RI 2014 Governor’s Race Weekly Scorecard - May 19
Monday, May 19, 2014
Each week GoLocal's reporters, editors and MINDSETTERS™ review and grade the candidates, policy statements, their media, and the campaign activities for each of the five major likely candidates for Governor of Rhode Island: Gina Raimondo (D), Angel Taveras (D), Allan Fung (R), Ken Block (R) and Clay Pell (D).
Allan Fung
Fung entered the fight on the 38 Studios bond repayment arguing the state should not make payment. Governor Lincoln Chafee claimed both Fung and Ken Block were unfit for office for taking the stance not to repay the bonds. Smart politics by Fung pointing out that Chafee’s thinking is flawed. Blasting Chafee is a winning strategy with Republicans.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWith Trafficgate quiet and Fung nearly beating Block 2-1 in first quarter fundraising, Fung announced that he raised over $131,000 in Q1, for a total over a half a million dollars raised since 2013. Fung currently has over $400,000 cash on hand.
Fung is in the game.
GRADE: B+
Gina Raimondo
Raimondo is starting to flex her muscle with women voters. External events ranging from pay equity issues at the New York Times with Jill Abramson and locally at RI Public Radio with Flo Jonic may energize women. Her campaign continues to raise questions regarding Angel Taveras’ fiscal management as Mayor of Providence. A steady flow of press releases from the Raimondo team consistently attacks Taveras for raising taxes and mismanaging the city’s fiscal affairs.
GRADE: B
Ken Block
No one has pushed harder and longer to reform the Master Lever issue in Rhode Island. Passage by the House 72-0 is affirmation that that it is time for reform. If the Senate passes Master Lever, Block can claim a huge victory as a candidate and own the reform position.
Both Block and Fung challenged the 38 Studios position – a smart campaign stance.
The only recent blemish was the pathetic fundraising number – if not reversed soon, Block will have to dip into his deep pockets much deeper. Only $69,000
GRADE: B
Angel Taveras
Good news and bad news for Taveras’ campaign. Taveras has shown some fundraising muscle with a record first quarter and money does matter – especially when competing against the mega fundraiser Gina Raimondo.
The bad news is that Taveras’ management of Providence is creating a track record that raises real questions about his judgment. Fiscal miscues coupled with an emerging pattern of secrecy and blocking access to public information both by the media and members of the public undermines any claim of being a performer. Taveras’ administration has used every tactic to block requests – delays, charging thousands of dollars in claims and demanding extensions.
GRADE: C+
Clay Pell
More and more Pell seems to be running for a race in the future and not for Governor in 2014. While he has tried to role out some policy positions on the economy and education, most folks know more about his failure to vote as an adult and his losing his car.
Now, Pell has loaned his campaign a second million dollars. Pell has the resources to be a viable candidate for the Democratic nominee for Governor, but he needs to gain a real political foothold.
One big question for Pell is will the National Education Association hang with him and risk being a non-factor in maybe the most important election for the union in their history.
“Education is incredibly important to me, and to my family. I’ve seen first hand the power of education to transform lives, as people share with me their stories of what the Pell Grant meant to them – that it allowed them to go to college, build a career and achieve their full potential, and what it meant that government was directly investing in their future,” said Pell.
With issues like NECAP and pension reform unresolved, is Bob Walsh willing to sit this Governor’s race out.
GRADE: C+
Related Slideshow: State Employee Donations for Governor
State employees are already indicating whom they support for Governor through individual contributions, pouring tens of thousands into the campaign coffers of the candidates. A review of state campaign finance records turns up some surprising results for which candidates are hauling in the most in donations. Below is a breakdown of the donations by candidate. Note that the donation tallies are based on individual contributions, may include rank-and-file union workers along with management, and do not include contributions from PACs or any other union-affiliated organizations.
Related Articles
- NEW: Taveras Calls on Raimondo to Have Enron Exec $100K Returned
- Contract for Top Taveras Staffer Violates City Rules
- LISTEN: Contract for Top Taveras Staffer Violates City Rules
- Michael Riley: Taveras and Polisena No-Shows at Pension Commission
- NEW: Council Overrides Affordable Housing Veto by Taveras
- NEW: Taveras Unveils Plan to Make RI an Environmental Leader
- NEW: Would Taveras Support Fung Over Democratic Opponents?
