As Lincoln Chafee celebrates his 56th birthday today, a source tells WRNI that he has decided to run for governor in 2010, and will soon begin to assemble a campaign organization.

Chafee is traveling outside of the United States and he couldn't be reached for immediate comment.

Sources close to Chafee generally stuck to the party line that the former Republican senator-turned independent is seriously considering a run for governor.

But Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian says some people have been told that Chafee has made a decision, and others told that he's close to reaching one.

Chafee's late father, John Chafee, who served three terms as governor, called it the best job he ever had. After losing the office, John Chafee won election to the US Senate in 1976 and served there until his death in 1999. Lincoln Chafee was later appointed by then-governor Lincoln Almond to fill the remainder of his father's term, and he won election in 2000 before being defeated by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse in 2006.