Meet the candidates this election year. GoLocal is featuring all the candidates for General Assembly, those running for Mayor in cities across the state, and the Congressional candidates. This feature allows each candidate the opportunity to express their views on the issues. Meet candidate Matt Fecteau -- a candidate for Senate District 8.
What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
The biggest issue currently facing Rhode Island is the broken government. From Gordon Fox getting arrested to dozens of politicians being caught with misleading ethics disclosures, it's clear that we need a new attitude on Smith Hill.
What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
I’ve spoken to a number of businesses such as GM. While our regulatory and tax climate are not as competitive, these factors are relatively minor compared to other concerns. The businesses I’ve talked to are deterred from coming to Rhode Island because of corruption levels, dilapidated infrastructure, and lack of accessibility of local leaders.
Additionally, we need to stop giving tax dollars to people who are already millionaires and billionaires. Instead, we need to invest in our schools and fix our failing infrastructure. We will never have economic prosperity if our schools continue to lag behind neighboring states, and we will never fix our schools until we change the broken culture in the legislature
What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
Serving in Iraq taught me about leadership and accountability. Our legislature needs the same attitude, which is why I will fight for meaningful ethics and campaign finance reform. We need government that works for everyone - not just insiders and special interests.
Rhode Island needs to overcome the ‘I know a guy’ culture. In Rhode Island, you seemingly cannot get anything done unless you know someone. Businesses in Silicon Valley certainly don’t know anyone in Rhode Island, nor do businesses across the country, and world. That’s why we need accessible leaders willing to lobby businesses to come to Rhode Island.
4. Why are you running for office this year?
I am disappointed in the General Assembly leadership. My opponent optimizes everything wrong with the General Assembly. He sits on the senate finance committee, but has been taken to court several times for failing to pay a local businesses owner. In addition, he has failed to vote in committee 93% of the time from 2012 to 2016. We need new leadership which is why I am running for office.
5. Who is your inspiration?
While I have a number of inspirations, my aunt, Christine Pappas, is my inspiration. She is a retired school teacher, and she taught me honor and integrity. Sometimes it is difficult, but must chose the hard right over the easy wrong.
Matt's Bio:
Matt is a proud resident of Rhode Island with deep local roots. While living in Pawtucket, Matt's father, Ray, was a District Manager of the Rail Road Retirement Board. His mother, Marion, was an employee of Automatic Data Processing in East Providence, Rhode Island. His sister, Mary, is a multi-Emmy Award-winning Multimedia Education Producer for PBS.
His interest in politics began back in college. While working as a dietary aide (dishwasher) at Slater Health Center in Pawtucket — now called Genesis Healthcare — Matt pursued his passion for public service as an intern for Congressman Patrick Kennedy. Also, while still in college, at the age 20, he was elected as Union Delegate with the Local 1199 SEIU. He proudly represented employees from diverse backgrounds and in 2003, graduated from the Community College of Rhode Island with Highest Honors, Phi Theta Kappa.
On scholarship, he attended High Point University in North Carolina where he was challenged to live a life of significance through servant leadership. he graduated with All University Honors, Summa Cum Laude in 2005 and then, in 2006, graduated from Officer Candidate School.
During the Iraq war, Matt deployed for back-to-back tours in Iraq. Because of his long tenure in Iraq, he served in multiple positions including platoon leader. His platoon conducted various operations in support of tens of thousands of uniformed personnel making his battle space one of the largest in Iraq. When he returned home, he worked as a National Security Council intern in the Obama White House.
In 2014, Matt challenged Congressman David Cicilline for the Democratic nomination. Matt received a surprisingly large amount of votes taking many political spectators off guard.
Based out of Queens, New York, he is currently serving overseas as a major in support of the US Army's operations against the Islamic State.
Matt holds an Associate degree from the Community College of Rhode Island, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration Concentration in Economics from High Point University, a Master in Business Administration from Texas A&M University - Commerce, and a Master of Arts in International Relations National Security policy from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Matt has been a regular MINDSETTER™ for GoLocal writing on a range of issues over the past couple of years. He is not writing while he runs for office.
Related Slideshow: 10 Primaries to Watch in RI in ‘16
Rhode Island political primaries on are September 13 -- here a just a few key races to watch out for.
The path to square off against Speaker of the House Nicholas Mattiello in Cranston starts in the Republican primary. Republican National Committeeman Frias — who twice ran for State Senate unsuccessfully in his early 20s in Providence — has consistently set his sights on the Speaker, and not his primary opponent, founder of Rhode Island Alliance for Vaccine Choice challenger Shawna Lawton.
The cohort of Republican voters that the candidates are looking to woo aren't high. In the 2014 Republican gubernatorial primary, 4065 votes were cast city-wide when Allan Fung squared off against Ken Block — and the recent GOP Presidential Preference primary saw just over 5,100 votes cast for GOP candidates city-wide in Cranston this past spring.
Mattiello won in the general election unopposed in 2014 with almost 4200 votes. And come the general election, independent Patrick Vallier waits in wings along with Mattiello, making for an always difficult cross-cutting three-way race.
DeSimone, the tax-beleaguered House Majority leader, recently shook off an ethics complaint filed by the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats for his failure to disclose his indebtedness to the City of Providence, as well as income derived from the city and state for his role in United Providence, which has received hundreds of thousands of dollars.
First elected in 1992 and chosen as Majority Leader in 2014, DeSimone is facing a strong challenge from Progressive Democrat and Providence school teacher Marcia Ranglin-Vassell. “Our community needs someone who will fight for us. For too long, we’ve had politicians who are only helping themselves and their well-connected friends,” Ranglin-Vassell said when she announced she would be running back in June.
