2020 Election Profile: Brandon Potter, House District 16
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Meet Brandon Potter who is running for election in House District 16 (Cranston).
Read what he has to say about why he is running for office.
This is part of an ongoing series by GoLocal featuring each of the candidates for House and Senate.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST1. What do you think is the biggest political issue this campaign season in Rhode Island?
The COVID-19 pandemic and how we address the recovery period moving forward. This crisis has highlighted just how much improvement we need within our healthcare system, the way our economy works, and why it’s so critical to have a competent government that prioritizes the well being of people above all else. While so many families are struggling, people are without healthcare, out of work, and small businesses are on the brink of closing, we’ve seen celebrities and the biggest corporations take advantage of the crisis. We’ve seen the wealth of the billionaire class increase. Knowing the culture of corruption within Rhode Island, we should all be concerned with how resources meant for recovery will be allocated. This has to be a turning of the page in regards to how our government works and who it works for. We simply can’t allow this to be a time for business as usual.
2. What do we need to do to improve Rhode Island's economy?
The nature of our economy has changed so much in the last few decades that we need fundamental, systemic change to adapt to modern times. We need updated approaches and real solutions. In the short term, our recovery has to focus on small business and the families that have been hurt most by this pandemic. On the broader scale, we need to recognize education as an investment in our long-term economy and properly fund our schools. Our tax policies have to be reformed to repeal tax-cuts for the rich, encourage small business growth, and take the burden off of working class families. We need to enact a universal healthcare system that removes the profit motive. That in itself would make our state a much more desirable place for businesses to set up shop. The opinion of current State House leadership to restrict spending now is completely the opposite of what we need to do. Rates are near zero, now is the time for our government to be bold and invest in infrastructure, renewable energy, and build an economy of the future that works for everyone.
3. What is the greatest challenge facing Rhode Island as a state?
We have many challenges, but it’s hard to ignore the influence of big money in our politics and how it corrupts our political process. So much progress that we need to make happen is stifled by corporate lobbyists and catering to favors for the politically well-connected. Our climate, economic, and healthcare crises are paramount and very much interconnected. It’s going to take a serious change of culture within our State House to appropriately deal with our challenges. But in every challenge there’s opportunity, and I really do believe this is the time for change.
4. Why are you running for office? What makes you uniquely qualified?
I believe the change we need in government is up to regular, ordinary to make happen. We all have to do our part in holding our locally elected officials accountable. We have a political climate here where so many politicians run as Democrats just so they can be elected. But they hardly ever represent Democrat values, if at all. I won’t ask anyone to vote for me by claiming I’m some special, one-of-a-kind type of guy. I’m just an ordinary, regular guy that’s worked hard to support myself and my loved ones. I think that’s the perspective we need in government right now.
5. Who is your inspiration?
As I’ve campaigned over the last few months, I’ve met so many people that inspire me. People with children that have developmental disabilities, and have had to leave their jobs to take care of them with little or no help from our system. People with health conditions, like my girlfriend Katie, who have to battle against a broken healthcare system on top of dealing with a disease. Working class people that struggle to make ends meet. Seniors living on fixed-incomes and struggling to get by. These people don’t get accolades, but they’re who inspire me the most, and their stories are what’s motivated me throughout this campaign.
Bio:
Brandon Potter is running for State Representative in District-16. He was born and raised in Cranston by a single-mother, went to Cranston public schools, CCRI, and RIC. After the election of Donald Trump, he felt obligated to become more politically engaged. His girlfriend Katie, 31, is a dialysis patient due to a genetic kidney disease, and after seeing her struggle with a broken healthcare system that prioritizes profit, he was inspired to do his part to help change the way our government works. As a newcomer to politics, his campaign has been endorsed by The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, Sunrise RI, Planned Parenthood, Our Revolution RI, Run For Something, and Moms Demand Action.
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BrandonPotterRI
Twitter: @BrandonPotterRI
Instagram: BrandonPotterRI
Website: www.BrandonPotterRI.com
Email: [email protected]
