Three Defeated Democrats to Run as Write-Ins
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Three Democrats defeated by unions in the primary aren’t about to call it quits. Today the three incumbents—Doug Gablinske, Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, and Al Gemma—announced they will run write-in campaigns for the general election.
At a Statehouse press conference, the three vowed to continue their fight for pension reform and be an independent voice for voters.
“We do this collectively to make the point that each of us was targeted for defeat by special interests, which are first and foremost more interested in protecting their pensions, than they are about the viability of the State of Rhode Island or anything else,” said Gablinske, of Bristol.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“The news coverage of how these outside-of-district special interest forces have collaborated and inserted themselves into our General Assembly races has certainly gotten the attention of people in our respective districts,” Gablinske added. He said people had been calling the three state reps, urging them to continue on and offering to volunteer and donate. “Our guess is that they are mad as hell and won’t put up with it anymore.”
Gablinske and Shallcross Smith, of Lincoln, said they continue to identify as Democrats. Gemma described himself as both a traditional Democrat and an independent.
Gemma noted that 14 percent of registered voters in his district turned out in the primary. He said he was running in the general election to give the other 86 percent a “second chance.”
Gablinske denied that the three write-in campaigns could toss the race to the Republican candidates in their districts.
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