She faces a formidable candidate in DeSimone, who despite his need to pay over $18,000 in back taxes, landed in the #6 slot on GoLocal’s list of legislators with the biggest war chests back in June, when he reported having over $111,111 cash on hand through the first quarter of the year. The question now is will deep pockets and leadership machinery be a match for Ranglin-Vassell who has the backing of an energize Progressive Democrat operation this year.
Pawtucket resident Norton has been campaigning long before he declared officially declared his candidacy this past January. Norton had been one of the main organizers in the effort to keep the PawSox at McCoy, when the effort arose in 2015 by the new owners to move the AAA team to a new, taxpayer-subsidized stadium in Providence.
After notching that win — for now — Norton joined forces with City Councilor Sandra Cano to hold a series of “Crash Pawtucket” events to bring residents to a different establishment each month, to rev up support for small business in the city.
Opponent Coughlin was first elected in 2014 when he ran unopposed, which Norton said was “handed” to him by House leadership. Coughlin recently fired back at Norton’s position on the plans for a new train station in Pawtucket.
“This train station will raise the quality of life for Pawtucket’s residents and businesses and it will breathe new life to an area that is still recovering from the Great Recession. Combined with his opposition to the millions of dollars to fix Pawtucket’s roads and bridges, and our state investments to find ways to rebuild and renovate McCoy Stadium, my opponent does not seem to be in touch with the needs of the people and businesses of Pawtucket,” said Coughlin.
Incumbent Rep. Bill O’Brien and progressive challenger Bill Deware have been trading barbs throughout the summer in North Providence, with the Progressives going after O’Brien about missing ethics filings, and O’Brien releasing a video of his campaign signs being stolen in the district — and questioning Deware’s voting record, having voted in Johnston while living in the district.
"I think people should be more concerned on the issues than worrying about signs and petty politics, when there are policy issues to debate,” said Deware following the sign incident. O’Brien, meanwhile hit out at Deware on this issue of his voting. "I am deeply disturbed by this revelation. My opponent admits to committing voter fraud multiple times. People have fought and died to protect the right to vote fairly and I have a colleague from Pawtucket who lost an election by one vote," said O'Brien.
Deware, who is endorsed by the Progressive Democrats, recently came back from a hospitalization from meningitis that had left him in a coma — but said in a statement that full recover is expected.
Who: Matt Fecteau v. Mark Theroux v. Sen. Jamie Doyle
What: Dem Primary
Where: Pawtucket
The three-way Democratic primary in Senate District 8 in Pawtucket which features six-time incumbent Jamie Doyle; Matt Fecteau, who ran against United States Representative David Cicilline in the 2014 primary; and Mark Theroux, is one of the top races to watch this primary election.
In 2014, Fecteau, a political newcomer, was able to snag 37% of the vote in the primary in the first Congressional district against Cicilline, with 22,447 votes to Cicilline’s 38,186. Meanwhile, Doyle needed to amend his ethics filings after admitting he failed to disclose tens of thousands of dollars in personal and business debts. WPRI reported Doyle filed the amended the amended ethics reports after he had “not disclosed multiple liens on his home and business properties related to unpaid taxes.”
Meanwhile, the Valley Breeze reported that Theroux’s wife, who is on the Democratic Committee for Senate District 8, voted to endorse…Doyle.
Incumbent Malik, who was first elected to the House in 1996, is facing a fierce challenge from primary opponent Jason Knight.
Sam Bell with the Progressive Democrats highlighted the race back in June. "Malik has been extremely ideologically conservative, with an 'A plus' rating from the NRA. He voted against marriage equality and his district isn't extremely right wing -- it's very liberal on social issues. And Warren is a place where you saw two successful progressive town council primaries last cycle, knocking out established [Democrats]," said Bell.
The East Providence battle pits a former State Representative against a Democratic candidate who is currently under investigation by the State Ethics Commission.
In 2004, outgoing District 64 State Representative Helio Melo challenged then-incumbent Coogan in a four-way Democratic Primary, winning with 970 votes (62.1%) and then prevailing in a three-way general election. Now, Coogan is seeking a return to his former seat.
This past July, GoLocal reported that Cunha, who current serves as East Providence Assistant Mayor, had been been barred from trading in the futures industry by the National Futures Association, the industry-wide, regulatory organization for the U.S. derivatives industry. Then earlier this month, East Providence Mayor Thomas Rose filed an ethics complaint against Cunha, which the Ethics Commission voted to investigate.
Senator Frank Ciccone, who was first elected in 2002, is being challenged by Doris De Los Santos, who garnered the endorsement of the Progressive Democrats.
“In 2012 Governor Chafee appointed Doris as the director of the Office of Municipal and External Affairs. Her opponent, Frank Ciccone, has been involved in several scandals, including threatening a police officer who had pulled over conservative Senate Majority Leader Dominic Ruggerio for drunk driving,” wrote the Progressive Democrats in their release.
Michael Gazdacko, a West End resident and member of the City Plan Commission, announced his candidacy in June as a Democrat for State Representative in District 9 — to take on incumbent Rep. Anastasia Williams.
In May of this year, GOP Chair Brandon Bell filed an ethics complaint against Williams for failing to disclose her employment with the city of Providence on her state financial disclosure form.
In 2014, the ousted Executive Director of the John Hope Settlement House alleged that Board President Rep. Williams had used the house for political purposes, without compensating the organization, including holding a campaign event for then-Democratic candidate for Governor Gina Raimondo.
GoLocal reported that Williams appointed former discredited head of ProCAP, Frank Corbishley, to serve as the interim Executive Director in the wake of former Director Taino Palermo's sudden departure, when Palermo challenged Williams' leadership.
