The Big Mayoral Races
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Providence Democratic mayoral primary has been getting most of the attention from the statewide media, but GoLocalProv finds there are other big mayoral races across the state—from Cumberland to Johnston.
Pawtucket: Kinch versus Grebien Besides the Providence contest, this is the other mayoral race most political junkies are watching. It's a match between what one political insider describes to GoLocalProv as the “consummate Democratic insider”—Henry Kinch, Jr.—against "outsider" Don Grebien (pictured left). Kinch is a former senior staffer for Gov. Bruce Sundlun, a long-time city council president, and the clerk for Providence County Superior Court. His father, Henry Kinch, Sr. is a former mayor of the city. But Grebien is no stranger to local politics either—he’s served five terms on the city council and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2008.
Johnston: Polisena versus Cipriano Pitting a former fire chief against a former battalion chief this race has been an intense, bare-knuckled Democratic primary battle. “I think one street in Johnston has more political signs that the entire city of Warwick,” one political insider tells GoLocalProv. “It’s been nasty, nasty between them.” Incumbent Joseph Polisena has made enemies by his attempts to reform pensions and his belief that former fire chief Victor Cipriano is receiving an illegal disability pension. Cipriano, in turn, has accused Polisena of a number of improprieties as well.GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
Warwick: Conservative Tries to Take Out Avedisian The conservative wing of the party is hoping to oust Mayor Scott Avedisian—a moderate Republican who is supporting Lincoln Chafee for governor. Political insiders who spoke with GoLocalProv think that Avedisian (pictured right)will handily beat the decidedly more conservative Richard Langseth. “The city of Warwick loves Avedisian,” one source told GoLocalProv. Another said he had done a "textbook job" of keeping his finger on the pulse of the community.
Cumberland: McKee Facing Challenge Known as an education reformer throughout the state, Mayor Daniel McKee (pictured left) avoided having a Democratic primary after opponent Mark Dailey dropped out. But he will have to beat former Democrat, David Iwuc, who is now running as an independent in general election. The mayoral seat has swung back and forth between the two men over the last three elections. Iwuc unseated incumbent McKee in 2004, but then McKee made a comeback in 2006 and fended off Iwuc a third time in 2008. Now Iwuc is hoping to even the score.
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