Chafee Hitting Hot Button Issues
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Polls show most people are worried about jobs and the economy. But Governor-elect Lincoln Chafee has been dealing with other, far more controversial issues during his transition—such as gay marriage and illegal immigration.
But polls show that those issues are not at the top of voters' minds. For example:
• A Nov. 4, 2010 Rasmussen Reports poll showed that the economy was picked as the number one issue by 82 percent of Americans. Immigration ranked as seventh in importance and gay marriage didn’t even make the top ten list.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST• Likewise, a CBS News poll taken between Nov. 7 and 10 of this year showed that 56 percent of Americans identified economy and the jobs as their greatest concern. No other issue came anywhere close—with immigration being selected as the most important issue by just 2 percent of respondents.
• Those results are mirrored in Rhode Island. For example, a September 20, 2010 Quest Research poll asked Rhode Islanders which issue would determine whom they were supporting for governor. Jobs and unemployment were the topmost issues for 43 percent of voters. Next was state spending and budget issues, with 23 percent of voters saying that should be the number one priority. Taxes were the concern of just 12 percent of voters and immigration was the main issue for even fewer—6 percent.
However, nearly a month into his transition, Governor-elect Chafee has been caught up in issues that are highly controversial yet appear to be a low priority among voters. Chafee spokesman Mike Trainor says the Governor-elect remains focused on the big priorities—but has had the other issues thrust on him by the media. (See below for more from GoLocalProv’s interview with Trainor.)
Illegal Immigration
On Nov. 15, the same day that he announced former Lt. Gov. Richard Licht as the new Director of the Department of Administration, Chafee received a letter from a woman asking him to reconsider his promise to repeal the E-Verify system. That same day Chafee issued a press release on his transition Web site, affirming his commitment to repealing it—it was one of only two position-related press releases he has issued. The others have largely been about transition-related appointments.
Needless to say, the issue made the rounds of talk shows on 630 WPRO, a GoLocalProv media partner, and has still been making headlines this week—the day before Thanksgiving, the Rhode Island New Christian Political Action Committee Coalition held a press conference to thank Chafee for sticking to his guns on the issue. On the other side, supporters of E-Verify certainly had a lot to say in the recent GoLocalProv poll on the repeal.
Gay Marriage
During the same period, Chafee’s transition has been hit with another issue as provocative. In mid-November, the executive director of the state chapter of the National Organization for Marriage dropped by Chafee’s transition office to ask if he would support a referendum on same-sex marriage, rather than a bill. On Nov. 16, Chafee’s office sent a letter saying his position hadn’t changed—he preferred a bill in 2011.
Then, this week, the group responded with a press release expressing its disappointment and claiming Chafee had “scoffed” at the people of Rhode Island.
“It is clear that Governor-elect Chafee intends to put fringe issues and radical politics over saving Rhode Islanders jobs and securing a prosperous future for our State,” said Chris Plante, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage Rhode Island. “NOM – Rhode Island will work with Rhode Islanders to demand their right to vote on marriage, and demand that the Governor-elect sticks to the business of getting Rhode Island back on the right economic track.”
Chafee Spokesman: Our Priority Is the Budget
In an interview, Mike Trainor, deputy transition director for Chafee, said Chafee had not brought up those hot button issues—instead others had brought them to the forefront. “We have not initiated a dialogue with the media,” Trainor said. “It’s come to us.” In particular, he said Chafee’s positions on gay marriage and illegal immigration had become “fodder” for talk radio shows.
But he said “without a doubt” the priority for the transition team is the budget. He said the team has an eight-person task force that is examining the budget and the transition office will be announcing next week an upcoming budget summit—likely to be held sometime in mid-December, according to Trainor.
The budget, he said, has a direct impact on what voters say are their top issues. “(A) stronger economy and more jobs will come only when we get our fiscal house in order,” Trainor told GoLocalProv. “That’s why the budget is so important at this point.”
