CQ Politics has just changed its rating of the race between incumbent GOP Senator Lincoln Chafee and Dem challenger Sheldon Whitehouse from "No Clear Favorite" to "Leans Democratic":

The national Republican Party’s heavy intervention [in the GOP primary] left Chafee with two big problems coming out of the primary.

Those conservatives who strongly backed Laffey — and who believed the national party should have left the decision up to the state’s Republican voters — were left with hard feelings.

At the other end of the spectrum, Democrat Whitehouse used the primary as ammunition for his argument that Chafee is more of a party loyalist and less of a maverick than his image suggests, and that he is now more beholden that ever to Republican leaders. To implement change in Washington, say Whitehouse and fellow Democrats, Rhode Islanders must replace Chafee.

CQ also notes that Whitehouse was spared a tough primary and that he's got twice the cash on hand that Chafee does. CQ's full analysis here.