- Podcast: Unions Battle Taveras Over Development in Providence
- Russell Moore: Christie, Taveras and Fung—Politicians Gone Wild
- Russell Moore: Taveras and Cronyism
- City Council Looks to Override Taveras Veto on Affordable Housing
- The Scoop: Cicilline’s Former Campaign Manager Joins Raimondo Team
- NEW: United Steelworkers Endorse Gina Raimondo For Governor
- PODCAST: Raimondo Donors’ Charity Gets Boost From Treasury Office
- RI State Report: Surprise Raimondo Donors, Block Turns Republican
- Raimondo Donors’ Charity Gets Boost from Treasurer’s Office
- Raimondo Enters RI Governor’s Race via Video
- Raimondo’s Top Hedge Fund is Being Investigated by Feds
- Russell Moore: Raimondo’s Daunting Fundraising
- Russell Moore: Raimondo, Taxpayers Win in Pension Settlement
- See the List: Raimondo Capital Good Fund Donors
- Schaper: Taveras: Pools, Pensions, and Political Posturing
- Taveras + Fung Nearly Tied in State Employee Donations
- Taveras Campaign Raises Over $500,000 During First Quarter 2014
- NEW: Fung, Pell Report Q1 Fundraising Totals
- NEW: NEA of Rhode Island Endorses Clay Pell for Governor
- NEW: Pell Hires Former Chafee Policy Director Mahoney
- NEW: Pell Receives Endorsement From Johnston Democratic Committee
- NEW: Pell Unveils Education Strategy for Rhode Island
- NEW: RITBA Votes to Delay Toll Increases on Pell, Sakonnet Bridges
- New: Pell Pledges Millions to Cities, Can’t Name Funding Source
- Nuala Pell, Grandmother of Clay Pell, Passes Away at 89
- PODCAST: Is Pell’s Campaign Dead?
- NEW: Clay Pell Receives Endorsement from Charlestown Democrats
- Michelle Kwan, Pell’s Star Spouse, May Have Only Voted Once (Ever)
- Taveras Gets Endorsement from United Food and Commercial Workers Union
- Taveras Under Fire on Davey Lopes Pool Again
- UPDATED: More Staffing Fallout: Taveras’ Revolving Door
- Under Taveras Prov Crime Among Worst in US - National Report
- Unions Battle Taveras Over Development in Providence
- EXCLUSIVE: Sundlun & Pell Aide to be New Speaker’s Chief of Staff
- INVESTIGATION: Pell Failed to Vote More than Half the Time
- In Case You Missed It: Is Pell’s Campaign Dead?
- Is Pell’s Campaign Dead?
- PODCAST: Pell Failed to Vote More than Half the Time
- NEW: Raimondo Says Taveras Broke Pledge on Employee, Vendor Giving
- Dan Lawlor: Magicians of the Master Lever
- Taylor Praises Mollis for Change of Position on Master Lever
- Will RI Kill the Master Lever?
- Block Blasts Fung, Taveras, Raimondo for Support of Fox
- Block: Fung + Raimondo “Engage in Destructive Political Games”
- Fung and Block: Do Either Represent GOP on Guns?
- John Hazen White’s LOOKOUT: Heeding Block’s Call for Bold Actions
- NEW: Block Blasts Chafee and Raimondo on “Closed Door Deal Making”
- NEW: Block Calls Out Raimondo, Taveras, Fung for Ties to Fox
- NEW: Block Calls for Halt on 38 Studios Bond Payments
- State Report: Racial Profiling, Master Lever Ban + 38 Studios
- Russell Moore: Master Lever is GOP’s Scapegoat
- Do You Favor the Elimination of the Master Lever for Party Voting
- Don Roach: Is The Master Lever So Bad?
- Don Roach: The Master Lever Has to Go
- John Hazen White’s LOOKOUT: RI Senate Must Act on Master Lever
- John Perilli: RI Can Get an Easy Win if Senate Kills Master Lever
- Ken Block: The Master Lever Challenge to RI Legislators
- NEW: Ken Block Says Master Lever May Have Helped Fox Avoid Defeat
- NEW: Speaker Fox Comes Out in Favor of the Master Lever
- RI Taxpayers Urges Passage of Bill to Eliminate Master Lever
- NEW: Block Islander Brian Williams Rapping Goes Viral
- NEW: Block Pledges No More Moral Obligation Bonds if Elected
- Should Gov Candidate Ken Block Release His Tax Returns?
- 10 Questions Raimondo Has to Answer When Running for Gov of RI
- Brown Poll: Pot Gaining Support - Raimondo and Taveras Dead Heat
- Democratic Primary: Is This Raimondo’s Race to Lose?
- NEW: Chafee, Raimondo Issue Joint Statement on Pension Settlement
- NEW: Fung Calls for Chafee and Raimondo to “Come Clean” on Pensions
- NEW: Ken Block Criticizes Raimondo’s Agenda
- NEW: Raimondo Announces Plan to Create Jobs + Grow RI Economy
- NEW: Raimondo Blasts Taveras for Property Tax Hikes in Providence
- Richard August: Block Island Deer Slaughter Canceled
- RI Public Radio Reporter Says Station Blocking Her Unemployment
- NEW: Block: Fung Flip-Flops on Corporate Tax Cut
- NEW: Cape Air Announces Service to Block Island
- NEW: Doherty Campaign Manager Endorses Ken Block
- NEW: Former Radio Host Helen Glover Endorses Block for Governor
- NEW: Fung + Block to Compete in Straw Poll at North Kingstown GOP
- NEW: Fung Campaign Calls on Ken Block to Release Tax Returns
- NEW: GOP Candidate Block Unveils Plan to “Fix Rhode Island”
- NEW: Ken Block Receives Endorsement From RI Taxpayers
- NEW: Ken Block Receives Endorsement From Rep. Doreen Costa
- NEW: Raimondo Launches Bid for Rhode Island Governor
