Sen. Lincoln Chafee's campaign has just released a statement charging voter intimidation by supporters of conservative challenger Steve Laffey:

Currently, poll watchers in North Kingstown on behalf of Steve Laffey are disrupting the election process in North Kingstown. During the election, these impartial observers have begun leaving their designated seats and interjecting themselves into the process, challenging the eligibility of voters. This has significantly delayed the voting process, and is intimidating voters. The Chafee campaign calls on Mayor Laffey to demand his poll watchers stop disrupting the election process.

This primary could all but decide which party gets a key Senate seat: If Laffey wins it, the seat is extremely likely to go to Dem Sheldon Whitehouse. (Updated after the jump.)

Update: John P. Dodenhoff, Laffey's campaign manager, has responded to charges of voter intimidation, telling Hotline, "We have no poll watchers at Quidnessett. And we spoke to our guy at Wickford and he said there's been no problems since the polls opened."