Field Narrows in the Race to Replace Patrick Kennedy
Monday, April 26, 2010
When Congressman Patrick Kennedy rocked the political world with his February 11 announcement that he would not seek re-election, more than a dozen Rhode Island politicos put their names into consideration as possible replacements. Yet, less than three months later, we have a field of two, maybe three, Democratic challengers and one Republican candidate.
The candidates who took a brief look at running - either publicly or through speculation - and decided against it reads like a "who's who" of Rhode Island politics: Bob Weygand, former Congressman; Dan McKee, Mayor of Cumberland; Edwin Pacheco, Burrillville State Representative; Elizabeth Roberts, Lieutenant Governor; Jon Brien, Woonsocket State Representative; Guillaume de Ramel, former Secretary of State candidate; Nicholas Pell, grandson to former U.S. Sen. Claiborne Pell; Teresa Paiva-Weed, President of the State Senate; Seth Yurdin, Providence City Councilman; Donna Nesselbush, attorney and Pawtucket municipal judge; Charlie Fogarty, former lieutenant governor; Ralph Mollis, Secretary of State; Myrth York, former State Senator and gubernatorial candidate and Mark Pfeiffer, former Superior Court Judge.
The reason that many of these potential challengers decided against jumping into the race on the Democratic side was that two political heavyweights immediately announced their campaigns for Congress. Former Rhode Island Democratic Party chairman Bill Lynch was the first out of the box. Thereafter, Providence Mayor David Cicilline announced that he was running for Congress.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTHowever, one very big question mark remains in this race: State Representative David Segal. One of the biggest political groups on the left - the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) - is doing an online poll in preparation for their support of Segal's run for Congress. With the PCCC making Segal's race a national priority, Segal could easily have the money, the volunteers and the outsider message to surprise the two favorites.
For those unfamiliar with Rhode Island's two Congressional districts, here is a map of the 1st Congressional District.
