors and look forward to enthusiastically supporting whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee in Rhode Island," Shumlin said in a statement. 
 
 Chris Cillizza contributed to this report. 
 
 Updated at 4:26 p.m. ||||| Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee will formally switch his party registration Thursday, abandoning his status as an independent and joining the Democratic Party, the governor’s office told POLITICO. 
 
 Chafee quietly informed President Barack Obama of his intention to affiliate as a Democrat after reaching that decision in private, Chafee spokeswoman Christine Hunsinger said. The governor’s office confirmed Chafee’s plans after POLITICO reported that the governor had notified national Democrats that he’d be joining the party. 
 
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 A former Republican who served with Obama in the Senate, Chafee has struggled with perilously low job approval ratings and faces a difficult reelection fight in 2014. 
 
 (PHOTOS: Lincoln Chafee's career) 
 
 Hunsinger said politics had nothing to do with Chafee’s decision to sign up with Obama’s party. 
 
 “What you’re seeing in him affiliating as a Democrat is a recognition that there’s strength in numbers – that the Democratic Party and the president, he shares their agenda and the policy beliefs of the party,” she said. “It really is a matter of conviction with this governor. It’s been a long road from when he first left the Republican Party to here.” 
 
 The senior Chafee aide said the switch in registration would not change Chafee’s governing agenda. 
 
 “He’s fairly progressive on social issues. He’s about efficient and honest government and every move he’s made when in elected office has been to achieve that on behalf of the taxpayer,” Hunsinger said. “For anybody to imply that affiliating as a Democrat is simply about politics or about winning an election, doesn’t know Gov. Chafee.” 
 
 (Also on POLITICO: Lincoln Chafee DNC speech) 
 
 Chafee’s party switch increases the odds that the Rhode Island governorship will be in Democratic hands after 2014, though not necessarily his. His polling numbers are weak and multiple up-and-coming Rhode Island Democrats have already stepped up to challenge him. 
 
 In an encouraging sign for Chafee, the White House publicly embraced him as a soon-to-be-minted Democrat on Wednesday, issuing a statement from Obama praising Chafee as “an independent thinker and leader” who hasn’t been constrained by party labels. 
 
 “I enjoyed working with Linc when he was a Republican in the United States Senate, and I look forward to continuing that collaboration on the issues that matter not just to the Democratic Party, but to every American,” Obama said. “I’m thrilled to welcome Linc to the party of Jefferson and Jackson, Roosevelt and Kennedy – and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.” 
 
 (PHOTOS: Pols who’ve switched states) 
 
 It’s no surprise that Chafee would win a warm reception from Obama: The ex-Republican campaigned for the president in 2008 and 2012 and spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte last summer.
– It looks like Democrats will be adding another governor to their ranks. Rhode Island's Lincoln Chafee plans to switch to the party before he launches his bid for re-election in 2014, reports Politico. Chafee used to be a Republican senator, but he won the governor's seat in 2010 as an independent. The governor's office hasn't confirmed the news yet, but the Washington Post also has it, and considers the switch good news for Democrats. For one thing, it means an independent Chafee won't be splitting the vote with a Democrat and potentially opening the way to a GOP win in a mostly Democratic state, writes Sean Sullivan. It doesn't mean, however, that victory will be a slam dunk for Chafee, who has lackluster approval ratings. In fact, he might end up being an underdog in his new party's primary, which the Providence Journal says will include Providence Mayor Angel Taveras and state treasurer Gina Raimondo.